'Windswept' red-listed bird visits county garden
A red-listed bird, which has seen declining numbers in the past decades, has appeared in a Herefordshire garden.
Posting on the Hereford Times' 'Birds spotted in Herefordshire' group, Jackie Partridge said she had received a visit from a "slightly windswept" Mistle Thrush in her garden on Monday morning (May 26), with several of the birds around, as a nest is nearby.
According to the RSPB, the birds can be identified by their pale bodies and black spots, along with tails with "whiteish" edges.
The British Trust for Ornithology describes the thrushes as "handsome" birds, with a brown back, greyish nape and crown and spotted breast and belly.
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The birds are usually around 28cm in length and weigh between 100 and 150 grams.
Known as Britain's "largest songbird", the species was added to the Red List in 2015, after its population declined from the 1970s onwards.
The trust says that although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, it may be linked to the degradation of farmland habitat.
The Woodland Trust links the species' demise to increased infant mortality.
The Trust says the birds feed off seeds, berries, and fruit, as well as worms and insects.
The species is believed to have been named after its love for mistletoe berries.
"It is fiercely territorial when it comes to food, guarding its food sources (such as holly bushes or rowan trees) closely, often with two birds defending the same area," the trust says.
Mistle Thrush's nests are generally formed from mud, leaves and grass, with the bird laying between three to six eggs, which hatch after 15 to 20 days.
Describing how to identify the birds, The Woodland Trust said: "Listen out for the sharp chattering noises these birds make when disturbed – they are particularly prone to making these warning calls during strong winds.
"As they are garden visitors, adding seeds and fruit to your bird feeder is a good way of attracting them.
"Or, if you have any berry bushes nearby, chances are these birds might be guarding them!"
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