30 Baby Birds at Home 



stems, moss, wool and mud, and is lined with 

 fine dry grass. It is generally placed in the 

 fork of a tree, or on some strong branch in 

 orchards, woods, parks and plantations. 



The eggs number four or five, of a 

 greyish green colour marked with blotches 

 and spots of a reddish brown tint. 



The young ones are gifted with wonderful 

 appetites, and gulp down every worm and 

 grub brought by their parents. When the 

 time comes for them to fledge they grow 

 very uneasy, shifting about and standing on 

 the edge of the nest, fluttering their little 

 wings or cleaning and dressing the quills 

 with their beaks. 



Missel Thrushes are very courageous birds, 

 and will chase a carrion crow, or rook, away 

 from the neighbourhood of their chicks. One 

 has been known to die in defending her young 

 ones against the attack of a weasel. 



The harsh alarm cry of this species sounds 

 very much like the noise made by a child's 

 wooden rattle. 



Young Missel Thrushes are very fond of 

 bathing during hot weather, when whole 

 families may be seen splashing about in some 

 shallow pond or on the margin of a stream. 



