Common Blackbirds
Common Blackbird (male)
Common Blackbirds are an introduced species in Australia. Their range here is south of a line from Sydney in NSW to Port Lincoln in South Australia and they are found throughout South Eastern Australia, including large parts of Victoria and Tasmania. They are particularly found in parks and gardens where they enjoy scratching around in the leaf litter and mulch for their food. Many gardeners despise the Common Blackbird for their untidy habit of flicking bark, leaves, mulch and sticks on to their nice neat garden paths.
Beautiful Songbird
The Blackbird may be an introduced species, it may have untidy eating habits but this is more than made up for by its beautiful song. There are few birds in Australia that can match the song of a Blackbird singing in the late winter or spring evenings. It fills the air with a rich melodic harmony.
Breeding
We didn’t have any resident Blackbirds in our garden here on the outskirts of Murray Bridge South Australia until a few years ago. The occasional visitor, yes, but not resident. Now they have moved in and have started breeding. Several times they have used an unusual nesting spot. They fly into a shed in my wife’s nursery through a small gap above the door. They then proceed to make a bowl shaped nest in one of the many empty plant pots we store in the shed. How lovely and cosy - out of the cold, the wind and the rain.
Common Blackbird (female)
Photos
Despite them now being resident I find that “our” blackbirds are quite timid and are rather camera shy. It was with great delight that today I have been able to take some close up shots of both the male and the female (she is a dull brown colour) fossicking for beetles and worms just outside our sunroom window. This makes a perfect bird hide for photography.
UPDATE:
- This article has created quite a deal of interest. Read the comments section below for the experiences of other people with Blackbirds.
- Related articles: Do Blackbirds Swoop? An article about aggressive bird behaviour with many interesting comments and observations from readers of this blog.
- For more articles about Blackbirds nesting read
- “Anyone for a Swim? Forget it Baby Blackbird”
- “Hear the Blackbird singing in the morning”
August 24th, 2006 at 7:01 pm
We live at Seaford and have a pair of Blackbirds nesting in our stag horn hanging on the garage wall. There are 4 eggs but we do not know if they are viable, or if they are, how long they will take to hatch. Unfortunately we also have crows hanging around and they often take the babies. This is the first year blackbirds have nested in our yard which is quite small.
Regards Jandy
August 24th, 2006 at 8:59 pm
Welcome to my blog. I hope you found it interesting. When you say you live in Seaford, do you mean Seaford - a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia? If so - we are nearly neighbours!!!!!
Congratulations on being so observant of the birds in your backyard. Most people don’t notice our rich bird life, and if they do, don’t care much.
Clutch size is usually 3 eggs but 4 is not unusual. The eggs usually hatch after 13 or 14 days after the last egg is laid. If the female is not sitting on the nest, it has probably been abandoned. There is nothing you can do in this situation.
Crows, ravens and magpies, even currawongs, can be nest robbers, either the eggs or the little birds after hatching. There is little one can do - it is sad but that is nature’s way. It seems cruel to us, but think of the little crows in their nest. A tasty meal of a baby bird would help them to survive. One species loss is another’s gain.
Happy birding.
September 17th, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Hi, I live in Port Augusta South Australia.
I found a baby blackbird (well i think it is a blackbird) a cat was playing with it in the yard, until i chased around and finally got it.
I now have him in a little box wrapped in an ostrich feather scarf.. I’ve been feeding him sao biscuits placed in water with a saringe he seems to be eating it, and he’s chirping, but im unsure if he will be getting the proper diet which he should have…… Please help i have no idea what else to do and don’t want to see him die… I’m doing the best i can but need heaps of advise
pretty please e_mail me ASAP
Katie
PS I have deleted your email address from this comment to prevent you getting spam.
Trevor
September 17th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
Hi there Katie. We used to live in Port Augusta in the 1970s. I was a teacher at Carlton Primary School and then was one of the original staff members when Augusta Park PS opened.
I have replied to your request about feeding baby Blackbirds by email.
For other people reading this, the following site gives a recipe for preparing food for a baby Blackbird:
http://homepages.win.co.nz/creation/birdie.html
September 18th, 2006 at 5:17 pm
Hello Trevor,
I have a blackbirds nest in my courtyard (quite small) in a pittosporum tree at Magill, virtually under a pergola. This is the second year they have nested. Last year the tree was trimmed, as I don’t particularly like birds nesting so close to my patio door. This year they were quicker than me! I do have a fear of birds especially those that swoop. Are you aware of blackbirds swooping?
Jill
September 19th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
[…] Do Blackbirds Swoop? This intriguing question was posted by Jill on one my earlier articles. I assured her in my reply that I have never heard of this species swooping humans. […]
September 19th, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Hi there Jill. In response to your question I have written an entire article on aggressive bird behaviour. You can read the article by clicking on the heading of the above comment (no.6).
October 12th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
My mother had a male blackbird in her garden in Canberra. She only moved to Canberra from the NSW Coast last winter (2005). She and I have seen the male last year and he returned late this winter. I have never seen a nest or a female. His song was beautiful in the early mornings and evenings. He loved to forrage in the mulch in my mother’s garden and she didn’t mind. She was delighted to have him in her garden. Sadly yesterday, we saw a mass of black feathers in the mulch. My mother and I think one of the many neighbourhood cats that parade through her garden (sadly!) must have got him and most likely killed him. There are too many feathers there to make us think that he would have survived. We are very sad and this morning the only bird sounds to be heard were the Indiah Minah (urrgg!!) and a few parrots and the odd pee wee. All very nice, but how we miss the blackbird’s beautiful song! If only cat owners were more responsible and didn’t think it was a cat’s “divine right” to leap the neighbourhood fences and kill birdlife!!
Andrea, Canberra
October 12th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
A question from Andrea from Canberra. Does anyone know if, once a male blackbird is killed by a predator in a suburban garden, whether another male blackbird may eventually come into the same territory to raise a family? As mentioned in my previous posting, a blackbird was most likely killed by a cat in my mother’s Canberra garden yesterday. I am hoping that eventually another male blackbird may find my mother’s garden and we will once again hear their beautiful song.
Thank you if anyone knows the answer to this query.
Andrea, Canberra
October 12th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Welcome to my birding blog, Andrea. I too love the call of the male Blackbird at this time of the year. I know that they are an introduced species but they are such endearing creatures.
“Our” pair tried to nest recently in our garden shed. They made their nest in an empty pot-plant pot. Trouble was, we had stacked these pots up about two feet high and the pile toppled over and they lost the eggs. They haven’t made another attempt yet.
I don’t appreciate cats around our garden either. While I haven’t seen any evidence of deaths caused by our neighbour’s cat, there is always that possibility. Cats possibly account for more deaths than anything else in our Australian environment; they will take not only birds but also lizards, frogs and small mammals.
There is no place in our environment for cats. The backyard moggie is bad enough. The feral version in the wild is much bigger, stronger, cunning and is a fiercesome killing machine.
As for the male in your mother’s yard, given time another male should fill this gap. It may not be for a few months but eventually it should happen. Let us hope that his place is not taken by an Indian Myna.
October 12th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
Hello Trevor,
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. That is heartening news that another blackbird family may at some stage inhabit my mother’s garden. As I said, I can’t believe how sad I am (and her) over the death of the blackbird. I am a bird lover and have two much adored hand-reared and tamed female lutino cockatiels as pets and I have cherished the experience of being with them over the past five years!
Yes, agreed that domestic cats and feral cats are a real nuisance! I am not a cat person, but have to admit to having liked one or two in my life. Overall, it’s a shame that State Governments can’t legislate to make cat owners put their cats in large “cat runs” in their backyards - much like a large version of the rabbit hutch. But, of course, how would it ever be “policed”?
I will read with interest more on your site about birds in general and your travels. Thanks again for your prompt reply.
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
October 12th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
My pleasure Andrea. You are invited to visit my blogs anytime and comment whenever you like. I really enjoy getting comments on what I see, write and photograph. Have you checked out the family photo gallery? It can be found here
http://gallery.hampel.com.au/
It includes photos taken by my son in Sydney and my wife who has a plant nursery. My daughter taught in England last year but she hasn’t had time to upload her photos yet.
October 13th, 2006 at 11:23 am
can you please advise me of a website where I might find a photo of a baby blackbird? I rescued a baby bird last night and we are not quite sure if he is a black bird or not. Can you help? He is very tiny, has very fine tufts of grey down on his body and a big wide yellow mouth. When his mouth is shut he looks like he has yellow lips. He has smal dark beady eyes with no yellow around them.
