Page 310 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

CHATS AND THRUSHES
Order Passeriformes Family Turdidae Species Turdus iliacus
Redwing
dark cap

pale stripe
reddish over eye
underwing
white spot coverts
beside tail dark
cheeks
dark brown
back
IN FLIGHT

long,
FLIGHT: quite quick; in flocks sometimes high, narrow dark
spots on
slightly erratic, undulating a little, with
breast
in-out flicks of wings; disturbed flocks
move to hedge or tree.
silvery white
dull rust-red underside
ften heard calling flanks
Oduring its nocturnal
migrations, especially during clear,
calm nights in October, the Redwing
is a small, social thrush, easily identified by
its well-marked head pattern. It moves about
in flocks, often mixed with Fieldfares, and, in
winter, feeds in loose congregations in fields or in
closer groups, feeding on berries in hedgerows. It is
not generally a garden bird but will come to larger
gardens for food during hard weather, to which it
is particularly susceptible. Breeding pairs form small,
scattered groups.
VOICE Flight call, often at night, high, thin, simple
seeeeh, also chuk, chittuk; song variable, monotonous
repetition of short phrases and chuckling notes with
rising or falling pattern.
NESTING Cup of grass and twigs, in low bush or
shrub; 4–6 eggs; 2 broods;April–July.
FEEDING Often on ground, in winter in loose
flocks advancing across field, finding worms, insects, BERRY EATERS
and seeds; also in hedges, feeding on berries; in hard Hedgerow berry crops are quickly exhausted by mixed flocks of
weather, visits gardens for apples and berries. Redwings and Fieldfares descending on them.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in N and E Europe; winters
SONG THRUSH plainer head in N and S Europe. Nests in birch
shorter call; paler
underwings in smaller woods and conifer forest; in
flight; winter, on bushy heaths, in farm-
see p.307 land with hedges and old pastures,
greyer
underwings in larger, undisturbed parks, and in
gardens, especially in hard weather.
SKYLARK
similar winter flocks Seen in the UK
in flight; see p.265 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 21cm (8 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 33–35cm (13–14in) Weight 55–75g (2–2 5 ⁄8oz)
Social Winter flocks Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Secure
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