Fieldfare
Turdus pilaris
Giorgi Natsvlishvili · Sartichala, Tbilisi Georgia field photo
Key facts in one look
- Size
- 22–27 cm
- Diet
- Invertebrates, berries and seeds
- Status in Georgia
- Winter visitor and passage migrant
- Recorded regions
- Tbilisi; Kakheti; Kvemo Kartli; Mtskheta-Mtianeti
- Habitat
- Fields, orchards and woodland edges
- Family
- Turdidae
- Protection
- Globally LC (2024)
The fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) is a large thrush: it is 22–27 cm long and weighs 80–140 g, slightly bigger than the blackbird. The head and rump are blue-grey, the back chestnut-brown and the tail dark, almost black. The breast is yellowish-orange and the belly pale, both spotted dark. In winter it moves in flocks, often of tens or hundreds of birds, and calls a loud "chack-chack". It is harmless to people. In Georgia it is a winter visitor and passage migrant. Observations run from November to April, with the most in January; it has not been seen here from May to October. It is seen most often in Tbilisi, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli and Mtskheta-Mtianeti. Globally its risk of extinction is low (LC, 2024) and its numbers are stable.
Identification
Fieldfare: how to identify it
A large, sturdy thrush with a grey head and rump, a chestnut-brown back and a dark tail. The breast is yellowish-orange and spotted dark. In winter it is seen in flocks in fields, orchards and at woodland edges.
It is 22–27 cm long, with a wingspan of 39–42 cm, and weighs 80–140 g, about 109 g on average. It is slightly bigger than the blackbird. On the ground it stands very upright and moves forward in long hops.
The head and rump are blue-grey, the back and upper wings chestnut-brown, and the tail dark, almost black. The breast is yellowish-orange and the belly pale, both with dark spots. In flight the underwings show white.
It is a noisy bird. Birds in a flock often call a loud, fast "chack-chack-chack". A bird left behind by the flock gives a thin, squeaky call.
Colour
Swatches are illustrative. Do not identify a species by colour alone.
Often confused with
The fieldfare uses mixed country that is part wooded and part open: it nests and roosts in trees and looks for food along hedges, in fields and on grassy ground. It breeds in northern pine and birch forests, scrub, forest clearings, parks and gardens. It winters mainly in lowlands, in more open places: hay meadows and crop fields, woodland edges and orchards. In Georgia it is seen most often in Tbilisi, in Vake-Saburtalo and at Lisi Lake, and in Kakheti, near Chandari. In Kvemo Kartli it has been seen near Sartichala, in Tsalka Municipality, near Didgori and in Gardabani Municipality, and in Mtskheta-Mtianeti near Tsilkani and in Kazbegi Municipality. In Adjara, in Samtskhe-Javakheti near Bakuriani, and in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti in Mestia Municipality only single birds have been seen.
The fieldfare map combines public iNaturalist observations. Regions are taken from the records-by-region table, and the status column separates regions with enough records from regions with too few records. Records run from November to April, with the most in January. Record counts reflect observation effort rather than population density.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Photo record
- Region with records
It eats mainly invertebrates and fruit. In winter it also takes berries and seeds, and in spring shoots and buds. In winter flocks move from one berry-laden bush to the next, and search fields and meadows for earthworms and insects.
It is migratory, but its movements depend largely on the berry crop: when the crop near the breeding grounds is poor, many birds travel far in search of food. In Georgia it is a winter visitor and passage migrant. Observations run from November to April, with the most in January. In winter it moves in flocks, sometimes together with other thrushes. It is the only thrush that nests in colonies. It breeds from April to August, raising one or two broods a year. The nest is a large, untidy cup of twigs, roots, moss and grass, held together with mud. It is usually built in the fork of a tree or on a branch, at least two metres above the ground. It lays 5–6 eggs, sometimes 3 to 8. The female incubates for 11–14 days. The chicks leave the nest at 12–16 days.
Donsky · Giorgi Natsvlishvili · Nikita Tiunov · Evgeny Seyfulmulyukov
Related guides
Continue with related pages
Yes, as a winter visitor and on migration. It is seen from November to April, most often in January.
Most often in Tbilisi, in Vake-Saburtalo and at Lisi Lake, in Kakheti near Chandari, and in Kvemo Kartli near Sartichala and in Tsalka Municipality. Look in fields, orchards and near bushes with berries.
It is a large thrush with a grey head and rump, a chestnut-brown back and a dark, almost black tail. The breast is yellowish-orange and spotted. In a flock it calls a loud "chack-chack".
The male blackbird is all black and the female dark brown. The fieldfare has a grey head, a chestnut back and an orange, spotted breast. The blackbird stays in Georgia all year, while the fieldfare is seen only in winter.
In Georgia it is considered a winter visitor and passage migrant. There are no observations here from May to October, during the breeding season.
Invertebrates and fruit. In winter mainly berries and seeds, and in fields it also looks for earthworms and insects.
The fieldfare is harmless to people. Globally its risk of extinction is low and its numbers are stable. It is not on the 2014 Red List of Georgia.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
