From gardens to parks, the common blackbird (turdus merula) is a familiar sight across much of Europe and beyond. With its glossy black feathers, bright yellow beak and red eyes, it’s an instantly recognisable bird – but what else do we know about this species? From identifying them in the wild to understanding their diet and breeding habits; here we take a closer look at the fascinating life of the common blackbird. Get ready to explore how they thrive in various habitats, discover potential threats facing them today, plus some conservation tips that you can use yourself!
How To Identify a Blackbird
The common blackbird (Turdus merula) is a medium-sized songbird found throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa. It has a glossy black plumage with yellow beak and legs. Male blackbirds have bright yellow eyes while females have brown eyes. The bird measures about 25 cm in length from the tip of its bill to the end of its tail feathers, with an average wingspan of 40 cm.
A male blackbird is easily distinguished by its jet-black feathers and bright yellow beaks, while a female blackbird tends to be slightly duller in colouration with brownish eyes and greyish bills. The juvenile blackbird resembles adults but is generally paler in colouration with speckled chestnut or brown markings on their backs and wings.
In terms of vocalisations, the common blackbird produces loud melodious songs that can often be heard during dawn or dusk hours when they become more active foraging for food. They also produce short chirps as well as harsh croaking sounds, which can indicate territorial disputes between males or warning calls when predators approach them near their nests.
Blackbird Habitat
Blackbirds inhabit a variety of habitats, from open fields and woodlands to urban areas. Blackbirds prefer to nest in trees or shrubs near the ground but can be seen nesting as high as 10 meters off the ground. They will build their nests from grasses, mosses, leaves and twigs that are lined with mud or clay. In urban areas they may use man-made materials such as string or plastic bags to construct their nests.
Diet Of The Blackbird
The diet of the common blackbird is composed mainly of insects, earthworms and fruit. They forage in grassy areas, hedgerows and gardens to find their food. Blackbirds are omnivorous birds that feed on a variety of items, including caterpillars, beetles, spiders, snails and slugs, as well as other invertebrates such as millipedes. During the winter months, they will also eat seeds from plants such as thistles or dandelions.
Fruit is an important part of the blackbird’s diet during autumn when there is an abundance available in gardens and parks. Apples, pears, plums and berries are all favourites with these birds, which can often be seen perched atop trees searching for ripe fruits to feast upon.
Blackbirds have also been known to take advantage of human-provided sources of food, such as table feeders where scraps or specially purchased birdseed may be left out for them. This type of supplementary feeding has become increasingly popular amongst people wanting to help support local wildlife populations during difficult times like harsh winters or periods with limited natural resources available due to drought or disease outbreaks affecting crops or insect populations respectively
Blackbirds are also known to eat small amounts of grain from cereal crops which can cause damage to farmers’ fields if left unchecked. This can be prevented by providing alternative feeding areas away from arable land with suitable bird feeders filled with grains and seeds that they can access instead.
Blackbirds have also been seen eating breadcrumbs thrown out by humans in parks or other public spaces; however, this should not be encouraged due to potential health risks associated with processed foods like white bread which lack essential nutrients needed for their survival over time.
Blackbird Breeding Habits
Breeding usually takes place between April and August in the UK, with males arriving first to establish territories.
Nesting Behaviour
The common blackbird builds its nest on or near the ground in dense vegetation such as shrubs, hedgerows or trees. It also nests in gardens and parks if there are suitable nesting sites available. The blackbird nest is constructed from twigs, grasses and mosses which are bound together with mud and lined with feathers or other soft materials.
Courting Habits
During courtship displays, males sing loudly while puffing out their chest feathers and flicking their wings. Females preen themselves near potential nesting sites, showing off their bright yellow beaks as part of mating rituals designed to attract mates and establish territories prior to egg-laying season beginning each springtime cycle anew.
Egg-Laying Habits
Once a female has chosen her mate she will lay 4–5 eggs which are incubated for 12–14 days by both parents taking turns sitting on them during this time period. Blackbird eggs are usually 3 cm in size, and are a beautiful blue-green in colour and speckled with brown spots. After hatching, the chicks remain in the nest for another 14–16 days before they fledge at around 28 days old. Both parents continue to feed their young until they become independent at around 6 weeks old after which time they disperse into nearby areas to find food for themselves.
Unfortunately, mortality rates among juvenile blackbirds can be quite high due to predation from cats, foxes and crows. However, adults have few natural predators so their numbers tend to remain stable over time unless affected by human activities such as habitat destruction or pollution caused by agricultural chemicals etc.
Common blackbirds have one brood per year but may attempt a second if conditions are favourable such as during mild winters or abundant food supply due to late spring weather patterns that extend into summer months allowing more time for breeding activity than usual.
Threats and Conservation
Blackbirds are one of the most abundant birds in their range and have adapted to many different habitats, including urban areas. Despite this adaptability, it still faces threats from human activities such as habitat destruction and pollution.
Habitat loss due to deforestation, agricultural expansion or urban development can have serious impacts on the populations of common blackbirds. In addition, air pollution caused by industrial emissions can lead to decreased reproductive success for these birds as well as reduced survival rates among chicks. Pesticide use may also be a factor in population declines since some pesticides are known to cause eggshell thinning which reduces hatching success rates.
In Summary
The common blackbird (turdus merula) is a species of bird that can be found in many parts of the world. It has adapted to living in a variety of habitats, from woodlands and gardens to farmland and urban areas. Its diet consists mainly of insects, worms, fruit and berries. Breeding usually takes place between March and August with males singing loudly to attract females. Unfortunately, the population numbers have been declining due to loss of habitat caused by human activities such as deforestation and urbanisation. Conservation efforts are needed if we want this species to survive for future generations.
Additional Resources
Ash is a contributing author who has been writing about wildlife for as long as he can remember. He has a vast knowledge of many different types of animals, from the tiniest shrews to the great whales that live in the deepest oceans.