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 a positive effect on biodiversity, providing high quality food and habitat for a broad range of animals in forests and woodlands worldwide. Mistletoe is relevant to several cultures. Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as "oak sperm." Also in Ancient Greek mythology mistletoe was used by the hero Aeneas to access the underworld.. Mistletoe played an important role in Druidic mythology in the Ritual of Oak and Mistletoe. In Norse Mythology, Loki tricked