Bird Sightings : Fieldfare

Western Isles of Scotland

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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Fieldfare

Fieldfare

(Stormcock)

Anthus rubescens

Photography © Andy L
Garrabost - Point - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
January 1st, 2009

Our Fieldfare photographs

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

Fieldfare (Stormcock)

Turdus pilaris

UK: Scarce Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor

UK: AMBER LIST. 1- 4 pairs UK (summer), 750,000 birds (Winter) BTO

Breeds: Forms colonies. Bombards would-be egg-stealers with faeces, smaller birds nest nearby & share protection. North Europe - UK (not WI)

Winters: North to South Africa

Habitat: Forest, woodland, scrub, towns

Big, bold & beautiful thrush. Plain reddish-brown back. White underwings. Cool grey rump & rear of head. Breast reddish, other underparts white. Breast & flanks heavily spotted. Sexes similar. Gregarious (& forms mixed flocks with Redwings)

Diet: Insects, worms & fruit & berries (most so in winter). Favours hawthorn berries

Listen to a Fieldfare (RSPB site)

Similar birds: Songthrush, Mistlethrush (rarer)

Fieldfare from the Anglo-Saxon feld-fere - traveller through fields (foraging)

The name stormcock is apt as they seem to have blown in with the gale. Folklore says it is about to get a lot colder... (3 hours after seeing my first fieldfare of the year on 8th November, 2007 came horizontal, heavy snow showers! ). The Missel Thrush, Green Woodpecker and Fieldfare all share the folk name Stormcock.

Fieldfare records in the Western Isles

Uncommon winter (recorded in low numbers each year) and passage visitor (recorded in low numbers each year)
Source: Outer Hebrides Bird Report (2001)

The chart below shows how abundant the Fieldfare is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

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F

M

A

M

J

J

A

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(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

Frank's web site of his nature photography
www.frankstark.com
Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

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