Mistle thrush weather, earning the bird the old name of stormcock. Found in open woods, parks, hedges and cultivated land, the mistle thrush feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates, seeds and berries. Its preferred fruits include those of the mistletoe, holly and yew. Mistletoe is favoured where it is available, and this is reflected in the thrush's English and scientific names; the plant, a parasitic species, benefits from its seeds being excreted by the thrush onto branches where they can germinate. In winter, a mistle thrush will vigorously defend mistletoe clumps or a holly tree as a food reserve for when
Mistletoe that with each kiss a berry was to be plucked from the mistletoe, and the kissing must stop after all the berries had been removed. Unfortunately, people have reportedly been poisoned and died from consuming mistletoe. In Germany, the Christmas tradition is that people who kiss under mistletoe will have an enduring love or are bound to marry one another. From at least the mid-19th century, Caribbean herbalists of African descent have referred to mistletoe as "god-bush". Mistletoe is the state floral emblem of Oklahoma and the county flower of Herefordshire. Every year, the UK town of Tenbury Wells holds