The mistle thrush is a large songbird, commonly found in parks, gardens, woodland and scrub. It probably gets its common name from its love of mistletoe. It enjoys the sticky berries and, once it has found a berry-laden tree, will guard it from any would-be thieves. In turn, it helps mistletoe to thrive by accidentally 'planting' its seeds while wiping its bill on the tree bark to remove the sticky residue; it also disperses the seeds in its droppings.
How to identify
The mistle thrush is pale greyish-brown above, with a white belly covered in round, black spots. It is larger and greyer than the similar-looking song thrush.
Did you know?
The mistle thrush is also known as the 'storm cock' and 'rain bird' as it can be heard singing loudly from the tops of high trees after spring rains.
