Confusion between mistle and song thrush...help please!

[3lilpigs]

Hi!

For the past month or so, I have been awoken and still hearing at dusk what I believed to be a mistle thrush... However the different sources I read also point in the direction of a song thrush! (Oh and the various audio ive listened to is pretty rubbish to be honest!)

These mystery birds perch at the top of the trees or on roof top and are extremely loud with a repetitive but varied song. The ones i have seen seem to larger than a blackbird.

Help Im going round in circles...Is there a simple difference?!

[Jason Green]

Try RSPBs audio clips

[oxycera]

I know this sounds ridiculous, but when I think I'm listening to Song Thrush I wait for a phrase of song that goes something 'titty-boo, titty-boo'. I works for me anyway!

[spoonbillcourt]

Mistle Thrush or Misley Dick. is a song about nothing. IE a boring monologue of tuneless drivel Thats how I remember it.

Also they sing in overcsat conditions during rain and usualy afore a Thunderstorm hence Storm Cock.

Song Thrush is tuneful and enjoyable.

Blackbird for the record is in the evening remebered by me as "Go to bed children go to bed" I dont know for a fact but the evening song of Blackbird seems different.

SBC

[Ferret]

Song Thrush song is loud and strong and above all made up from short but varied phrases which are repeated three or more times and can be very varied, it is not as musical as Blackbird, but more musical than Mistle Thrush.

Mistle Thrush song is made up of phrases containing 3-6 whistled notes and each phrase is separated by a short pause and does not sound very musical but is extremely loud.

Song Thrush is commoner than Mistle Thrush in most areas I think, or it may be that Mistle Thrush holds a larger territory, in my area you can hear several Song Thrushes singing at once but I rarely hear more than one Mistle Thrush at a time.

[oxycera]

as regards Blackbird and Song Thrush, I imagine that the former is confiding information whereas the Song Thrush is telling you straight.

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

As has been mentioned Song Thrush are very loud, repeating themselved 3/4 times typically. Mistle Thrush are nothing like as loud and has a dull song. It's worth googling the birds, theres a few sites where you can listen to the calls

[PeteTheBloke]

Here's another silly observation about the song thrush - I find it very hard to locate the bird for some reason. Usually, you move your head or position and you get a fair idea where a bird is perched, but the song thrush "throws" his voice somehow and seems to surround you (me) with sound.

[3lilpigs]

Well thanks for that, me thinks its deffo a Song Thrush. Infact theres a fair few around us.

I always like peoples description of the songs...Quality!

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

As has been mentioned Song Thrush are very loud, repeating themselved 3/4 times typically. Mistle Thrush are nothing like as loud and has a dull song. It's worth googling the birds, theres a few sites where you can listen to the calls

A dull song? It's a wonderful late winter song of the wild, ringing out and often yodelled in harsh weather, hence the country name, the stormcock. I love the song of the 'mizzy'.
Mistle thrushes are larger, paler brown, with a more uplright stance. Their spots are plentiful and rather irregular. They sing like a less well tuned blackbird.
Song thrushes, are a warmer brown colour, less upright, smaller and a good characteristic, if you get close enough, the spots are arrowhead shaped. They sing short, repetitive phrases. A beautiful song.

Regards, Chris