Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorus
The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) is a common thrush found in 76 countries, weighing about 117 g. The mistle thrush is a bird common to much of Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa.
About the Mistle Thrush
The mistle thrush is a bird common to much of Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa. It is a year-round resident in a large part of its range, but northern and eastern populations migrate south for the winter, often in small flocks. It is a large thrush with pale grey-brown upper parts, a greyish-white chin and throat, and black spots on its pale yellow and off-white under parts. The sexes are similar in plumage, and its three subspecies show only minimal differences. The male has a loud, far-carrying song which is delivered even in wet and windy weather, earning the bird the old name of stormcock. Historically, the name was also sometimes spelled "missel thrush".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The mistle thrush is the largest thrush native to Europe. The nominate subspecies measures 27–28 cm (11–11 in) in length, with a 45 cm (18 in) wingspan. It weighs 93 to 167 g (3.3 to 5.9 oz), with an average of around 130 g (4.6 oz). It has a stocky upright posture when on the ground. It has pale grey-brown upperparts, the chin and throat are greyish-white, and the yellowish-buff breast and off-white belly are marked with round black spots. The spotting becomes denser on the lower chest. The long tail has white tips on the outer feathers, and the underwing coverts are white. Voice: The male mistle thrush has a loud melodious song with fluted whistles, sounding like chewee-trewuu ... trureetruuruu or similar, repeated three to six times, and used to advertise his territory, attract a mate and maintain the pair bond. The tone resembles that of the song thrush or blackbird, but compared to its relatives the mistle thrush's repertoire is less varied and the delivery is slower.
What the Mistle Thrush sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Canada, Japan, Jordan, Oman, Monaco, Malta.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Mistle Thrush?
- The mistle thrush is the largest thrush native to Europe. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Mistle Thrush?
- The Mistle Thrush is a medium sized bird weighing about 117 g.
- Where can you see a Mistle Thrush?
- The Mistle Thrush occurs in 76 countries, including Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany.
- What does a Mistle Thrush sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Mistle Thrush on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Mistle Thrush?
- The Mistle Thrush is most easily confused with the Clay-colored Thrush, the Redwing and the Rufous-bellied Thrush.
- Is the Mistle Thrush endangered?
- The Mistle Thrush is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Mistle Thrush for real
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