Best time to see: all year

Key facts

Largest of our resident thrushes, with a characteristic pot-bellied look

Habitat: large gardens, parks, sports fields, open woodland or parkland

Widespread resident

Recognition

Greyish-brown back; heavily speckled whitish breast; white margins to tail; 26–28 cm

Less gregarious than other thrushes, usually seen individually or in small groups searching grassland for food

Feeds on insects and worms, supplemented in winter by berries Play Play

Lifecycle

Nest is a cup in the fork of a tree; two broods from March to May

4–5 blue eggs, spotted reddish; young fledge in 20 days

After breeding takes to open country and guards sources of food such as trees bearing berries