Song thrush

Turdus philomelos

A spotted-breasted thrush with a clear, repeated song heard from woods, parks, and gardens in early spring.

Key facts

Song thrush (Turdus philomelos) is an omnivore animal classified as Bird · Passeriformes · Turdidae.
Primary habitats are forest · urban · grassland, with a range across Palearctic · Australasian.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is solitary, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
A spotted-breasted thrush with a clear, repeated song heard from woods, parks, and gardens in early spring.
Uses woodland, edges, parks, gardens, hedges, and orchards, especially where damp ground and shrubs are present.

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Uses woodland, edges, parks, gardens, hedges, and orchards, especially where damp ground and shrubs are present.

Brown upperparts and pale underparts with dark teardrop spots make it smaller and neater than a blackbird.

Males repeat musical phrases many times. It is known for breaking snail shells by striking them on stones.

Earthworms, insects, snails, fruit, and berries are taken from the ground and leaf litter.

Cup nests in shrubs or trees are lined with mud. Eggs are blue-green with dark speckles.

Although farming changes caused regional declines, the species remains widespread globally.