Identifying A Bird

[bigbanana]

A briefly saw a bird on some telephone wires that run across my garden this morning. It was about the size of a starling but what struck me about it was the call it was making. The call sounded like an old-fashioned clock spring being wound or unwound.

Has anyone any idea of what the bird could be? I live in the south of England

Thank you

[heathfield]

I've heard starlings imitate everything from moorland curlews to telephones ringing!

[bigbanana]

Thanks both. For the few seconds I watched it, the bird looked a drab olive-green in colour. There may also have been spots on its chest area. It was the colour that put me off the idea of a starling as I thought they were black.

[Prudie]

I did wonder if it could be a mistle thrush, they make a very odd sound a bit like you describe and have that kind of colouring, although they're bigger than starlings.

[heathfield]

They can look black, but they have iridescent feathers which can appear as different colours, depending on how light (especially sunlight), is falling on them. See the photo here...

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/european_starling/id

[heathfield]

Good one, Scrivens. Just as long as they don't start imitating roosters at crack of dawn! :-)

[bigbanana]

Prudie, you're spot on!! I've just listened to the final audio clip of the four on:

http://www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id/know-your-thrushes-song-and-mistle

Part of the clip sounds exactly like the clock-spring sound I heard. The colouration of the bird is also identical even down to the spots. The posture of the bird was also identical unlike that of the starling.

I'm very grateful. Thank you all for your help.