Species Guide: Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus)
Family: Turdidae
The Ring Ouzel is a medium-sized member of the thrush family found mainly across western and northern Europe and parts of western Asia. It is closely related to more familiar thrush species and is distinct for its seasonal migration between breeding and wintering regions. It breeds in upland and mountainous areas, returning southward outside the breeding season. The species is recognized for its distinctive appearance and its significant role in upland ecosystems.
Appearance
Male
Male Ring Ouzels are predominantly dark, almost black, with a conspicuous pale crescent-shaped band across the upper breast. The wings may show pale edges or a silvery tint, and the bill is generally yellowish. This contrast makes the male readily distinguishable from similar thrushes.
Female
Females resemble males in shape and overall plumage patterns, but their coloration tends to be browner rather than pure black. The pale breast band is present but often duller or cream-colored, and other pale feather edges are less prominent.
Juvenile
Juveniles lack the distinctive pale breast band or show a very faint version of it. Their plumage is more mottled or scaly brown, making them superficially similar to juvenile blackbirds, though the wing panel may be paler.
Diet
The Ring Ouzels diet is omnivorous and varies seasonally. During the breeding season and spring migration, invertebrates such as earthworms, beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars form the bulk of food intake and are also fed to young. Later in the year, fruit becomes increasingly important; berries of juniper, rowan, hawthorn, bramble, and other shrubs are consumed in large quantities. In some regions, juniper berries may comprise most of the winter diet.
Habitat
Ring Ouzels are primarily birds of rugged upland and mountainous terrain. In much of their range, they breed above lowland areas in open mountain valleys, rocky slopes with scattered shrubs or trees, and heather-covered moorlands. They nest on or near the ground, often in vegetation or rocky crevices, and sometimes in low bushes. Their wintering areas are often in mountainous Mediterranean regions with suitable fruiting shrubs.
Behavior
Behavior and Social Patterns
Ring Ouzels are typically territorial when breeding and are seen alone or in pairs. Outside the breeding season, they may form loose groups in favorable feeding areas, especially where fruits are abundant. Their flight is direct and purposeful.
Vocalizations
The male’s vocalizations include a series of plaintive, fluty notes often delivered from exposed perches at dawn and dusk.
Ring Ouzel Song:
Their calls can include loud repetitive notes such as a sharp “tac-tac-tac” when alarmed, and softer contact calls in flight.
Ring Ouzel Call:
Life Cycle
Breeding typically begins in mid-spring. The female builds a cup-shaped nest of grass, moss, and mud, usually on or near the ground. Clutch sizes range from three to six eggs, which are incubated mainly by the female. After about two weeks, chicks hatch and fledge approximately another two weeks later, with parental feeding continuing until they become independent. In some regions, pairs may raise more than one brood per season.
Biometrics
| Length | 23-24 cm |
| Wing Span | 38-42 cm |
| Body Weight | 90-138 grams |
| Longevity | 2 Years |
Natural Predators
Predators include raptors such as owls, buzzards, kestrels, and sparrowhawks, which may prey on adults or juveniles. Ground mammals such as weasels and stoats can take eggs or chicks, and in some regions, squirrels or nutcrackers may also raid nests. Juveniles are particularly vulnerable, and predation is an important factor in mortality rates.
Relationship to Humans
Humans have long noted Ring Ouzels in upland landscapes, and naturalists and birdwatchers value them as a distinctive species of wild places. Although specific traditional fables featuring the Ring Ouzel itself are scarce in mainstream folklore records, its old English name and related terms derive from “ouzel,” a word historically applied to blackbirds in literature and folk culture, indicating a close cultural association with common thrushes in human storytelling. The bird’s presence has inspired naturalists to explore upland ecology and seasonal migration patterns. Older vernacular names in Britain reflect local seasonal or habitat associations, including “mountain blackbird” around hills and moorlands.
There is also a broader mythical usage of a similar-sounding term in British and Australian folklore for an “oozlum bird,” a fanciful creature said in humorous tale cycles to fly in diminishing circles until it disappears or to fly backwards for whimsical reasons. This latter myth uses the root “ouzel” (originally meaning blackbird) but is not an actual account of Ring Ouzels in nature.
Conservation Status
Globally, the Ring Ouzel is classified as of Least Concern under the International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria because of its extensive range and substantial population. However, there are documented declines in parts of its range, especially in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where long-term decreases in breeding population and range have led to a high conservation priority classification in national lists. Causes of decline include habitat change, climate pressures, disturbance from outdoor activities, and loss of key food resources and nesting areas. In some regions, the species is now Red-listed due to significant population drops over recent decades.
U.K.
Conservation Status
Global
Conservation Status
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References
- Lovette, I. et al. (2016) The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, handbook of bird biology. Third edition. Chichester: Wiley. [Accessed 15/10/2025]
CITATIONS
- By MPF – Own work, adapted from base map File:A large blank world map with oceans marked in blue.PNG, distribution details from:Josep del Hoyo et al.: Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW). Vol. 10: Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes: 645. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2005, ISBN 84-87334-72-5D. W. Snow & C. M. Perrins: The Birds of the Western Palearctic Vol. 2. Oxford, ISBN 0-19-854099-XP. Clement & R. Hathway: Thrushes. Helm Identification Guides.V. Keller et al.: European Breeding Bird Atlas 2. EBBC/Lynx Edicions., CC BY-SA 3.0, [Accessed 22/12/2025] ↩︎
