SOA'G THRUSH. 125 



Family TURDID.'E. Genus TURDUS. 



Sub-family TURDIN^. 



SONG THRUSH. 



TuRDUS Musicus, Limueus. 

 Double Brooded. Breeding season, February to August. 



British breeding area : The Song Thrush is 

 generally distributed throughout the British Islands, 

 breeding in all parts sufficiently wooded to meet its 

 requirements. It breeds on many of the Hebrides, even 

 on the Orkneys, but not on the Shetlands, 



Breeding habits : The Song Thrush is a more or 

 less migratory species in most parts of our area, leaving 

 its breeding-grounds in the late autumn, and returning 

 very early the following season. The Song Thrush 

 may be found breeding almost everywhere, especially 

 in well-cultivated districts, in orchards, shrubberies, 

 hedgerows, woods, coppices, and plantations. The bird 

 pairs very early in the spring, and in open seasons the 

 eggs are often laid by the end of February. The Song 

 Thrush is not at all social during the nesting season, 

 and although several nests may be found in a small 

 area, each pair keeps to itself. The nest is placed in a 

 great variety of situations, the earliest of the season 

 by preference being built amongst evergreens. It is 

 usually made well in the centre of a bush or hedge, 

 often on the ground, at the root of the hedge-bushes, or 

 on the top of a bank. Less frequently it is placed on a 

 stone jutting from a wall covered with ivy, or amongst 

 ivy on a tree-trunk ; whilst evergreen shrubs, such as 

 hollies, yews, myrtles, and laurels, are favourite sites. 

 It is placed at heights varying from a few feet to as 

 many as twenty feet or even more from the ground. 



