HOW TO KNOW THE BIRDS 



By the REV. MAURICE C. H. BIRD, M.A., M.B.O.U. 



With Photographs by 



RICHARD AND CHERRY KEARTON 



THE THRUSHES 



IX the locality where I am writing 

 almost everybody knows the Song 

 Thrush from the Missel Thrush, 

 though the former is generally called a 

 Mavish and the latter a Fulfer ; but 

 although we have a regular 

 visitation of Redwings and 

 Fieldfares, wintering with 

 us more or less abundantly 

 year by year, their differ- 

 ences are practically undis- 

 covered by many people, 

 who jumble the two species 

 together as " French Ma- 

 vishes," whilst some con- 

 found the Fieldfare with 

 the Missel Thrush and the 

 Redwing with the Song 

 Thrush. In point of size 

 the Missel Thrush is the 

 largest of the four ; on the 

 ground or in flight it at 

 ouce strikes one as being 

 a more strongly built and 

 more lumpy bird than the 

 Fieldfare, which is, perhaps, 

 an inch shorter. The Red- 

 wing is the smallest of the 

 four — about 8 inches in 

 length. Not that measure- 

 ments alone can be trusted 

 for the identification of any 

 bird, as, for example, in 

 December, 1904, I handled 

 a Song Thrush in full 

 feather which only extended 

 to 6:J- inches. 



In plumage, Missel Thrush, 

 Mavish. and Redwing are 

 much alike, the distinguish- 

 ing marks being as follows. 



The Missel Thrush alone has a white patch 

 at the base of the inner web of the two 

 outer tail feathers on either side, these 

 being conspicuous in flight. It may also 

 be known from both the Song Thrush and 



MISSEL THRUSH AND NEST. 



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