NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 73 



Family TURDID^. Genus Turdus. 



Sub-family TURDIN^E. 



FIELDFARE. 



Turdus pilaris, Liimceus. 



(British : Common autumn migrant.) 



Single Brooded probably. Laying season, May to beginning 



of July. 



Breeding area : Northern Palsearctic region. The 

 Fieldfare breeds commonly throughout Scandinavia, 

 Finland, Northern Russia, and Siberia, as far east as the 

 watershed of the Yenesay and Lena, Southwards it 

 breeds more sparingly and locally in Central Russia, the 

 Baltic Provinces, Prussia, Poland, and Central Germany, 

 in Bavaria, and the Austrian Provinces of liohemia and 

 Moravia. That it still continues to discard the British 

 Islands as a breeding place is very remarkable, but is 

 probably due to the much higher spring temperature 

 prevailing in them. 



Breeding area : The Fieldfare reaches its breeding 

 places in May or June according to latitude. Its 

 favourite nesting grounds are the more open pine, fir, 

 and birch woods, but in more northern regions, where 

 the timber becomes small and stunted, the thickets of 

 willows and birches afford a haunt ; whilst on the Arctic 

 tundras the bird is compelled to nest upon or near 

 the ground like the Ring Ouzel on our own moors. 

 The Fieldfare may pair annually, but of this we know 

 nothing ; I suspect that it may possibly pair for life and 

 return each season to old breeding colonies, but doubt- 

 less the old nests are renewed each year. During the 

 laying season the male is most musical, often com- 

 mencing to sing whilst flying to a perching place. The 



