Her first station was the North America and West Indies Station  based in Halifax where, in 1891, she was commanded by Prince George, later to become King George V of the United Kingdom. In 1896 Thrush, along with Sparrow, played a part in the 40 minute Anglo-Zanzibar War. She was also on active service during the Second Boer War, which lasted between October 1899 and June 1902 where she was commanded by Lieutenant Warren Hastings D'Oyly. In early 1902 she helped a British force in Nigeria re-open trade routes on the Lower Niger, closed by piracy of some locals. Lieutenant Hector Lloyd Watts-Jones was appointed in command on 5 July 1902.

From 1906 Thrush worked for HM Coastguard before becoming a cable ship in 1915. She then became a salvage ship in 1916 before being wrecked off Glenam in Northern Ireland on 11 April 1917.