Species Guide: Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Family: Turdidae
APPEARANCE
Significantly, the Song Thrush is adorned with warming tones, they have brown heads, wings, and back, Their chest feathers are cream-colored with brown heart-shaped spots.
The Song Thrush is frequently confused with the Mistle Thrush, despite the fact the Mistle Thrush is larger and has a more cold gray appearance with heavier-looking chest spots. Check out our guide on distinguishing between the Song Thrush & Mistle Thrush for more information: here.
Diet
Significantly, the Song Thrush is known for its ability to hit snails against stones and rocks to crack the snail’s shell and gain access to the soft-bodied prey inside. They will also eat worms, caterpillars, and fruit.
HABITAT
Their natural habitat is deciduous and coniferous woodland. However, they have adapted to use urban environments, and are frequently seen in parks and gardens in search of food.
Note that this map is for a rough illustration of animal distribution across the UK1, whereby light green indicates established populations.
Behavior
The breeding season typically starts in April, but sometimes as early as March. A cup-shaped nest is created in trees and shrubs from plant material and mud held together with saliva. They have up to 3 broods per year, each with up to 4 eggs in a clutch. The eggs are incubated for 14 days by the female and after hatching, the nestlings are fully fledged after a further 2 weeks. After this time, the nestlings are still dependent upon their parents for food until they are fully mature.
The Song Thrush is frequently heard at the beginning and end of the day and is famed for its beautiful song. Specifically, they begin singing in the springtime, sometimes starting in January. Their song consists of various short phrases which are repeated a few times, and then moving on to the next phrase.
Song Thrush Singing:
Jacobo Ramil Millarengo, xeno-canto.org
Biometrics
| Wing Length2 | 114-124 mm |
| Body Weight2 | 64-90 grams |
| Longevity2 | 3 Years |
NATURAL PREDATORS
The Sparrowhawk is the main predator of the Song Thrush, and in common with other woodland birds, various mammals may raid their nests.
Conservation Status
The Song Thrush used to be a common sight across the British Isles, however, they went into a steep decline during the 1970s and 1980s; with numbers remaining low since that time. The cause of this decline hasn’t been substantiated, though some studies indicate that general loss of habitat and the resultant reduction in food availability may have had a significant impact3.
U.K.
Conservation Status
Global
Conservation Status
References
- European Bird Breeding Atlas
- Featherbase
- Peach, W.J., Robinson, R.A. & Murray, K.A. (2004) Demographic and environmental causes of the decline of rural Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos in lowland Britain. Ibis 146 (Suppl. 2): 50–59. doi: 10.1111/j.1474-919X.2004.00362.x [Accessed 12/02/2025]
