ORDER
Passeriform.es
FAMILY
Turdidae
GENUS & SPECIES
Turdus merula
key features
► Uses songs to advertise territory, court mates
or sound warnings t Occupies a wide range of habitats, but densest
populations are now in suburban areas t Raises several broods each year to offset heavy
predation, especially by the domestic cat
where in the world!
“From Azores and Iceland eastward through Europe, northwestern Africa and southern Asia to China; introduced to Australia and New Zealand
Lifecycle
A garden bird loved for its rich song and lively manner, the blackbird is accustomed to people but always wary of predators, fleeing at the slightest hint of danger.
HABITAT
The most adaptable of British thrushes, the blackbird is found in city streets as well as windy shores of remote Scottish islands. It does, however, prefer moist, shady areas and usually stays within 200 yards of cover Originally a bird of forests, the blackbird still inhabits all types of woodland. Since the early 19th century however; it has spread into urban areas to become one of the most familiar species in town gardens, where lawns full of earthworms provide easy pickings.
The blackbird also thrives on farmland and in other open areas, including marshes and parks, where hedgerows, thickets and bushes provide shelter Although it is scarce in the bleaker uplands of Scotland, it occupies hilly moors, and sightings have been recorded at altitudes of up to 6,000′ in mountainous regions of mainland Europe.
A Winter warmer A blackbird fluffs its plumage to keep cold out.
BEHAVIOR
Often heard during the dawn chorus and at dusk, the male blackbird’s mellow song is at its best when he is proclaiming territory between early spring and midsummer. A young blackbird learns its basic song from its parents. But by copying neighboring blackbirds, and sometimes mimicking other species, it continues to incorporate new phrases into its repertoire throughout its life.The blackbird’s shrill, almost hysterical, rattling alarm cries are as familiar as its song. It directs the series of anxious calls at prowling cats and other predators, such as owls.
Although mainly resident in Britain, the blackbird is migratory in the colder north of its range. Large numbers cross the North Sea from Scandinavia to winter in Britain and Ireland. The blackbird is
not gregarious, but migrants travel in flocks and often roost in dense bushes or trees, sometimes with other species.
Low profile
The female’s plumage provides camouflage.
CONSERVATION
The blackbird’s success is due largely to its ability to find food in many habitats, even in harsh weather where other birds starve. Six million blackbird pairs breed in Britain, and migrants from northern Europe swell the number to about 20 million in early winter.
FOOD & FEEDING
Feeding mainly on the ground, the blackbird often betrays its whereabouts as it noisily forages in leaf litter, woods, hedges and gardens. It scatters leaves with its bill or scratches at them with its feet to uncover worms and insects, which are its staple food. Loved by gardeners, the blackbird also eats slugs and snails, which it snaps up after its cousin, the song thrush, has smashed their shells against a rock.
The blackbird also forages in trees and shrubs for caterpillars, spiders and other invertebrates. In autumn, it eats berries as well as apples and other fruit. During harsh winters, the blackbird often survives on kitchen scraps and other food put out on bird feeders.
Albino (pure white) blackbirds sometimes occur. Partial albinos, which are quite common, have white patches on black plumage.
If a predator approaches its nest, the blackbird uses different calls to tell chicks whether the danger is from an animal on the ground or a bird overhead.
One blackbird reportedly used a small twig, held in its bill, as a tool to sweep snow from a patch of feeding ground.
The blackbird bullies smaller birds at bird feeders, but retreats when challenged by the even more aggressive European starling.
BREEDING
Fierce, and sometimes fatal, lights occur at the beginning of the blackbird’s mating season as rivals peck and slash each other with their bills and claws in disputes over territories.
The male attracts a female to his territory with his song and courts her by ruffling his feathers and fanning his tail. Pairs usually stay together for many years.
The female constructs her nest in a shrub or tree, 3-6′ off the ground. But she may choose another site such as a building ledge. Using moss, grass and plant stems she forms a cup-shaped nest lined with mud. She then lays 3-5 eggs; once the chicks hatch, both parents feed them on worms and insects, especially caterpillars when available.
Road traffic and predators, such as cats, kill many chicks, and few survive the three weeks it takes them to become independent. By raising more than one brood a year; the blackbird helps compensate for such losses.
A Joint effort
The male helps his mate feed grubs to the chicks.
THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM
1 Landing strip…
At first light, when the grass is still dew-covered and worms are near the surface, a hungry blackbird alights on a neat suburban lawn.
2 Stop, look and listen…
The bird runs over a small patch of ground, pausing with its head tilted to scan for any movement or sound made by prey.
3 Lightning dash…
Spotting an earthworm disappearing below the soil, the blackbird dashes over to it, ready to grab its meal.
4 Tug of war
The blackbird needs all its strength to pull the prey out of its burrow, but once it does, it swallows the worm whole.
Profile
Blackbird
Often seen flying fast and low between shrubs, with frequent changes in direction, the blackbird is also capable of high, powerful, direct flight.
CREATURE COMPARISONS-
A white breast crescent distinguishes the ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus) from the blackbird. Although the two species look similar they differ in habitat preference and character The ring t ouzel is usually found on high, wild moorland, in contrast to the blackbird, which prefers suburban gardens and woodland. Unlike its often tame relative, the ring ouzel is shy and restless. Slightly smaller and slimmer than the blackbird, the ring ouzel has longer wings to suit its migratory habits. Whereas most blackbirds in Britain reside year-round, the ring ouzel is a summer visitor or passage migrant.
| VITAL | |
| STATISTICS | |
| Weight | 3-4 oz. |
| Length | About 10″ |
| Wingspan | 13-15″ |
| ^ Sexual Maturity | 1 year |
| Breeding Season | March-July |
| Number of Eggs | 3-5 |
| Incubation Period | 13-15 days |
| Fledging Period | 12-15 days |
| Breeding Interval | Usually 2-3 broods a year; occasionally up to 5 |
| Typical Diet | Earthworms, insects, fruit and bird-feeder scraps |
| Lifespan | Up to 16 yrs. |
RELATED SPECIES
• The blackbird is I of 60 thrushes in the genus Turdus, which includes the American robin, Turdus migratorius. Another relative is the olive thrush, T. olivaceus (below), which is a . common sight in suburban areas of southern Africa.
