# Song Thrush

*Turdus philomelos*

The Song Thrush is famous for its 'anvil'—a favorite stone used to smash open snail shells, a learned behavior that leaves behind piles of broken shells.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Turdidae › Turdus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous and coniferous woodlands, hedgerows, and suburban gardens with ample cover.
- **Diet:** Invertebrates including snails and earthworms, supplemented by berries and fruit in autumn.
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, New Zealand, Australia
- **Size:** 20-23 cm in length; wingspan of 33-36 cm; weight 50-100g.
- **Lifespan:** 3-4 years on average, though individuals have reached over 10 years.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Changes in agricultural practices, loss of hedgerows, and secondary poisoning from molluscicides.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and shy. Maintain a respectful distance to avoid causing stress, especially during nesting season. If you find a fledgling on the ground, leave it be; the parents are likely nearby. Do not use slug pellets in your garden as these can poison thrushes that eat the snails.

## About

The song thrush ( Turdus philomelos ) is a thrush that breeds across much of Eurasia. It has brown upperparts and black-spotted cream or buff underparts and has three recognised subspecies. Its distinctive song, which has repeated musical phrases, has frequently been referred to in poetry.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/8349a51b-1924-4bce-9654-1300fee546b5
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12748
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turdus philomelos
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/61267400/medium.jpg (Sid Mosdell, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.