Males establish territories from April but often the same territory is used by the same pair year after year. They defend their territories for about nine months. The territorial song of the male is usually delivered from a high point. The mornings and evenings are favoured for singing.
The thrush places its nest in a tree or shrub usually only a few feet from the ground. The nest is built of grass and sticks and lined with a plaster of decayed wood and grass cemented with saliva. This is often described as mud, says Oliver, but earth is only occasionally included. Pairs will replace lost nests and they may nest 2-5 times each year and raise several broods, usually in different nests. The female builds the nest in one to two weeks.
A clutch of four to five eggs is laid from early August to late December but occasionally from as early as May until February. The eggs are bluish green with scattered black or purplish spots chiefly at the larger end. Incubation takes from 12-13 days.
Both parents feed the nestlings which fledge at 13-15 days. The young birds remain with the parents and are occasionally fed several weeks after being fledged.
The thrush feeds on insects, snails, worms, slugs, and soft fruits. The thrush is conspicuous with its habit of using an anvil to break the shells of snails. Small heaps of broken shells may be found near a favoured anvil.
The thrush is seldom found in native forest, prefering suburban gardens.
The thrush was among the earliest birds introduced to New Zealand, the first to be landed were five birds introduced to Nelson in 1862.
Narena Olliver, July, 2007
