Song Thrushs in Austria
When the Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) is present in Austria, when it nests, and which native Austria plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Austria
- Summer visitor
- Nesting season
- March–July
- Size
- 23 cm, 70–90 g
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
When to expect song thrushs in Austria
The Song Thrush arrives in Austria in spring to breed and leaves again in autumn. Warm summers in the lowlands; cool in the mountains.
Continental and Alpine; most of the country is mountainous.
Nesting in Austria
In Austria the Song Thrush usually nests March–July. Nest site: cup lined with a smooth mud-and-dung layer, in shrubs. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 13–14 days; chicks fledge after 13–14 days, and pairs raise 2–3 per year.
- The Song Thrush 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 Austria plants for song thrushs
Of the native plants we track for Austria, these 8 provide food the Song Thrush 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
Worms, insects and snails, which it smashes on an 'anvil' stone.
- Best foods: Mealworms, Soaked sultanas, Fruit.
- Feeders: Ground tray.
- Avoid slug pellets — Song Thrushes eat the snails they poison.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are song thrushs in Austria all year?
No. The Song Thrush is a summer visitor to Austria, arriving to breed and leaving in autumn.
When do song thrushs nest in Austria?
Typically March–July. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 13–14 days, with 2–3 per year.
Which native plants help song thrushs in Austria?
Hawthorn, Rowan, Holly, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Dog rose, Guelder rose are native to Austria and provide food or cover the Song Thrush uses.
Song Thrushs in other countries
Other garden birds in Austria
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.