- Lifespan
- 8–10 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 20–22 cm, wingspan 33–35 cm; 40–75 g
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, scrubland, hedgerows, parks and gardens with berry-producing shrubs and trees.
- UK Distribution
- Winter visitor and passage migrant to the UK, arriving from Scandinavia and Russia from September onwards, with peak numbers December to February; rare breeder in northern Scotland.
- Diet
- Primarily berries and fruits in winter (rowan, hawthorn, juniper), supplemented with insects, earthworms and snails during breeding season.
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, Eurasian jays, domestic cats, and occasionally Peregrines and Merlins.
- Mating Season
- May to July
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4–6 eggs, incubation period 10–14 days, fledging at 12–15 days; typically one brood per season.
- Behaviour
- Highly social in winter, often joining mixed thrush flocks and feeding on berry-laden bushes in loose groups. Males are vocal during breeding season, with a distinctive song delivered from high perches. They are relatively shy and wary, often feeding on the ground or in low cover.