October 13th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
Hi there Kim - welcome to my blog. When birds are newly hatched it is hard to tell which species they are. It could also be a baby starling as they are currently nesting as well. All my bird books do not give descriptions of newly hatched Blackbirds but my guess is that it is a Blackbird, Starling or maybe even an Indian Myna, depending on where you live as not all of these species are found all over Australia.
I found a few websites and I have emailed them to you.
October 18th, 2006 at 9:31 am
Hi, I have nesting bleackbirds in my Canberra garden, we have cats and the neighbours have cats and dogs, but the blackbirds have never been caught by these (in 25 years) BUT the currawongs (of which there are 2) and the magpies (of which there are anywhere between 5 and 45) steal from the nests very regularly. The male blackbird is very clever at varying his approach to the nest, coming in ever decreasing spirals, often from very low in the shrubbery. Real undercover workers, and their song is gorgeous. I wish the currawongs could be persuaded to feed their babies on the (very)noisy Mynahs instead! The cats are either lazy, old, too well fed or all three, as they do not catch birds, and do catch mice and rats. The dense prickly type shrubs are a help too. I won’t get rid of my cats as they are my closest friends, but I do lock them in at night.
October 18th, 2006 at 9:24 pm
Hi there Jet, welcome to my blog. The Currawongs and Magpies can be nest robbers but I guess their babies need feeding too. I agree - it would be better if they took the Mynah eggs instead.
The Blackbirds are clever birds. I too love their call. It’s good to hear that you are a responsible cat owner. Your description of the lazy cats gave me a good laugh.
October 19th, 2006 at 8:10 am
Hi, though I thought the currawong had done for the blackbirds yesterday, I am pleased to say that there appears to be normal movement at the station! I think we have at least 3 male blackbirds, bit I only know of one nest, which I pretend not to have seen! The males are very bold indeed, and often come quite close and watch us have our cuppa at the outdoor table
October 19th, 2006 at 8:26 am
That’s good news. We too enjoy watching the birds in our garden, and I hope that comes out in my writings on this blog. In fact, much of what I write about comes from spending a fair part of each day out in the garden.
When I’m helping my wife in her native plant nursery I make sure she stops mid morning and mid afternoon and sits down with a cuppa. Often the honeyeaters will come and feed from the plants that are flowering and we position ourselves to get a front row seat to watch them.
My wife’s nursery blog is found here
http://www.malleenativeplants.com.au/
October 25th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Hello Trevor, I am happy to report that one week after the assumed death of a male blackbird in my mother’s Canberra garden by a neighbourhood cat, she has spotted another male foraging in the mulch in her garden. I have seen the new male blackbird as well. We assume there must be a group of blackbirds in the area. The new male we have seen isn’t as bold yet as the blackbird that died. The previous blackbird was frequently seen in the garden and even the BB@ and courtyard areas of my mother’s house. The new blackbird is “timidly” scratching in the compost heap and edges of the backyard.
I am very glad that your prediction of blackbirds re-visiting Mum’s garden has come true sooner than maybe expected.
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
October 25th, 2006 at 12:27 pm
That is really good news Andrea. We’ve also had a recent delight with “our” Blackbirds. Their nest in the pot-plant container in our garden shed was not successful because the pile of pots fell over.
A few days ago I discovered a new nest, this time in the swimming pool shed on top of the roll of pipe used to vacuum the rubbish from the bottom of the pool. It now has babies in it so I can’t clean the pool until they have flown.
I will write a new article about that nest soon, including a photo.
October 25th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Hello Trevor,
That is lovely that you have a new nest of blackbirds in your swimming pool shed. I hope all goes well with “your babies” and that there is more success this time than the nest in the pot plants.
Aren’t birds amazing and inventive creatures!
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
October 25th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
I was planning to start cleaning the pool ready for the summer swimming season soon. I will have to delay that by a few weeks. The nursery cannot be disturbed!
They certainly are inventive creatures.
October 26th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Hello Trevor,
I agree that your swimming pool cleaning will have to be delayed for the “nursery” and I hope that you don’t have a sudden heatwave, where your family would like to use the pool in the meantime!
More good news from my mother’s Canberra garden - we have both seen a male and female blackbird foraging in her garden bed. We hope that a pair may be nesting somewhere nearby. I have also seen a male whistling his beautiful tune in a large tree in Mum’s garden. All seems to be well, despite the cats!
Sadly, on my way to work today, I saw a woman in a large car hit a flock of wattle birds on a busy Canberra highway and one was killed outright. I was quite angry at her, because there were no cars behind her and she could have done a quick look in her rear view mirror (like I do) before making the split second decision whether or not it was safe to touch the brakes, to let the birds fly to the other side of the road. Whenever I see birds flying low on the road, I slow down, glance quickly in the rear view mirror to see the distance of the cars behind me and then make a decision whether I can afford to touch the brakes lightly enough to allow a bird or birds to get past my car and safely onto the nature strip. This woman appeared to “mow” into the flock of wattle birds without a care in the world and when I caught up with her at traffic lights, she didn’t look at all remorseful. I can’t believe some people!
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
October 27th, 2006 at 9:38 am
The nest in out pool shed is going fine with the parents busy feeding those gaping mouths. See the photo and read about it in the Related Articles section at the end of the article above.
Good to hear of your careful driving skills. If all people drove defensively we would have far fewer accidents, including animal casualities. Over all my years of driving (nearly 40) I can only remember hitting three birds all on three consecutive days travelling in NSW. On every occasion I’d hit the bird before seeing it so couldn’t avoid the accident. Very sad.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Hi Trevor
I have been trying to find information on blackbirds and come across your wonderful website. I have been watching a male and female pair of blackbirds in my gardden for about 2 years now and it is lovely to have a resident pair. Naturally I have seen them nesting and have also been watching the progress of their fledglings, which unfortunately has not been a happy experience for very long because inevitably they “disappear”. My resident pair recently had 3 chicks which I watched emerging from the nest and learn to fly. Not long after, there were only 2 chicks left, and then just one. I was observing the remaining fledgling follow his/her parents around my garden, hoping that at least this little one would survive. The little bird was just 11 days out of the nest and seemed to be doing very well. However, after a very windy night 2 nights ago, the next day the little one was not seen and I assumed the worst. I believe it is dead, as it is 3 days later and although the parents are in my garden, the little one is not. I am very upset about it. I would like to know if the strong winds could have unsettled the little one, causing it to be more easily caught by a cat or perhaps fly into a window? I have 2 cats, but I have an extensive cat run where they can enjoy the outdoors but not disturb the wildlife. Like Andrea, I wish all cat owners would place their cats in a cat run - it is a great investment and doesn’t have to be expensive. I constructed part of mine myself, modelled on the ready-made version and using the same type of wire as the ready-made version. The cats soon get used to it, especially if they are kittens and have never gone outside freely before. One of my cats was almost 10 years old when I acquired the enclosure and he is very happy because before, at night, he would be locked indoors, but now the cats can enjoy the outdoors even at night which they just love, and no wildlife is killed or injured. I love cats and it is not their fault that instinct compels them to catch birds; it is the fault of irresponsible cat owners. The Cat Crisis Coalition is asking for compulsory desexing of cats in Victoria (with the exception of those licensed to registered breeders), which would reduce the amount of feral cats and also the 36,000 cats and kittens that are tragically euthanased in Victorian shelters each year because there are not enough homes for them. It would be a win for cats and for birds and wildlife.
I also am appalled by all the bird and possum deaths on the roads and cannot understand how people can be so careless and heartless when driving. I always slow down when I see birds at the side of the road. Also, I have noticed that if one bird has just flown low across a road, another is sure to follow, so keep a look-out for the second one too.
October 30th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Hello Trevor,
It’s Andrea from Canberra again. I have just read Lisa from Melbourne’s posting on your website and applaud her for having a cat run. While I don’t have cats myself, and I am useless with a hammer and nails, I would happily pay somebody else to make a cat run for me, if I had cats. Lisa’s concern for the blackbirds and other wildlife in her garden and her concern in general for wildlife is wonderful, isn’t it. If Victoria does agree to the compulsory de-sexing of cats (apart from registered breeders), Victoria would be once again, in my opinion, be one of the more advanced States in this country when it comes to innovative legislation, unlike New South Wales or the ACT, which in my opinion (especially the ACT) lag behind in many areas.
Lisa’s query about what is happening to the baby blackirds in her garden is an interesting one and I will await with interest to see if Trevor is able to shed any light on why the babies dissapear. I hope it isn’t foxes or neighbourhood cats.
I am very happy to report a number of sightings in my mother’s Canberra garden of a male and female blackbird pair. They appear to have taken up residence, after the other male blackbird was presumably killed by a cat a few weeks ago. I have also heard the song of the male blackbird in my own Queanbeyan (NSW) small townhouse garden from time to time. When I visit my sister in Sydney, all I can hear in her garden is the call of the Indian Mynah. It looks like that species of bird has taken over northern Sydney!
