Songbird Saturday: the Song Thrush

Clear, musical and very distinctive once you know it, the song of a Song Thrush is perhaps best described as a series of short, flute-like phrases, each phrase repeated two or three times before the bird moves onto a new one. This repetition is a key feature that sets it apart from other thrushes, like the Blackbird.

The tone is bright and ringing, often with a slightly metallic or bell-like quality. Individual notes can sound like “chink-chink-chink” or “twee-twee-twee", though the exact phrases vary widely. A single song can include dozens of different motifs, giving it a rich, varied feel despite the repetitions.

Song Thrushes often sing from an exposed perch, such as the top of a tree, and are especially noticeable early in the morning or in the evening, sometimes even at dusk. In spring, their song has an energetic, optimistic quality that many people associate with the return of warmer days.