The species was introduced into Australia in the mid- to late 1800s to pretty up the place with its melodies. The carolling magpies and butcherbirds obviously just weren't enough for those settlers — they wanted to hear the sounds of home. Song thrushes have done nowhere near as well as some of the other introduced species and are restricted to a relatively small area of southern Victoria. They're holding on in Melbourne. At least, in my garden, which they've turned into a snail slaughterhouse.
And now that spring is here, they'll be leading the dawn and dusk choruses with their musical call. Yes, they're introduced but I can make allowances.
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!Robert Browning, Home thoughts, from abroad