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
Li
October 30th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
Hi Lisa, welcome to my blog. Thank you for your kind words.
It is very distressing for bird lovers to see the little birds disappear or be killed in some way so soon after hatching or leaving the nest. If we knew the figures, I think we would be horrified by the enormous attrition rate in our fauna, not just birds.
Some possibilities include the following:
1. Removal from the nest by cuckoos. We have several species of cuckoos in Australia. The female lays one egg in a host nest. This could be a thornbill, honeyeater or many other species. The host bird hatches the eggs and the baby cuckoo hatches first and it removes all other eggs in the nest in the first hour or so after hatching. It then gets ALL the food from the host parents. Harsh yes - but this is normal, natural cuckoo behaviour.
2. Predation of eggs or chicks: this could be from ravens, crows, currawongs, butcherbirds, hawks and even magpies. Cats, foxes, snakes and lizards, especially goannas, will raid nests.
3. Once fledged and out of the nest the young birds run the gauntlet of so many hazards including all in number 2 above. Add to those hazards the problem of being hit by speeding cars, wild storms, flying into glass panes (very common), captured by well meaning people and not cared for properly, heavy rain, cold nights and so on.
It is a wonder that any survive at all, especially in urban areas. This is in part compensated for by the following strategies:
(a) Laying 3-5 eggs for each clutch as this increases the success rate
(b) cleverly camouflaging the nest - with all my experience I am still fooled by their cryptic nest sites.
(c) breeding two or three times in one season.
It would certainly help if all cat owners were responsible and made a run for their animals. This would eliminate some deaths in our fauna, but a far greater problem is the feral cats. There is no control of these and all are very big, strong and cunning. I agree with you that compulsory desexing of cats is the way to go, but it would only be a start. Catching all the feral cats is probably not feasible. Making sure no more are added to their ranks will be a good start though. There has been similar talk here in South Australia but it is only talk at this stage. Not a popular vote catcher unfortunately.
October 30th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
Hi there again Andrea. You are becoming a regular contributor to my comments. I like that - keep it up. Some of your questions are probably answered in my response to Lisa above.
The Common Blackbird has not really established itself throughout the Sydney area. Its occurance there is patchy. The Indian Mynah, on the other hand, is in pest proportions and is generally hated by one and all. They compete unfairly with native species for nesting sites and food sources due to their larger numbers and aggressive behaviour. The Mynah is also a common pest in Melbourne but thankfully it has not become established in Adelaide.
October 31st, 2006 at 10:30 am
Hi Trevor
Thank you and Andrea for your kind comments.
No doubt the strong winds the other night played a part in the death of the fledgling. It is very sad that so few survive to adulthood. I will keep a look out for another brood, but will have to try not to become too attached to the little family this time.
You are certainly correct, Trevor, feral cats are a big problem, but again, it is the totally irresponsible and uncaring owners who dump their unwanted cats and kittens, which are then left with no option but to fend for themselves and become wild. It is a tragic situation for the wildlife and for the cats.
Andrea, the ACT does in fact have compulsory desexing of cats, so they are actually leading the rest of Australia! The issue also appears to have huge public support in NSW. NSW is actually voting tomorrow at the local government level on the issue. We keep our fingers crossed that NSW will show leadership, along with the ACT, for the only humane solution to the enormous cat overpopulation problem.
October 31st, 2006 at 12:19 pm
It is good to hear that at least one state has done something about the cat problem, and that there is the potential for another state to follow suit. Here’s hoping the vote is positive.
November 1st, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Hello Trevor and Lisa,
Andrea from Canberra again. Thank you Lisa for the information on the ACT already having compulsory de-sexing of cats. I had no idea this was so. We will have to hope that NSW does follow suit soon.
Thank you Trevor for the information on the Indian Mynah in Sydney. I have heard that it is becoming a pest there and there unmistakable call everywhere you go there seems to confirm this!
I wonder if the Blackbird hasn’t really established in Sydney for climate reasons, (plus the dominance of the Indian Mynah there). Maybe this bird prefers a colder climate and/or drier summers with little humidity. This drier non-humid climate is to be found in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide but not in sticky hot and humid Sydney. Personally, I wouldn’t blame the blackbird, because I absolutely hate humidity.
The blackbird pair in my mother’s Canberra garden continue to be seen on a regular basis, which is lovely. We have yet to see a nest though, but there must be one close by I guess.
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
November 1st, 2006 at 4:59 pm
Hi Trevor
Just wondering if you could please tell me if blueberries are an OK food for blackbirds. I have not put out any food for my resident pair of blackbirds before because they have been doing well on their own, but I believe the drought is making it difficult for them to find food, as they seem to be digging deep into the soil for food, which they haven’t done before. Could you please let me know whether blueberries would be OK if the blackbirds have never eaten blueberries before. Or is there some other more preferable food I could put out for them? Or is it not good for wild birds to become accustomed to being supplemented with food by humans?
Thanking you
November 1st, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Hi Lisa, Blackbirds are “omnivorous and mainly take ground dwelling invertebrates, especially earthworms, snails and insects; also seeds and fruit.” (HANZAB) There is no record I know of where they will eat blueberries but seeing they do eat fruit that should be all right.
Most experts would not recommend feeding wild birds as they then become dependent on that supply. If you go away for a holiday it could adversely affect them. If you still want to supply some food, how about having an open compost heap for garden scraps. This would attract insects and beetles and worms which in turn would attract the birds. The down side is that it could also attract mice and rats which in turn attract cats. You just have the weigh up all these pros and cons.
As for them foraging deeper than usual, this is quite normal. I suppose that the earthworms, beetles etc dig deeper during hot and dry conditions, so the Blackbirds need to do the same.
November 1st, 2006 at 8:19 pm
Hi Andrea,
Your comments about climate influencing the spread of Blackbirds is interesting and one I hadn’t thought of. It is interesting to note that Blackbirds were first released into the wild in the Sydney Botanic Gardens in about 1860 and in Queensland in 1869 but they failed to become established. A total of 72 were imported to Melbourne in 1857 but whether they were released is not recorded.
The records in HANZAB are too detailed to mention here but it seems that they are widespread throughout SE Australia, including Tasmania and throughout New Zealand. Their range has been steadily expanding since those early introductions. The northward expansion continues and they had reached Inverell by the early 1980s and Toowoomba by 1995. A similar movement is occuring in South Australia. I remember first recording them in Peterborough (mid north) in the 1970s and they are now found some 100km further north in the Flinders Ranges. I grew up near Loxton in the 1950s and they were never seen then. They are now common in that area.
It will be interesting to see the progress west. They reached Ceduna in about 2000. Will they eventually make the crossing to WA where the habitat would suit them?
November 2nd, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Thank you Trevor for the interesting history on the introduction of the blackbird into Australia and its advancement from Sydney. That is also interesting that the blackbird is to be found in Queensland, so maybe my climate theory about the blackbird not liking it in the warmer north of Australia may be wrong (although I think Toowoomba is drier and inland, or maybe has a bit of altitude to it maybe?)
I must say that growing up in Sydney as I did in the 1960s and 1970s, I don’t remember seeing or hearing blackbirds at all, which ties in with what Trevor has been saying about the blackbird being unsuccessful in Sydney. My strongest memory of childhood Sydney gardens is the soft cooing of the crested pigeon and the call of the Currawongs. I think that maybe the Indian Mynah was not well established in Sydney in those days, but I’m sure Trevor could enlighten us on when the Mynah was introduced into Australia. I remember travelling around Victoria in the 1980s and seeing flocks of Indian Mynahs on the roadside in various places there as well.
There were male blackbirds “singing their hearts out” in areas near my Queanbeyan (NSW) garden yesterday evening.
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
November 2nd, 2006 at 8:55 pm
According to HANZAB the Indian Mynah was introduced around Innisfail, Ingham and Townsville, Queensland in 1883. Introduced to the Sydney and Melbourne areas in the 1860s or 1870s. Introduced to Canberra in 1968, Adelaide 1957, Auckland NZ c1895. They have not become established in Adelaide though there have been reports of some over the years.
The Mynah is widespread throughout Victoria, eastern NSW, SE Queensland and in patches as far north as near Cooktown. It is only present in the north island of NZ. Only once recorded in Perth and twice in Darwin. A few recent records from northern Tasmania indicate it may become established there.
November 3rd, 2006 at 8:59 am
Thank you Trevor for the history of the Mynah in Australia. If only our forebears knew what a nuisance species they were creating!? Much like the cane toad and other introduced species that have turned out to be a disaster?!
A happy weekend to all and may all our blackbird babies and blackbird adults and birds in general survive another week!
Kind regards,
Andrea from Canberra
Regards
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:19 am
Thanks for that Andrea.
Some would say that the worst pest species introduced into our lovely land - is us!
Let’s not go down that track - I want to keep this blog as free of politics as possible.
November 14th, 2006 at 8:17 am
[…] For example, on my birding blog, the most popular post was written six months ago in April of this year about nesting behaviour of Blackbirds. The nesting season is now in full swing here in Australia and it has recently created a new flurry of interest with many comments. […]
November 16th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
Hey Trevor,
great website…
Today we rescued a little blackbird, who has fallen inbetween the outside and inside wall of our bungalow. We had to acctually make a hole into the outside wall in order to get the poor bugger out. However I’ve got no idea, how old it is, but it’s siblings, who live in our roof seem to be able to fly already. Our little one tried, but was unsucessful. I went and got some worms and snails and it seems to eat well… how much does it eat? What other things can I feed it? Will it learn how to fly by itself, once it is big/strong enough?
Thanks,
Tanja
November 17th, 2006 at 8:47 am
Hi there Tanja, welcome to my blog. Thanks for the kind words. You have certainly gone to a lot of trouble to rescue the poor little bird. Just keep doing what you are doing - he should be able to fly very soon then the parents can look after him. If they reject him or don’t come near, you will have to keep feeding him until he can fend for himself.
For a recipe for feeding baby Blackbirds go to this site:
http://homepages.win.co.nz/creation/birdie.html
You will find it at the bottom of that page.
Hope this helps.
November 21st, 2006 at 2:10 pm
[…] Common Blackbirds - the article that started it all. The many comments are very interesting reading. […]
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Hello from Andrea from Canberra. I’ve been away for a few weeks - a sudden visit to hospital and further surgery needed in the new year and I haven’t seen the blog for about three weeks. Interesting with Tanja’s rescue of a blackbird by having to cut a hole in a wall. I hope the blackbird is doing well now. My mother continues to see a blackbird pair in her garden and I hear them singing at my place as well. Yes, the nesting season must be in full swing. I actually read in a local paper about a couple who were grateful to the Indian Mynahs for helping to keep the population of the scarub grubs in their lawn down. They said the Mynah was the only bird they had seen eating the grubs. So maybe there is a use for this introduced species.
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
November 24th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Welcome back Andrea. Hope you are okay - and that all goes well for the coming operation. Good to hear that the blackbirds are doing okay. Their singing is so beautiful. Interesting comments about the Mynahs. It would have to be the only positive comment I’ve ever heard about them!
November 26th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
Trevor, My whole day has just disappeared- after dicovering your wonderful website. Such excellent information!
Black birds have established a nest in a potted ficus bush right outside my back door (St Peters)
Four chicks have just hatched.
My old dog has happily ignored the adult birds but now the babies are here, he keeps wanting to poke his nose into the bush and take a look. He does not harm them, just has a sniff then wanders off.
However, I am afraid that he will scare the chicks to death once they are more awake and alert.
It is impractical to keep my dog inside but I would love to give this family a chance.
Could I move the tree 4 metres along the verandah?
Then I could barracade the pot from the dog but the adults would still have free access.
Or would this be too traumatic for all?
Why did the darned birds establish their nest there anyway?
Any advice would be appreciated.Thank you.
Megan
November 28th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
What a dilemma! You must feel very privileged to have a family of blackbirds nest so close to the house.
But what to do?
My first inclination was to do nothing. If the blackbirds had remained on the nest all during the incubation stage they are not likely to abandon the young now they are hatched. If you go near the nest they will stay a safe distance and then return to feed when you move away some distance. The feeding instinct is very powerful.
Your dog is quite another matter. As the young grow they become more vocal, begging to be fed. (Somewhat similar to children everywhere actually.) Your dog’s natural curiosity may scare the young out of the nest before they are ready to fly and fend for themselves. This opens them to becoming separated from the parents and starving - or being taken by a cat, hawk, magpie etc.
I think your solution of moving the pot plant away a short distance and making a barrier is a good one. Can you do it gradually, say about half a metre every hour or so thus making the move gradual over a whole day?
It’s certainly worth a try. If the birds become too distressed at any time, stop and move right out of sight for a hour or so before attempting to move the plant again.
Good luck - and keep us informed.
November 28th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
Thank you Trevor- the move has slowly begun!
Could you please tell me how long before the chicks are actually looking like birds with their eyes open?
Once they are able to fly, do they all immediately fly away forever or do they return to the nest for naps?
When are they able to fly and be independent?
Our whole family has become interested in our feathered extended family!
Cheers, Megan
November 29th, 2006 at 10:29 am
I await the unfolding story of Megan’s blackbird nest and moving the potplant with interest. The only blackbirds I have ever seen are the adults and I have no idea where the local nests are. Interesting reading indeed! Good luck Megan. I hope your little family of blackbirds stay OK during the moving process.
Thank you Trevor for your well wishes re. hospital. Some things in life we have to face up to, don’t we. The black birds are a nice “distraction”.
Kind regards,
Andrea from Canberra
November 29th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
Hi, I have been reading through all the comments on your site and I have found these stories very interesting. I myself found a nest that had been destroyed, the nest was on the top of a fence post quite low to the ground. In the nest I found 2 baby birds(which after all my searching assume to be blackbirds as I had seen the parents), I tried to replace the nest in a tree very close to where it had been but it would not stay in the tree due to being destroyed too much. I therefore had no choice but to bring the chicks into my home. I assumed that the chicks were not even 2 weeks old as they did not have any feathers. 1 chick did not make it, but I still have the other. It has now been just over a week and it seems to be doing very well. I am very surprised as to how fast they grow. The chick is now just starting to find its wings and is getting around suprisingly well. Now the big question, what do I do next? Helping to prepare to release it back outside. Will it adjust naturally or will there be things I have to do to help adjust or will it be too used to me. I hope that you can possible give me some hints.
Thanks - Kylie
(Melbourne)
November 30th, 2006 at 9:14 pm
Welcome back Andrea. Watching the comings and goings of birds certainly helps during the recuperation stage after operations. Various ailments have plagued us this year too. I discovered I have diabetes and that has taken many months to get under some semblance of control.
My wife has had two major operations on top of my woes. Without the birds in our garden life would be so much the poorer. As you say - they are a great distraction.
November 30th, 2006 at 9:28 pm
Hi there Kylie. Welcome to my blog. It is possible that the baby has already bonded to you, in which case you may have a friend for life! Wait until it is quite confident at flying and able to forage for its own food. Take it out in the garden and see what it does. Be careful to check for any lurking cats and keep an eye out for hovering hawks. If it is ready to cope with the big bad world out there it should fly off quite happily.
I hope it finds its own way as this is best for it in the long term. If it won’t search for its own food you may have to keep feeding it for some time.
November 30th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
Hi there again Megan,
How is the moving pot plant going? I hope the little ones didn’t suffer too much with the hot weather over the last two days.
Here are some answers to your questions:
1. The eyes of baby blackbirds are fully open in 6-7 days after hatching.
2. The feathers appear in the first few days and they are fully feathered in 9-12 days.
3. The young will leave the nest 13-15 days after hatching.
4. The adults will continue to feed the fledged young for quite some time, usually several weeks (and up to 25 days in one case). After that they are fully independent.
5. I could find no reference to the young returning to the nest once they have commenced flying.
Hope this all helps.
December 1st, 2006 at 9:15 am
All very interesting developments in the blackbird world! Good luck to Kylie and the blackbird she now has in her care. I wouldn’t have a clue what to feed a baby blackbird. I don’t suppose they eat budgie seed?? Yes, we await with interesting the moving of the nest in the pot plant by Megan. I hope all goes well.
Sorry to hear about yours and your wife’s health woes, Trevor. I have a friend who is a Type One diabetic and it is certainly a juggling act to get that insulin right (if you are needing to take insulin). Good luck with it all. I recently had peritonitis of an unknown cause (it wasn’t my appendix) and that’s what put me in hospital. I need further medical investigation. Yes, the lovely blackbirds and my two lovely tame cockatiels are certainly a lovely distraction!
Cheers,
Andrea from Canberra
January 1st, 2007 at 5:59 pm
I am currently almost tearing my hair out with sheer utter disbelief at the comments on this site!!! Are any of these people aware that this ‘cutesy’ blabkbird is an ecological disaster to Australian birds and fauna? Frankly if my household find a nest, we kill the occupants without hesitation. These feral foreign bird species have literally driven out almost every native species in large parts of urban australia, here in melbourne i cannot even have one square cm of garden left un-netted like an impenetrable fortress if i wish to plant any herb/vege/flower! I find these feral birds extremely irritating and frustrating, having lived in a remote rural area in victoria where no ferals have yet migrated to because of the surrounding bush. It is a sad tragedy that people do not seem to realise what is at stake for this native landscape, with so much of our biodiversity already destroyed or seriously endangered, it is alarming (all that war on terror crap is nothing compared with environmental degradation caused by feral species) that people actually think some nuisance pest bird is some kind of sweet singing delight! Maybe it is in Europe, but not here in Australia! I shudder to think of the day when you cannot enjoy Australian rural areas without seeing hordes of aggressive mynas, starlings, blackbirds, sparrows etc ruining the country. Feeding and caring for those species is not a good idea at all, please do not be fooled into thinking they are benign birds, they are as serious a threat as any agricultural disease or global warming!!!!!!!!!!!
January 4th, 2007 at 1:02 am
Hello
Tonight I have just found a baby female blackbird that one of our cats has been playing with. Seems unharmed, but not able to fly. Has wings, and some feathers but still some unfeathered patches. Seems very calm & ok, I have put her in a cage with soft woollen scarves and made it dark, and have been feeding her minced roo meat and water from a dropper. My dilemma is how to locate the parents - I can’t leave her outside for them to hear her calling for food as we have cats and one of them especially may kill her. Any ideas on what to do here? If I cannot find the nest & parents, is there anyone in Melbourne who especially rears baby blackbirds? I am so busy, I cannot feed her so regularly as I think she needs.
Thankyou in advance for your help, I am distraught that she has been seperated from her parents.
Becca
January 12th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Melissa,
Agreed that there are many introduced species to Australia that have become a big pest, e.g. the cane toad and the prickly pear disaster of the 1930s, feral cats etc. I didn’t know that the blackbird had become a pest in this country. I was only aware of the Indian mynah and starlings. However, I hope that you understand that some people may love their song and I am daring to admit here that I actually grow daffodils and have exotic trees in my cold climate garden. I hope you don’t mind that and you feel that all Australian gardens should only contain native plants. I believe in a blend of both. Sometimes I think that the “native purists” (not saying you are one of those Melissa mind you) can go a bit too far.
Andrea from Canberra
January 13th, 2007 at 8:52 am
I don’t have an overwhelmingly negative issue with non-invasive exotic plants, i myself have vegetables and flowers trees in my garden which are not native, although i do make an effort to plant more indigenous grasses etc. I am simply very firm in the belief that despite blackbirds presumably being as yet declared a pest (and i am not sure about the status) they appear to be set to follow in the same pattern as other ferals. I do observe these similar species having a detrimental effect, i don not think we should wait for the government (of all people!) to make a statement on the environmental impact of every thing, when i can see for myself the changes that have occurred regarding native birds. This is one issue i am very pasionate about as i think that birds are a key indicator of the future of biodiversity.
January 13th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Dear Trevor
Have been searching for days for information re a pair of Blackbirds in my garden who are apparently having a second hatching of chicks in the same nest in one season .The nest is just outside my bathroom window so can see quite a bit of activity and also their forays in my garden for worms,snails etc. I followed the first broods progress to being fledglings following the female ,which she cautiously hid under shrubs etc to feed them. Then no activity for a while and suddenly apparently new chicks demanding to be fed in the same nest. Seems to be the same male as he has a deformed foot.Is this possible??? Great Blog!!Best information I have found in all my Websiting.Libby
January 13th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Hi there Libby. Welcome to my blog and thanks for the kind and encouraging comments.
It is delightful to have wild birds so close to one’s house. We get a great deal of pleasure out of the passing parade of birds going about their lives in our garden, many of them featured on this site.
As for the male Blackbird with a deformed foot, I have observed this to be quite common in the bird world. I have seen this in a wide range of species and they seem to cope very well. At one time we even had a resident magpie with only half a beak. We called him “Beaky” and he coped very well for quite a few years.
January 13th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Melissa’s comments above (#54) cannot go unchallenged. While I agree with most of her views, using emotional statements like “ecological disaster” when referring to Blackbirds in Australia is just not correct. The term should be applied to ALL invasive species.
The true situation is far worse that the picture she paints, but using emotive language to convince people to go out and kill these birds will win no friends. What is needed is hard evidence to confront the Australian public of the seriousness of these invading species.
I consider the threat to our environment caused by Blackbirds to be less than point zero zero one of one per cent of the problem. Eliminating one nest from one garden will do little good. Even if everyone did this the problem is not eliminated. Other invading species will just move in and use the food sources, nesting material etc not used by the Blackbirds.
The following list of invading species is not complete, but each of the following poses a far greater risk to our native species than the Common Blackbird:
Common Starling, Indian Mynah, House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon, Cane Toad, Feral Cat, Red Fox, European Rabbit, Black Rat, Brown Rat, Feral Goat, Feral Pig, House Mouse, Feral Camel …. the list goes on. At least 25 species of mammals, 20 species of birds, 23 species of fishes.
And I haven’t even started on the plants!!
Melissa complains that she finds it hard to grow anything in her garden because of the Blackbirds. She has thus highlighted probably the greatest threat of all to the Australian environment: exotic plants and human activity. Many Australians want our native species of birds to thrive, but they also want their rose and herb gardens, their fruit trees and their vegie patches. And we want to buy Australian produced food from the supermarket. All forms of agriculture have devastated the landscape. Humans, including the Aborigines, have changed the Australian environment forever; this cannot be reversed.
I would like to thank Melissa for her comments, for they have prompted me to write a series of articles about invasive species, especially birds, on this blog. They should start to appear late January and February 2007 (check the archives).
January 13th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Just a further comment on Melissa’s comments above (#54). I tried to send her an email responding to her comments privately. My email bounced. This means she invented a false email address when commenting on my blog.
I find this somewhat offensive. If you wish to comment, at least have the decency to give an accurate email address so that the dialogue can continue. Your email address is NOT published on this blog, so you will only ever receive emails from me, and certainly not receive spam etc.
On the downside, it has made me more cautious about approving comments in the future.
January 13th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Some further comments for Libby:
Yes - very possible for the same nest to be reused.
HANZAB (Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds) states that second hatchings from the same nest are relatively common, and three consecutive hatchings from the same nest occur sometimes. Pairs may nest up to five times in one breeding season.
Not all are successful, for a variety of reasons (eg predation, lack of food, death of adult, adverse weather, storms etc)
See also my article “Why do baby birds disappear?” here:
http://www.trevorsbirding.com/why-do-baby-birds-disappear/
January 14th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Hiya,
I have just spent the morning watching one of the strangest sights I have ever seen.
I live at Queanbeyan (near the racecourse) with three cats. They are happy to stalk the sparrows and mynahs - and I let them - but for some reason Crested Pidgeons and Blackbirds are not of great interest.
This morning there was a great cacophony of bird alarms, so I went out to check. There was a baby blackbird in a tree with the ‘outside’ cat looking up at it. The baby came down to ground level (the blackbirds all like to eat the dry cat food) and of course the cat pounced.
I raced out with my trust water pistol in time to see the cat take the baby by a leg out into the driveway where the parents were twittering and put it on the ground. As it did so it looked up as if to say “Will you all just shut up!” and then walked away back to his favourite morning sleeping spot.
Mum and Dad both came down and chivvied the baby back to the food bowl and shoved a few bits of cat food down its gob, and then back to the nest. Doing this meant that they had to walk past the cat! Yet, peace returned to the neighbourhood.
In regards to cats - I get annoyed when they are all branded as murderers and cold-hearted killers. They are basically doing what a shark in the ocean does, and what any other predator does. However, I also believe that cat-owners have a responsibility to try and create a balanced environment. My cats are collared, which includes 4 bells plus a leap alarm. They are locked in sundown in winter, and 7pm in summer. They are let out at 8.30am, and invariably come back in around 9.30, and spent most of the day on my bed. If I am not home, they are not outside.
Anyway - I enjoy my birds, blue-tongues, cats and possums and there is not a lot of drama in their co-existence. Maybe I’m just lucky.
As for Melissa - can I assume that she is a Breatharian? What we generally eat for meat are introduced species. What we eat for vegetables are introduced species. Man is the biggest cause of ecological problems - the animals and plants are doing what comes naturally.
January 14th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
What a bizarre event - pity you didn’t have a video camera running. Thanks for your comments.
January 14th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Thanks Trevor for the information re multilpe nestings. I can now enjoy my new “babies” and hope to catch a glimpse of the first hatching to reassure me that they have not met their demise! Libby
January 30th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Hi Trevor,
Happy New Year to all. I am wondering if blackbirds migrate to cooler parts of Australia, or even New Zealand, during the summer months. I haven’t heard or seen any blackbirds for at least a month now. This is my mother’s Canberra garden I am talking about. I think the last time we spotted any blackbirds in her garden was around late November. I am guessing that they may find it too hot in some parts of Australia at this time of the year and may migrate to the cooler mountain areas. We hope they will re-appear when the cooler weather arrives. I seem to remember it was the middle or winter last year, around July, when they re-appeared in Mum’s garden again. At the moment, the garden is full of the Indian Mynans and not much else.
Cheers,
Andrea from Canberra
January 30th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Hi there Andrea.
There is no evidence in the research to suggest that Blackbirds migrate. They are considered to be largely sedentary. Having said that, there is some evidence that they can disperse short distances after breeding. This is usually the young looking for new territories.
In our own garden they become very quiet during the summer and autumn months and are often not very visible, preferring to skulk in the shade of the lower thicker bushes looking for food. So in your situation, they are quite likely there but not showing themselves or calling.
February 6th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Dear Trevor, I am writting on behalf of my 6 year old daughter, who has discovered an interest in birds. She discovered a nest of the common blackbird in our passionfruit vine, next to our car in the car port at eye level( hers). she was able to discover three eggs, see them hatch, and learn to fly!! It has opened a world of birds to us, I even had to look up that it was a common black bird. Thanks for your sight, we will checkit often.
regards, Cassie on behalf of Alycia ( 6 years old)
February 6th, 2007 at 8:05 am
P.s we live in Moe, Victoria
February 6th, 2007 at 9:41 am
That’s really exciting, Cassie. It is always great when young children catch an enthusiasm for birds and the natural environment at an early age. Keep on encouraging Alycia. Does she use the internet? She may be interested in looking at the photos I have on my blog, and as her reading improves she will learn plenty from my articles.
Before I retired from teaching I was always encouraging the children in my class to look at the birds (and the environement in general). Only this week I found out that one of my former students is studying to be a marine biologist. That’s exciting!
I must write a series of articles for children about becoming a bird watcher. In the meantime, look at the ‘Contents’ section called ‘How to be a birder.’
March 12th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
We have had a very tame male blackbird in our garden now for over 5 years, every year we watch him courting the females, they even nested once on our bathroom window. He always introduces his offspring to us at a stage when they can fend for themselves.
We notice when he is feeding because he starts to look really rundown and old.
He often peeks in at us from the kitchen window. We have named him Charlie.
March 12th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Hi there Maxine. It is a real delight to have regular birds in your garden and around the house that you can identify as being the same bird. We have a number of birds that fit that category, including the Blackbirds, the Willie Wagtails and the Magpies. The Magpie Larks (Pee Wees) tend to live next door bcause they have a lawn where we only have native grass. They still come to visit nearly every day. We also have many other species that I regard as resident in our garden - about 35 different species. In addition we have about another 70 species that are occasional visitors, or which only come at certain times of the year.
May 28th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Hi, i have always been interested in Blackbirds. I have an avery of four that i rescued from a vonerable nest. There were four eggs in the nest but one had obviously been cracked open and eaten. This shows that the other eggs were in danger too. I have three females and 1 what looks to be a male. But i am not sure until i get a bit closer. I feed them on Fresh fruit, Wild Bird Seed, Bread Crumbs and soon i will start them on worms too. They are very timid and are not shy to fly to the front of the avery and cling to the mesh staring at me, Waiting for me to feed and water them. At night i cover the avery with an old blanket not only to keep them warm, but to help them sleep better.
May 29th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Hi there Jay, welcome to my blog about birds. It is obvious that these birds give you a great deal of pleasure and that you know how to look after them.
June 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Andrea from Canberra.
Hi Trevor and bird lovers. I noticed the sound of the blackbirds in the garden just recently. It had been months since I had heard the blackbirds. Like Trevor advised, they go very quiet over summer and the warmer months. I thought they must migrate to cooler areas of the summer. I heard the “chip chip” call (almost like a warning call) of a blackbird the other day. I have yet to hear the beautiful song of the male, often heard in the evening and early mornings, but I assume this may not happen until they start to nest again in Spring. I have recently made a native section in my garden and look forward to attracting even more bird species into the gaden, as these natives start to grow.
June 20th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Welcome back Andrea.
Good to hear that the Blackbirds are still around. “Our” blackbirds are still skulking around the garden but are still not calling. I expect that they will start singing again in a few weeks time.
All the best with the native plants. You may benefit from a visit to my wife’s blog about native plants here:
http://www.malleenativeplants.com.au/
August 20th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
The blackbirds are back with a vengeance in our garden. I hear the lovely song of the male every morning around 6am. I have seen a male and female pair scavanging in the garden. They made themselves known again in July some time I think. It is lovely to have this “constant” in the garden, after the devastating death of one of my pet female cockatiels last week from egg-binding! Even my remaining pet cockatiel looks very interested when she sees the blackbirds scurrying around the courtyard of the house and as we all know, the male’s beautiful song is so cheery!
Regards,
Andrea from Canberra
August 20th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Welcome back Andrea.
And a big welcome back to the singing Blackbirds. We’ve heard them a few times but not on a daily basis yet.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Helppppp!!We have a Huggggggge problem with Blackbirds in our garden, flicking our mulch all over the place, it’s driving us crazy, do you know where we could get one of those electronic things to scare them off, or anything else that would work in getting rid of them??
Regards
Mary.
August 21st, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Hi there Mary.
This is a perplexing problem facing many gardeners.
In response to your questions, I have written an entirely new article about this problem.
Read the article here:
http://www.trevorsbirding.com/the-problem-with-common-blackbirds/
September 3rd, 2007 at 12:06 am
[…] Common Blackbirds - the most popular article with the most comments […]
October 11th, 2007 at 10:49 am
hi Trevor
We have a blackbird nest under our deck in the rafters.It has 4 eggs in it. We have seen a male bird on the eggs. Is this possible? Also, after spying nest a lot, we have not seen another blackbird on the nest since. The eggs are still warm each time. Will the eggs hatch? Our son, who is 11, is most interested and will not leave them alone. Will the eggs be ok if he has touched them?
October 11th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
Hi there Anna,
It is unusual for the male to incubate the eggs. This is usually done exclusively by the female. If the female is dead (eg taken by a cat or a hawk) the male may take over the brooding. I would suggest that this has happened, and although unusual has been known to happen. I am reasonably confident that the eggs will hatch, providing that the bird is not disturbed too much. Try to observe from a distance and try not to frighten the bird from the nest. If this happens too much he may not return to the nest.
There is no problem with touching the eggs but again, try to keep a distance and not disturb the nest or the bird sitting. When the eggs hatch, the male becomes active in feeding the babies. The female will then sometimes start a second nest before the babies from the first nest fledge (fly off).
November 9th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
about a 3 week old Myna has fallen out of its nest what should
i do and what should i feed it also the nest has fallen apart and the mother won’t come back.
November 13th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Hi there Sophie,
If the mother won’t come back to the baby she has abandoned it and in normal conditions the baby would die. This seems cruel and nasty but it is the way of birds and animals in the wild. The mother is more concerned about her survival. She will probably nest again when the conditions are right.
If you are determined to save the baby just keep in mind two important things:
1. Baby birds take a great deal of time and effort to keep well fed. They will need feeding every hour or more often. Do you have the energy and time that is needed?
2. The Common Myna is regarded as an undesirable introduced pest species in Australia. They are not welcome here because they take food and nesting places from our native birds.
December 12th, 2007 at 9:13 am
i have a blackbird nest under our verandah up against the wall in some creepers. i think we have scared away the parents because i haven’t seem them for a while. meanwhile, they have left three chicks in the nest, with only one surviving i think. i have taken the last one inside with the aim of trying to feed it. advice anyone? i dont now what to feed, how to clean, and most of all how to explain it to my parents! :p
December 12th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Hi there Ben,
I would suggest that you replace the little one in nest. The parent birds know what is best to feed them. Try to keep a good distance from the nest and not check to see how it is going as this will only scare the adults away.
December 12th, 2007 at 9:48 am
the other two are ovverrun with ants and im sure thatll happen with this one two
January 6th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Hi Trevor,
I live in a country town 30 k’s from Launceston in Tasmania.
Blackbirds have been common in my garden for many years and over the last couple of weeks I have been watching 4 blackbird chicks nesting in a large bush outside my bedroom window and have been intrigued how they continued to fit in the nest, how large their mouths had become and the constant rountine by their parents to nurture the babies.
Unfortunatley on Friday night around midnightI was woken to a commotion outside the window and on investigation found one of the babies on the ground which I replaced in the nest, the mother had not slept with the chicks for the last few days which I suspected was due to lack of space and perhaps the heat. In the light of day 1 baby was missing from the nest and I was unable to determine what caused the disturbance. The remaining 3 babies were nurtured normally by the parents yesterday (Saturday), but I decided to leave the outside light on all night just in case. The only explanation I could think of was maybe a cat or ???rat (unlikely but I am clutching at straws). Anyway I heard something around 3am and lifted the blind and shone torch into nest which was empty. There was nothing on the ground, no feathers, no trace. I was still awake at day break, around 5am and there was no sign of the parent birds. I feel quite sad at the loss of the babies, especially as I have no idea what happened to them. Yesterday their eyes were open, they were feathered but still had a few bare patches. I came across your blog in an attempt to find an answer/s and have been comforted by the attachment other people make with their resident blackbirds!
I realise it is nature etc but I remember thinking how clever the female blackbird was in choosing such a safe spot, close to the bedroom window for the nest and convinced myself all 4 babies would survive. Thank you Trevor for all the great info.
Colleen
January 7th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Hello Trevor,
I’ve just been reading through the comments and suggestion with much interest.
On the 8th of December I found a young female blackbird on a ledge in the barn where I keep my horse. The nest was on the ground and upturned. Originally there were 3, but I suspect that the barn cats might have had something to do with their sudden departure.
The parents were nowhere in sight and we feared that the cats would kill her if she was left there. We bought her home and assumed that she would be dead by morning as she was so young.
She proved us wrong and grew into a very healthy bird. She was very happy on a diet of worms, beef cat food and a mixture we picked up from the vets. She soon became very frustrated at being contained in an outside cat cage so when she learned how to eat by herself we reluctantly let her go.
Several times that day she returned to be fed but then she flew off and we assumed we wouldn’t see her again. Not so, after a week and a half my sister found her outside, infact she hopped onto her hand. She was slightly injured and we have been feeding her.
My dilemma is she is very tame and we are reluctant to let her go if she is well enough. She has no fear of cats or people and we fear that she could be hurt again. We are not sure whether her wing will heal as it is slightly drooping but she is well enough what do you suggest?
Chelsea.
January 7th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Hi there Colleen, thanks for visiting my birding blog and for leaving a comment.
It certainly is sad when birds and animals are killed, but as you say, that is the way of nature.
Have you considered that an owl or even a Tawny Frogmouth may have been responsible? Even ravens and currawongs are known nest robbers, so the field of possibilities is quite large.
January 7th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Hi there Chelsea,
Welcome to my birding blog.
I am not at all experienced in caring for injured birds. It might be worth contacting your local wildlife care group (see the yellow pages or search the internet) for advice.
Keeping the bird in the cage until the wing has recovered might be your only option if there is no one willing to help or you can’t find the help you need.
Sorry I can’t be of more help.
January 8th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
At my home in Bridgewater i have been watching with interest as a female blackbird has made my clothes-peg-basket her home. Some months ago she made her impressively symmetrical nest there, laid 4 eggs, sat there protectively for a few weeks then flying between the nest and my garden to forage and feed the chicks. Shortly after the family left the nest, she repeated the whole process again with another two eggs and chicks…..on the extremely hot over-40 degree days they let me spray them gently with a water sprayer. (I was concerned because they were about a foot under my galv iron verandah.) Incredibly after leaving the nest on new years day, I saw her in the nest on the 4th Jan and today - the 9th - two more eggs! My family were fascinated on Christmas Day to watch her foraging and feeding the chicks….to and fro all afternoon. Also the male partner is sometimes around - he doesn’t go to the nest but seems to forage showing the hen where to get the worms. Fantastic.
January 11th, 2008 at 6:08 am
We have had a blackbirds nesting in our Ivy hedge for nearly 2 years now and since late winter 2007 they’ve produced 3 sets of eggs. Unfortunately after the 2nd lot hatched one of our Italian Greyhounds caught and killed one of the young when it was running around our backyard learning to fly (IGs are renowned for catching small animals). The 3rd batch (2 eggs) have now hatched - although I had to re-invent their nest because it fell to bits and I found the helpless newborns on the ground beneath the hedge. I built a new one out of a small box, lined it with an old cotton hand-towel and attached it above the old nest with cable-ties. I didn’t see the first baby around much (possibly caught by our new neigbours cat urrgh!!) but the 2nd hatchling is now running around the yard. Despite the chick having many places to hide I am keeping the dogs inside for now (I am on holidays) and escorting them on a leash outside for toileting. What I need to know is how long it takes the chicks to learn to fly - so I can then safely leave the dogs to their own devices. Any infor would be appreciated : )
January 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Anne - thank you for visiting my blog about birds. It certainly is fascinating watching the development of the young birds in a nest, and then to watch the parents busily going about feeding them.
Interestingly, Blackbirds have been known to raise up to six clutches of babies in the one season.
January 11th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Hi there Dene,
Thank you for your comments about Blackbirds. Three clutches of eggs in a season is quite normal - they have been recorded raising up to six clutches in one season!
The eggs generally hatch in 12 - 14 days after the last egg is laid. The babies then fledge (fly from the nest) in 13 - 15 days on average. The young usually leave the nest on the same day - sometimes over 2 days.
January 11th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Thanks Trevor, I forgot to mention we are in South Canberra. I have blocked off the side of the house where the dog door is so the dogs can stay out of the yard for a a couple of weeks (unless supervised by moi). I watched a baby run around the perimeter of our yard this morning and took a video. So cute but so VULNERABLE. I hope no Kurrawongs decide to fly in, doesnt happen often. We have Magpies, Pee Wees, Native Pidgeons and an array of Parrots that stop in regularly for a nibble at our feeding station in the tree. I’ve also sprayed cat repellent along the fenceline for next door but only Buddah knows if this will work.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Hi Trevor, I came across your website while researching the spread of the European Blackbird.
We have a breeding pair in our garden in St George, Queensland. As much of this area has been in drought for a number of years, we were surprised to see them this far west. Having lived in the area for only eight months I have no idea when they arrived, I imagine that the pair came along the Condamine/Balonne river in the one of the major floods from Toowomba area. It would be interesting to hear from other readers as to how far the blackbirds have reached.
Dorothy
January 28th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Hi there Dorothy,
This seems to be quite a western extension of this species in Queensland. According to the current distribution maps on the Birds Australia Bird data Atlas, there have been records in the Moree and Tenterfield areas of NSW and at Oakey nearer to Brisbane.
I will make an enquiry on the Birding-Aus news group and see what is the current status of this species in Queensland.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Hi Trevor & Dorothy
Coincidentally, they are currently the subject of a public awareness campaign in southern Qld being led by TBO with support from DPI&F, EPA and Toowoomba City Council. This is due to their introduced status and valid concerns about their potential threat to our horticultural industries if we don’t take appropriate steps to contain them.
I will post an update to Birding-Aus re Qld status of blackbirds in the near future but in the meantime you’ll find from our club website and a dedicated topic on the forum that blackbirds have been confirmed in a few different areas in Toowoomba & Highfields district and recently in Stanthorpe & Dalveen region. Just the odd population here and there, but evidently breeding at each location.
The St George record is significant - the first report from there and, as you say, a long way west of the nearest known population.
I’d be grateful Dorothy if you could fill in the online blackbird report at http://www.toowoombabirdobservers.org or contact me at work on (07) 4688 1318. If possible a photo of the birds and/or the nest would be helpful in confirming the record too.
Regards
Michael Atzeni
Blackbird Project Leader
Toowoomba Bird Observers Inc
February 4th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Thanks for all that information Michael.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:27 am
hi there,
i have come home today to find the remains of blackbirds chicks in my garden, i have watched them from when they were eggs to chicks so i was very upset when i came home to find a crow in my garden eating all of the dried worms i had put out intentionally for the blackbird. did i attract the predators? i feel awful the mother blackbird came back flew into nest and realised her chicks had been killed and flew away. There is now a robin who has now been using her nest i have not seen eggs in there yet. My question is will the blackbird return.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Charlene,
Blackbirds are very territorial, I am sure they will stay in the area. Our St George (Qld) pair have been very persistant in trying to raise a family this summer, but cats, a resident breeding pair of crows (whose conversations with each other are wonderful to listen to - they sound quite caring towards each other at times), not to mention butcher birds and currajongs have put paid to any success.
The pair are still around digging up the mulch, I will not be planting any bulbs for spring(G)
Dorothy
May 13th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Thanks for visiting Charlene, and for answering the question Dorothy.
Crows and ravens are very clever and cunning and would possibly have discovered the chicks anyway. This is the natural cycle of life in the wild; one species’ loss is another species’ gain. That’s tough from a humanitarian point of view, but their survival depends on eating - often that means the young of another species will be the victim. It happens more than we would like to know.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY it is what you say ‘the circle of life’ but its not nice when it Happens in your garden. i hope they will return and nest agin next year.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:44 pm
i have a breeding pair nesting in my garden hedge and for a day or two i noticed that she wasnt coming, is this normal?
