Tame birds...

[digannio]

I've been amazed by the tameness of a song thrush that has taken to visiting my garden every day. Incredibly I can quite often get it to come with a call (it seems to appear when you make a noise similar to their alarm call). It then hops onto the fence, I throw down a handful of Wilkinson's yellow suet mix with insect and down it comes and gobbles up the food just a few feet from me. It even stays put when I throw a bit more down at its feet only a yard away. I think it has quite quickly learned that it can get its fill while I'm there safe in the knowledge that most of the other birds (bar the blackbirds) will keep their distance until I've gone into the house. They do tend to get bullied out of it by the starlings. I've always previously found song thrushes wary and a little skittish but this one is bold as brass. My only fear is that when birds get a bit relaxed like this they maybe aren't keeping a close enough eye on the skies because our big beautiful female sparrow hawk is always on the lookout for easy pickings. I think this thrush also seems to prefer its Wilko special to those worms! Maybe it's a fairly inexperienced bird altho it's obviously been tough enough to survive this terrible winter.

I wonder if anyone else has similar experiences with this or other species. Gotta say, it makes for a wonderful garden bird experience. I reckon I'll have it sitting up and begging or giving me its paw next!

[aeshna5]

I've found some of the Song Thrushes on Scilly incredibly tame- especially Tresco Gardens + around any teahouse garden,etc.

[rossy]

welcome digannio i had a song thrush in the garden all winter until a female turned up and off they have gone, but let me know if yours holds out its paw as ive never seen one with a paw, a claw yes, only joking but know what you mean,

[Tringa]

Yes, I have often found song thrushes to be quite happy to be very close to humans.

Robins are tame everywhere, I think and at certain places other birds learn to be tame, eg chaffinches at various car parks.

Dave

[Dogghound]

Had a very approachable skylark yesterday to within a couple of meters before it flew off and the same today with a redwing.

[digannio]

I'm thinking of entering us both in the 'thrush agility' special class at the Dogs Trust. It''ll do owt for a suet pellet