Blackbird – Turdus Merula
Length: 25cm
Wingspan: 34-39cm
Weight: 80-100g
Average Lifespan: 3 years
How to spot them: The males are the stereotypical looking Blackbird; however, the females are counterintuitively brown with various spots and lines on their breast area. The light orange coloured beak combined with the black feathers, makes male Blackbirds extremely easy to distinguish from other birds.
The Common Blackbird is part of the Thrush family and has an estimated UK population of around 10-15 million.
What to feed them: These guys are not particularly fussy with what they eat, they love all of the following:
- Insects
- Grubs
- Fruits
- Berries
- Seeds
- Grains
Scattering the above foods around the ground or on a feeding table near the blackbird's nest would certainly make it easier for them to feed, particularly when food sources are scarcer.
Nesting: The female Blackbirds like to nest in trees, hedges, shrubs, and climbers, anywhere in the garden with suitable cover. Their nesting season normally falls between March and July.
Fledging: Blackbird chicks are normally ready to fledge after 2 weeks, however they have been known to be as young as 9 days old when forced to fledge early, they tend to stay grounded and take cover until flight is physically possible.
I am in Australia and almost 3 years ago we had a beautiful male blackbird land in our garden.
His Little foot is badly hurt and actually backwards, I started feeding him and named him Gammy 🥰
I didn’t see him for a year and I was deeply hurt as I thought we had lost him.
This little bird have given me one of the most beautiful moments I’ve experienced with the wild animal when this year he returned, not just by himself but with a beautiful little lady and three babies.
Gammy brought them to meet me and now the five of them come everyday to have a bit of food and hang out for a bit.
They will sing their tune and come up to the window asking me to come outside.
They really are a beautiful little bird and I will forever have a place in my heart for Gammy The little Black Bird.
I have noticed he’s getting older and finding it hard to take off so I’m now in the middle of making a birdhouse I hope he will move into and I can look after him as things get harder, coming into winter.