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Blue Rock Thrush

Liz Bonnin presents the blue rock thrush, perched high on a Spanish castle.

Tweet of the Day is the voice of birds and our relationship with them, from around the world.

Liz Bonnin presents the blue rock thrush, perched high on a Spanish castle. The blue rock thrush has a slim silhouette, rather like that of a blackbird, but these largely sedentary, elusive and sun-loving birds are a rare sight in northern Europe. They are widespread in summer across southern Europe and also occur in the Arabian Peninsula and across most of south-east Asia. The male lives up to his name, as in sunlight his deep indigo body feathers contrast with his darker wings and tail. His mate is a more muted mid brown, and barred beneath. Blue rock thrushes often nest in old ruins, but can also be found in houses in villages and on the edge of towns. Here in sunny spots they feed on large insects like grasshoppers and will even take small reptiles in their long thrush-like bills.

Producer Andrew Dawes.

Available now

1 minute

Last on

Tue 10 Aug 2021 05:58

Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)

Webpage image courtesy of Hans and Jens Eriksen / naturepl.com.

NPL Ref 漏 Hans and Jens Eriksen / naturepl.com.

Broadcasts

  • Wed 7 Jan 2015 05:58
  • Sun 11 Jan 2015 08:58
  • Tue 8 Dec 2015 05:58
  • Fri 11 May 2018 05:58
  • Wed 11 Mar 2020 05:58
  • Tue 9 Feb 2021 05:58
  • Tue 10 Aug 2021 05:58

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