The Mistle Thrush always seeks for its food in the open, where it can 

 easily detect the approach of danger. Among the grass it obtains snails, 

 slugs, earthworms, and larvae of various kinds ; many insects, too, are greedily 

 devoured. During the autumn its favourite fare consists of fruit and berries ; 

 cherries, gooseberries, and raspberries being obtained in gardens, and on the 

 moorlands, blackberries, cranberries, cloudberries, and the fruit of the mountain 

 ash, elder, and hawthorn. The bird has an intense liking for the fruit of 

 the service-tree, and it will soon strip one of these trees of its clusters of 

 berries. The Mistle Thrush is popularly supposed to feed on the waxen 

 berries of the mistletoe hence its name, but it does not do so to any 

 great extent, as this famous parasite is rarely seen stripped of its berries, 

 even though Mistle Thrushes abound in the neighbourhood. In sowing- 

 time these birds descend on the ploughed land and devour the scattered 

 grain, varying this food with an occasional worm or grub. 



The Mistle Thrush sings throughout the winter, commencing in the early 

 autumn after the young can take care of themselves, and continuing till the 

 breeding season commences in the following spring. Its song somewhat 

 resembles that of the Song Thrush and Blackbird, but is much louder and 

 wilder in its refrain. Though rich and mellow in tone it is rather monotonous, 

 but is very welcome, as it is heard at a season when most of our songsters 

 are silent. No day seems too wild and stormy for the Mistle Thrush to 

 sing; perched on some bare twig he pours forth his song in defiance of the 

 sleet and howling wind, probably receiving his name of ' Storm-cock ' from 

 this habit. The call-notes of the Mistle Thrush are loud and harsh, and 

 cannot be readily compared with those of any other bird, though they 

 resemble very slightly the chattering cry of the Magpie. 



Early in February the Mistle Thrushes pair, and often frequent the vicinity 

 of their nesting-site for weeks before they commence building operations. 

 They are very pugnacious at this season, and drive off any unfortunate bird 

 that comes too near their unfinished nest. 



The Mistle Thrush is an early breeder, and rears two, sometimes even 

 three, broods in the season. Its nest may be found on nearly all the forest 

 trees, but is rarely, if ever, placed in a bush. Larch plantations, birch woods, 

 and fruit-trees in plantations or orchards are favourite places, as also are 

 single trees growing beside a road, and the nest is often placed in some 

 alder or mountain ash growing beside a stream, even among the moors. The 

 nest is built at various heights from the ground sometimes quite low down, 

 at others among the topmost branches ; it is seldom built among the twigs, 



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