FIELDFARE (Turdus pilaris) - Grive litorne

SUMMARY

A large garrulous thrush of forest edge and fields. Seems more frequently in winter, identified by its grey/brown plumage and harsh calls.

The Fieldfare is found throughout Switzerland except in the most southern parts, it occurs right up to the tree-line but is mostly concentrated between 800 - 1200m. It is a bird of northern Europe and Scandinavia, and Switzerland is just about at the South-east limit of its breeding range. It is augmented in winter by populations from the north, and is more common on the northern slopes of the northern Alps and Jura.

Fieldfare © Arlette Berlie

It is a generally noisy bird, moving around in loose flocks that call to each other to maintain contact. The call is a nasal harsh "chack-chack" and it carries a colloquial French name of "tchatcha" which also describes it well. This raucous call is also often accompanied by various other seemingly random whistles and squeaks:

Here is another short piece where the calls are accompanied by other chuckling noises:

I have also heard Fieldfares singing - a rather quiet song something like a screechy Blackbird but less obvious, but as yet have not been able to get a decent recording of it.

Fieldfares © Frank Jarvis

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