Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Difference

sleipnerofasgard · #1 (**permalink**) 19-12-2007, 08:51 PM

can someone give me a foolproof way of telling the difference between a song and a mistle thrush and here's an example of one or the other

Deer Stalker · #2 (**permalink**) 19-12-2007, 08:58 PM

Hi sleipnerofasgard.

Your pic is of a Song Thrush. Apart from the song & calls, the marks on its breast are arrow-shaped & it is a nice rich brown colour.

In Mistle Thrushes the marks on the breast are roundish blotches & the rest of the feathers are more grey-brown. Mistle Thrushes are also a bit bigger.

sleipnerofasgard · #3 (**permalink**) 19-12-2007, 09:07 PM

thanks for that Deer Stalker ,i have now compared an earlier picture i took of a mistle thrush and can see clearly what you mean so thank you yet again this really is the best website on the net and i am totally addicted

Lincs Yellowbelly · #4 (**permalink**) 19-12-2007, 09:30 PM

The easiest way is firstly to look at the size, Mistle Thrush are noticably bigger than Song Thrush

and then the colour, Mistle are much more Grey coloured than Song Thrush

Mistle Thrush also make really harse cackling calls.

sleipnerofasgard · #5 (**permalink**) 19-12-2007, 09:59 PM

the arrow shaped markings seem to be the best way as size is relative and only useful to me if they are standing next to each other

glsammy · #6 (**permalink**) 19-12-2007, 10:15 PM

Just to show the differences, as size and colour is often difficult when seen in isolation.
Here's a Mistle Thrush:

Note that the marking often start arrow shaped, but always turn into round blobs lower down.

m1.carson · #7 (**permalink**) 20-12-2007, 04:32 AM

Grump, grump,

I never get close enough to see the arrow heads.

Max.

mycomike · #8 (**permalink**) 13-01-2012, 01:45 AM

The mistle thrush also has white 'corners' to the outer edge of the tail which are not present in the song thrush

clairep1 · #9 (**permalink**) 17-01-2012, 06:40 PM

BTOvideo's Channel - YouTube

This BTO video on youtube is great - 5 minutes of the differences between the two !

Claire

Camilla · #10 (**permalink**) 05-02-2012, 11:17 AM

Am I right in thinking my profile picture is a Song Thrush? I have just taken the photo in my parents' garden. It seems to have 'V' spots rather than round ones and was more brown than grey, with a warmer coloured breast. Its behaviour was fairly secretive, tending to stay longer in the hedge rather than being out on the lawn. Obviously hard to tell without having a Mistle Thrush to compare it with!