Thrush

The thrush is a small, dark-plumaged bird with a pale yellow breast freckled with dark spots, first encountered by Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves on the grassy "doorstep" before the secret entrance to the Lonely Mountain. It is an ancient creature, possibly the last of a long-lived and magical race that once lived about the Mountain, and was tame to the hands of Thorin's father and grandfather. The Men of Dale formerly had the trick of understanding the thrush's language and used the birds as messengers to fly to the Men of the Lake and elsewhere.

Role in the Discovery of the Secret Door

As the sun sank on the last day of autumn, Bilbo sat gloomily in the little bay before the sheer rock-face, watching a large grey stone. An enormous thrush, nearly coal black, perched on that stone and began cracking a snail against it with a sharp crack. The sound triggered Bilbo's sudden understanding of the moon-letters Elrond had read: "Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks." He hailed the dwarves, and moments later, as a red ray of the setting sun escaped through a rent in the cloud, a flake of rock split from the wall and a hole appeared. The thrush, who had been watching from a high perch with beady eyes and head cocked, gave a sudden trill at the moment the door was revealed. Thorin then used the key to open the secret passage into the Mountain.

Witness to Smaug's Weakness

After Bilbo's first, terrified visit to the dragon's lair, he returned to the doorstep and told the dwarves what he had learned. In his account, he mentioned that he had noticed a bare patch in the hollow of Smaug's left breast, as bare as a snail out of its shell. The old thrush was sitting on a rock nearby, listening to all that was said. Bilbo, in an ill temper, picked up a stone and threw it at the thrush, which merely fluttered aside and came back. Thorin rebuked him, explaining the bird's ancient and friendly lineage. The thrush silently spread its wings and flew away as the stars began to peep forth.

Delivery of the Critical Intelligence to Bard

During Smaug's devastating attack on Lake-town, the thrush reappeared at a decisive moment. As Bard, the grim-voiced descendant of Girion, Lord of Dale, stood with his great yew bow, having spent all but one of his arrows, the thrush fluttered to his shoulder. Unafraid, it perched by his ear and brought him news. Marvelling, Bard found he could understand its tongue, for he was of the race of Dale. The thrush told him to wait for the rising moon and to look for the hollow of the left breast as the dragon flew and turned above him. It also told him of the tidings up in the Mountain and of all that it had heard. Acting on this intelligence, Bard drew his last black arrow and shot Smaug through the bare patch, killing the dragon.

Confirmation of Smaug's Death

After the battle, the thrush's testimony was relayed to Thorin and the dwarves by Roäc, the chief of the ravens of the Mountain. Roäc stated that the thrush, "may his feathers never fall," saw Smaug die in battle with the men of Esgaroth at the rising of the moon, and that they could trust his words. The thrush thus served as the primary witness and verifier of the dragon's demise, a fact that transformed the dwarves' situation from one of desperate siege to one of reclaimed treasure, though it immediately precipitated a new conflict over its division.