Fieldfare
Turdus pilaris
Sjaggeren er en spurvefugl i familien af drosselfugle. Den er med sine 26 centimeter på størrelse med en solsort.
Large, long-tailed with a slate-grey head, nape and , dark brown back, blackish tail and a golden breast with black arrowhead spots. White underwings flash in flight.
Can be confused with
- Mistle Thrush — Mistle Thrush is uniformly grey-brown above — without the Fieldfare’s grey-head/brown-back contrast — and has round, not arrowhead, spotting.
Plumage and variation
Male and female: The female is like the male, just somewhat browner above.
Juvenile: Juvenile is duller with pale streaks where adults show dark markings.
Voice
The flight call is a chattering "tsak tsak tsuk" — the source of its Danish name. The song is feeble and scratchy.
Behaviour
Highly gregarious in winter, in big flocks often with other thrushes, on fields and at berry bushes. Breeds in small colonies defending nests communally — including by bombing intruders with droppings.
When and where
Mainly a passage and winter visitor — winter flocks near Copenhagen can reach 10,000 birds — but also a breeder since 1960, now widespread with most in north Zealand, north-west Jutland and on Bornholm.
Facts
Wingspan
42 cm
Conservation status
ikke truet
Relatives
Family
thrushes
Turdidae
Order
passerines
Passeriformes
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