Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris), a species of thrush, common in Britain as a winter visitor. It is a native of North Europe, breeding and spending the summer in Scandinavia and other northern countries, but migrating southwards in winter as far at least as the Mediterranean. It is very abundant in Norway, and, contrary to the ordinary habit of thrushes, is social in its nest-building, numerous nests being often seen on one spruce-tree. There are a few reported instances of the fieldfare nesting in Britain. As a winter visitor it has familiarised us with its harsh call-note, but its true melodious song is mostly reserved for the northern summer. The fieldfare is about the size of a blackbird, but has longer wings. The head, neck, and some other parts are grayish; the tail is black, with a white line on the outer feathers; the general upper surface is chestnut brown; the under surface is white, with a reddish-yellow breast streaked and spotted with black. In Britain the fieldfare feeds on worms, snails, and such like, or in severer weather on haws and other available fruits and seeds. It is sometimes tamed as a songster. See THRUSH.