Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorus
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Distribution Britain 2,397 (-2.0%) Ireland 857 (-8.8%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 230,000 Ireland 90,000 European status: 2,500,000 (13% in Britain and Ireland =3) British population trend: declining (-34% CBC, -48% farm){-21%} How likely are you to record it? 2042 squares (45.5%) Ranked 28 [22] |
The Mistle Thrush spread North through mainland Scotland and into the Inner Hebrides, and through Ireland, during the 19th century. By 100 years ago the distribution was little different from the modern maps — none breed in Shetland and there are a few, sporadic, records from Orkney and the Western Isles. The birds are badly affected by cold winters but recovery, even after a 75% loss after 1962/63, was fairly quick. However in the 25 years from 1972 the CBC index (all plots) fell by more than a third — and over half on farmland. Current expectation is that this may be due to poor survival over winter. This is another species where much more detailed work is needed and such factors as the number of breeding attempts each year needs to be investigated. The species seems to be on a downwards pointing roller coaster.
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead