Ring Ouzel

Turdus torquatus

A mountain thrush with a distinctive white crescent, often called the "mountain blackbird" for its remote, high-altitude habitat preference.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Ring Ouzel is a striking thrush with a distinctive white crescent on its breast. Males are predominantly black with silvery-grey wing edges, while females are browner with a less prominent breast band.

Females are similar to female Blackbirds but have a creamy crescent-shaped bib, smaller than the males. Both sexes have brownish-yellow bills and grey-brown legs.

Juveniles resemble females but have scaly patterns on their upperparts. During winter, both sexes develop pale fringes on their feathers, giving them a more mottled appearance.

From a distance, they can resemble Blackbirds, but Ring Ouzels are smaller and have longer tails.

Size

Length

23cm to 24cm

Wingspan

38cm to 42cm

Weight

90g to 138g

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Black White

Secondary Colour

Grey Brown

Beak Colour

Yellow

Leg Colour

Brown

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown

Secondary Colour (Female)

Grey

Beak Colour (Female)

Yellow

Leg Colour (Female)

Brown

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Ring Ouzel can be found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Ring Ouzel can be found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Ring Ouzel is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Ring Ouzels inhabit mountainous regions across Europe and Asia, favouring open, rocky areas with scattered vegetation. They breed in upland areas of Scandinavia, the UK, and central Europe.

During winter, they migrate to the Mediterranean region and North Africa. In the UK, they are summer visitors found in upland areas of Scotland, northern England, and Wales.

Dartmoor, north-west Wales, northern England and the north of Scotland offer the best chances of seeing a temporary resident Ring Ouzel. At the same time, along the east and southern coasts, migration passage sightings are recorded each spring and autumn.

Elevation Range

Up to 3,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Ring Ouzel. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons