CHAPTER X 



THE MIGRATIONS OF THE FIELDFARE, TURDCS PILARIS 



The migrations of the Fieldfare have been mainly 

 selected as beinsf well suited to illustrate the various 

 movements observed in the British Islands of an 

 important and numerous class of migrants — namely, the 

 Winter Visitors, 



The British migrations of this species are those of 

 (i) a winter visitor to our islands from North- Western 

 Europe, and (2) of a bird of passage in autumn and 

 spring, when en route between its northern summer- 

 home and winter - quarters in Southern Europe and 

 Northern Africa. In addition, British winter movements 

 (due to the pressure of climatic conditions), including 

 emigration beyond our shores, are annually performed. 



The home of the Fieldfares which visit the British 

 Islands is in Northern Europe, presumably Norway for 

 the most part. The species does not breed in Iceland, 

 as the Redwing does, and there is no evidence to show 

 that any of the small colonies established in various 

 parts of Central Europe (Pomerania, Thuringia, and 

 Bavaria) ever contribute to the throng that arrives on 

 our shores in the autumn. 



Autimin Arrival in British Isles. — The Fieldfare 

 seldom quits its boreal summer haunts until October, 



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