Fieldfares in Norway
When the Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) is present in Norway, when it nests, and which native Norway plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Norway
- Summer visitor
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Size
- 25.5 cm, 100 g
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
When to expect fieldfares in Norway
The Fieldfare arrives in Norway in spring to breed and leaves again in autumn. Short summers with midnight sun in the north.
Mild maritime on the Gulf Stream coast, cold continental inland and Arctic in the north.
Nesting in Norway
In Norway the Fieldfare usually nests June–July. Nest site: loose colonies in birch and conifer woods. Clutches are 5–6 eggs, incubated for 10–13 days; chicks fledge after 12–16 days, and pairs raise 1–2 per year.
- The Fieldfare does not use enclosed nest boxes — dense native shrubs and climbers give it nest sites.
- Avoid cutting hedges during the nesting season (roughly March to August) — in the UK, disturbing an active nest is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Native Norway plants for fieldfares
Of the native plants we track for Norway, these 8 provide food the Fieldfare uses:
Haws feed thrushes all winter; spring blossom supports hundreds of insect species.
Orange-red berries are a magnet for Blackbirds, thrushes and Waxwings from August.
Evergreen roosting cover and winter berries on female plants.
Late-winter berries when little else is left, plus dense nesting cover.
Late-summer berries taken by Blackcaps and thrushes.
Thorny cover that protects nests; early blossom for insects.
Hips persist into winter for thrushes and finches.
Translucent red berries in autumn.
Feeding in the garden
Berries and fallen fruit in winter; invertebrates in summer.
- Best foods: Apples (whole or halved), Soaked sultanas.
- Feeders: Ground tray.
- Fieldfares come into gardens only in snow; windfall apples are the best offering.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are fieldfares in Norway all year?
No. The Fieldfare is a summer visitor to Norway, arriving to breed and leaving in autumn.
When do fieldfares nest in Norway?
Typically June–July. Clutches are 5–6 eggs, incubated for 10–13 days, with 1–2 per year.
Which native plants help fieldfares in Norway?
Hawthorn, Rowan, Holly, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Dog rose, Guelder rose are native to Norway and provide food or cover the Fieldfare uses.
Fieldfares in other countries
Other garden birds in Norway
Sources
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.