When do blackbirds, also called blackbirds, breed? How do males and females differ? You can find out everything you need to know about the blackbird in our profile.
Despite its simple appearance, the blackbird (Turdus merula), also known as the black thrush, known as a sore thumb. It is one of our most common native bird species and occurs as a cultural successor in almost all human-made habitats. It is also widespread geographically and is considered a breeding bird in all European countries - except Iceland.
contents
- Blackbird wanted poster
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This is how you recognize the blackbird
- How does the song of the blackbird sound?
- How do you recognize the young birds?
- How do you recognize the blackbird's eggs?
- How do male and female blackbirds differ?
- What does the perfect habitat for blackbirds look like?
- Where do they build their nest?
- When is the breeding season for blackbirds?
- Where do blackbirds spend the winter?
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Support blackbirds: this is how it works
- What do blackbirds eat?
- Which nest boxes are suitable for blackbirds?
- How can you additionally support blackbirds?
Blackbird wanted poster
| size | About 24 cm |
| weight | About 100 g |
| Breeding season | April May |
| lifespan | About 5 years |
| habitat | Forests, parks and gardens |
| Feed preference | Worms, snails, insects, berries and fruits (real "omnivores") |
| Threats | Decline in natural habitat and food supply, Usutu virus |
This is how you recognize the blackbird
The blackbird is very easy to recognize by its deep black plumage, which clearly distinguishes it from other native birds. Only the bright yellow beak and the matching eyelid rings, which are created by a featherless area around the eye, add small splashes of color to their appearance. The blackbird could at most with the inexperienced eye star confuse, which has a similar shape and color. But already at second glance it stands out star by its white pearl pattern and the blue-green iridescence of its plumage.
However, all of this only applies to the male blackbirds - the females are much more plainly colored. A more detailed description can be found below in the section "How do male and female blackbirds differ?"
How does the song of the blackbird sound?
The song of the blackbird consists of very clear and loud tones that form a melodic stanza. The males usually sit quite exposed and sing from a high vantage point. In contrast to many other species, here you have a good chance of spotting the bird on the nearest tree top or on the roof of the house as soon as you hear the piercing song.
Here you can listen to the blackbird singing:
How do you recognize the young birds?
The young blackbirds are quite plain in appearance. They have a brownish plumage with lighter spots on the back, chest and stomach. Its beak is more yellowish-orange with dark spots and the yellow eyelid rings are only hinted at.
How do you recognize the blackbird's eggs?
Blackbirds lay eggs that are quite conspicuous. These are about three centimeters tall, colored blue-green and overlooked with brown spots. The females lay between three and six eggs per clutch.
How do male and female blackbirds differ?
The female blackbirds look very similar to their young and are just as inconspicuous. They have the same brownish plumage and a slightly lighter, dark dashed breast. The yellow of the beak and eyelid ring is a little more pronounced than in the young blackbirds, but not as intense as in the males.
What does the perfect habitat for blackbirds look like?
Blackbirds originally inhabited dense forests rich in undergrowth. Due to the increasing decline of this natural habitat, they now also colonize much more open areas. They have proven to be quite adaptable, populating parks, gardens, and even large cities on a large scale. It is important to have a certain amount of free soil or short lawn where you can look for worms and insects.
Where do they build their nest?
Blackbirds are not very picky about the location of their nest. They use trees, bushes and hedges, but also climbing plants on building walls, or breed on the balcony in the flower box. They build a nest out of twigs, which is reinforced with damp earth and padded with feathers.
When is the breeding season for blackbirds?
The breeding season of the blackbirds extends from March to July. During this time, up to five broods can be possible. The incubation period of a clutch is about 14 days; then the hatched young are fed in the nest for another two weeks. Then the blackbird cubs fly out, but remain dependent on the care of their parents for another 14 days before they are left on their own.
Where do blackbirds spend the winter?
Blackbirds are considered partial migrants in Europe. This means that only some populations leave their breeding area in winter, others do not. The decisive factor is how severe the winters are in the respective areas. While our blackbirds usually spend the whole year in Germany, their conspecifics from northern Europe move more often to the south and are then sometimes our guests.
Support blackbirds: this is how it works
Even if blackbirds have adapted very well to human habitats, they lack it - like almost everyone Birds - due to the declining tree and insect population of natural nesting opportunities and Food offerings. If you want to support the blackbirds in their fight for resources, you can start in your own garden. You can find practical tips on how to do this in the following sections.
What do blackbirds eat?
Blackbirds naturally feed on worms, snails and all kinds of insects. Their specialty are earthworms, which they pull out of the earth. That's why you see blackbirds very often sitting on the ground and pecking at the ground with their beak. But they also use berries, fruits and seeds. If you want to offer additional food to support the birds, especially in winter, you should use soft food such as oat flakes, raisins or apples. There are ready-mixed products to buy for this, but you can also be Make birdseed yourself. You can feed mealworms as a special treat.
With our Plantura Year-round feed for wild birds you can also support blackbirds all year round - because it contains high-energy Ingredients for the winter also include valuable proteins and extra fodder lime for future bird parents Spring.
Tip: In addition to the feed, you can do that too Build bird feeders yourself. Even if blackbirds are not particularly picky about these, you will find practical tips for implementation here.
Which nest boxes are suitable for blackbirds?
Blackbirds prefer so-called half-cave boxes. These are protected from the weather by a roof, but instead of a small entrance hole a larger opening, which should have a height of six centimeters for the targeted feeding of blackbirds.
Tip: Here, too, you can lend a hand and with the help of our practical instructions you can easily do one Build your own nest box.
How can you additionally support blackbirds?
Who next to the artificial nesting and food offers his Make the garden bird-friendly can achieve this through a number of beneficial plants. The blackbird also benefits from promoting the insect supply - for example through ours Plantura beneficial insect magnets, which offers a habitat for a wide range of species.
If you do not remove the leaves in your garden in winter, you will ensure that many insects can find shelter from the cold temperatures in it. Of course, the blackbird is also happy about this, as you can often hear it rustling through the leaf litter in the late year and looking for food.
In combination with a bird feeder, it is always possible to attach a Bird bath in the garden. This can consist of a simple, flat bowl, in which the birds also like to cool off in summer - there is no real demarcation between bird bath and bird bath. This also makes all other garden birds happy, for example the Blue tit.
