Photo: Imran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorus
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) is a member of the Turdidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 117 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Turdidae Thrushes
- Genus Turdus
- Species viscivorus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 117 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Turdidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mistle Thrush is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Mistle Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) is a species of bird in the Turdidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL c, w, also n Africa.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 117 g, with a wing length of about 15.4 cm and a tail of around 11.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 13.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mistle Thrush?
The Mistle Thrush is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 117 g.
Where does the Mistle Thrush live?
The Mistle Thrush is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL c, w, also n Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Mistle Thrush belong to?
The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) belongs to the Turdidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mistle Thrush eat?
The Mistle Thrush is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Mistle Thrush migrate?
The Mistle Thrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Mistle Thrush endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Mistle Thrush make?
1 real field recording of the Mistle Thrush — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Mistle Thrush's range?
The Mistle Thrush has a mapped global range of about 13.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Turdidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.