Migration and wintering of the Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) in SE Hungary

The migration and wintering of the Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) is the least known of the other common nesting thrushes in Europe. It is also an understudied species in Hungary, detailed studies having been carried out nearly 50 years ago. The aim of the present study was to summarise the data on migration and wintering of this species that have been collected over the last 20 years in Kevermes, southeastern Hungary. There is no breeding population of the species either here or in the surrounding area. The species was observed on 371 of the 2,807 days of field observations. The first individuals typically arrived in the second week of October, but there are also data from late September and early October. Its migration is characterized by several peaks. In spring, it was still migrating intensively in the first half of April, with the last individuals leaving the area by the end of the month. In recent years, they have appeared earlier in the autumn and left later in the spring, which may coincide with the increasing breeding population of the species in Hungary. The number of individuals observed was higher in spring than in autumn and winter, similar to the situation in other parts of the country. The number of birds was high every second or third year. The number of observations in the same seasons of different years showed different patterns as well as the autumn observations did not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the number of observations later in winter and spring. The most important food was the common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), which was protected against the Fieldfares (T. pilaris). Comparing the two species, the migratory patterns were basically similar, but the seasonal abundance of the two species differed in certain years.