The Thrush Anvil

Song thrushes (Turdus philomelos) look for suitable stones to shatter the shells of snails they are not able to break on their own. Because thrushes tend to frequently return to "their" stone, those thrush anvils or snail anvils can be recognized by the numerous broken shells, mostly of banded snails (Cepaea) lying around them.

Thrush anvils not necessarily have to be single stones or rocks. Inventive thrushes also use kerbstones or wall parts suitable for their purposes.

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Thrush anvil of a song thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Pictures: [RN]

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