Thrushes

Songs

There are four common thrushes found throughout England, and all are superb songsters.

The Blackbird has a beautiful, rich, throaty song (Apr, Herts).


The first three phrases:





























The Song Thrush repeats its phrases (Apr, Herts).


First three phrases:





























The Mistle Thrush song is similar to that of the Eastern Bluebird of North America (Apr, Herts).













The Robin has a somewhat melancholy song (Apr, Herts).


First three phrases:





























The famed Nightingale is confined to southeast England, and sings for only a short period of time, during May.
(May, Herts).

The first few phrases of the recording:






















































Calls.

The female Robin gives a high begging call, "see", when off the nest, requesting food from the male (Apr, Suffolk).











Robin alarm call (Dec, Herts).












Blackbird calls at dawn, consisting of a quieter pok and louder pli pli pli (Dec, Suffolk).


Another example of these agitated calls, again at dawn (Dec, Herts).

pok








pli











The calls often accelerate into a crescendo, especially by birds on short flights (Dec, Suffolk).

reduced time scale










Migrant Blackbirds have a trilled or sibilant call that is similar to the calls of Tree Creeper or waxwings (Dec, Herts).














The Redwing flight call, also given regularly by feeding flocks as a contact call, is similar to the Blackbird call, but is a finer buzz (Dec, Herts).











In this recording, the first flight call is a Blackbird, the second and third Redwing (Dec, Herts).




Redwings also have a Blackbird-like puk (Dec, Herts).














Song Thrush alarm call (May, Herts).

reduced time scale










Mistle Thrush alarm (Dec, Suffolk).











Redstart calls (June, Suffolk). The huit call is remarkably similar to the Willow Warbler alarm call.