June 30th, 2008 at 12:05 am
where do baby blackbirds go when they are not in there nest.Or when someone has touched them when they are newly hatched.
June 30th, 2008 at 12:11 am
the other day my mates mother touched a baby blackbird on the head and now the blackbirds have dissapeared.why have thay gone?also i found that the nest was tillted on its side!is this normal?
July 1st, 2008 at 2:26 am
there has been 5 litle cluchings in my garden bush and she has not been sitting on them for 2 days. what will happen, will she come back or leave them there to die. i really want to help them but i think its to late. can they die in there shell?
July 8th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Hi there Natalie, welcome to my birding blog. Sorry for the delay in replying - I’ve been very busy, and also away for a few days.
Baby birds are often taken by predators. This can include other birds like hawks, owls, magpies and crows (as well as many other species) or by cats or even snakes and lizards, depending on where you live. This is part of the web of life - one bird’s death means the survival of another creature.
If a person has gone to the nest with babies in it, this can accidentally show predators (like a cat) where the nest is hidden. Observe nests from a distance is good advice.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Hi there Chris,
Welcome to my blog about Australian birds.
I have already answered your questions in my reply to Natalie above.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Hi there Amber. Sorry about the delay in answering your comments.
The parent birds will abandon a nest for a variety of reasons. If they’ve left the eggs for two days it is unlikely that they will return. Don’t worry - Blackbirds (and many other species) often nest 2, 3 or even more times every year. Many of the young are taken by hawks and other predators so that they too can survive.
September 14th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
I found your site interesting. I live in north Canberra and noticed a blackbird building a nest in the top of a Dixonia Antarctica fern in my small enclosed courtyard under a big umbrella. I was concerned about her absence after laying one egg, beautifully camouflaged in green with a brown base, but she’s back. My neighbour tells me she will come and go until the last egg is laid and then she will stay for them to all hatch together. I hope the location will prevent the local cats and other birds from finding the nest. Males have been digging up my garden for a few years - don’t know if they’re related. I can observe the process, which I do a lot, from the kitchen window.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Welcome to my birding blog, Joan. Your neighbour is correct - the female will commence sitting when the last egg is in the nest. You will have a great view of the comings and goings once the eggs hatch. Enjoy your new ‘family.’
September 16th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I have been listening to Blackbirds at Seacliff for a few years now and Im amazed at their musical ability .They never seem to repeat themselves in their short phrases–and they have their own individuality as well—has anyone else listened closely?if so ,you will be enthralled with their inventiveness;like listening to Charlie Parker at his best
September 16th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Welcome to my birding blog, Robin. I agree with you - the musical quality of the song is something amazing. Almost outdoes some of our native birds - like the Grey Shrike Thrush or the amazing Pied Butcherbird.
October 1st, 2008 at 8:42 am
Hi Trevor,
I am very fond of our blackbirds in Bundoora, Melbourne. In fact we had a male blackbird who was very friendly over a period of five years. I called him ‘chook’ and would feed him worms I came across while weeding. This progressed to bread everyday and finally pieces of meat and chopped up cherry. He would come to the back door and wait for me everyday. He even came in the back door if left open and would sit on the step. He was not afraid and seemed to know I would not hurt him. Eventually he brought his two daughters to me to get food when they were very young ‘fluff-balls’. At this time he had a broken leg and would just hop around on the one leg. I guess he knew him would not last long and was trying to familiarize his siblings with my feeding service. He did not come back one day and I gather he died somewhere, but his babies still returned each day on a regular basis for feeding. They are still with me today and one has found a mate, nested and currently has her own baby birds that she is busy feeding. I provide chopped up sausage and bread for them and they take it straight back to the nest. It appears that they know when they are welcome and are not timid to come write up to you and hop around your feet if you stay still. I often sit outside with a cup of tea and they hang around me and just sit and look at me like they are trying to communicate telepathically. They are lovely birds and can be virtually tamed if you do the write thing by them. I am looking forward to the new family coming down to meet me very soon and the cycle repeating itself all over again.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Thanks for stopping by Greg, and for leaving your comments. Your experience with things ‘wild’ birds must be very satisfying and heartwarming to you. It just proves that humans can have effective and positive relationships with free creatures and live in harmony with them.
Some people will criticize you because they regard the Blackbird as a pest species. Others may not agree with your methods. I say ignore them - and listen to your heart.
Enjoy your special friends.
October 1st, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Have you gone on an Earth Walk? We had this activity when we were in college. We just toured around the campus and observe the flora and fauna present. It was a cool activity. Your post reminds me of those days. I find observing trees and animals around my neighborhood delightful. It is worth your time.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:08 pm
welcome to my birding blog Pierre. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
No - I haven’t been on an Earth Walk, but I encourage everyone who reads this to go on walks in the natural environment whenever they can - organised or just as the mood takes you. Walking with nature is a fantastic way of dealing with the stresses of life and the world in general. I find great inspiration for my writing when I’m in the natural environment.
Not only do you get to see great plants, flowers, birds and animals (eg lizards), not only do you get plenty of fresh air, not only do you shed the stresses of life - you also get very beneficial exercise.
All plusses!
I used to do walks like the one you describe with the children in my class when I was a teacher. So enjoyable - and a great way of learning in a fun way.
Now it is usually just my wife and me - and that’s enjoyable too.
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Hi Trevor,
I’ve just read right back to 2006 and found the answer to my query…that is, there’s not much to be done. I do realise that this sort of culling means that only the fittest survive, the the babies of the birds who pick the most protected nesting site, sheltered garden and so on, but the devotion of the parents is hard to reconcile with the enormity of the loss. The other day I came home to find a huge magpie attacking the nest, and the parents were shrieking and flapping at him. I disturbed him but they chased him for at least 2 or 3 minutes, swooping and diving the whole time. I think he took one of the babies as I can now find only one. The parents spend all day foraging and feeding this little bird. Can you answer two more questions for me? Do the parents mate for life, the season, or for one time only? Also, what is the average time for a nestling to spend on the ground after leaving the nest? Many thanks.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Hi there Pauline,
The only reference I can find states that Blackbirds here in Australia are only occasionally polygamous. There is only one example of this so one can assume that they are usually monogamous ie staying together as a pair. The article does not say whether they mate for life.
Fledgelings usually leave the nest 12 -15 days after hatching. Some are able to fly weakly while others can barely fly at all. There seem to be no records of how long a they spend on the ground after leaving the nest.
I hope this helps.
October 11th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Hullo Trevor - an update from Canberra - three eggs were laid but only one hatched. One egg was crushed, I assume by the parent/s, and dropped out of the nest and one never hatched. The nest is no more than 1m off the ground in a tiny four walled courtyard under a big umbrella - an ideal secure place. I have been fascinated watching the one chick grow rapidly and touched by the parents dedication to the chick, sitting directly on top of it and regularly feeding it rather large wriggly worms. Only a few more days to go before it will be able to fly. Unfortunately I was shocked and surprised that the chick was disemboweled and left on the ground by its attacker which I assume was a bird unable to lift the large chick and at the same time gain momentum to fly out of such a tight space. I hear you say it’s what comes naturally, however my almost obsessive observations of the whole wonderful process leaves me feeling down. I suppose a large bird saw the blackbirds flying in and out. After about 6 weeks of building the nest, laying the eggs, sitting on them, feeding the only chick - it’s a terrible result for the parents. Over and out.
October 11th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Unfortunately there are predators who watch every movement carefully for signs of eggs or young in the nest. It could have been a currawong, raven, magpie, butcherbird among many others. Sorry to hear of your sadness. On a brighter note, Blackbirds will often have two or three clutches in the one breeding season, so there is hope… keep your eyes peeled for more nesting activity.
October 13th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
A pair of blackbirds made a nest on the fence under our carport (Hawthorn, South Aust)and even though the nest is on the top rail at chest height and close to where we come and go, the mother bird largely ignored us. I photographed daily from eggs to fledgelings without any problem. About a week or two after the nest was abandoned we saw mother bird (the same one?) had laid three more eggs. Now we have hatchlings again and I am busy photographing - I wait until the mother or father leaves the nest and grab a few shots before they come back. A blackbird nest in the front yard lost its only, large chick to a magpie. Obviously the carport is better.
October 13th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Thank you Tony for your uplifting story. I had to remove the nest because it was inside a Dixonia Antarctica fern which has many fronds coming out and was pushing the nest out of position. I also took photos daily and have just now put together a record in a small album.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Welcome to my blog Tony. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your story. As you can see by reading all of the comments, there are many others like yourself who really enjoy seeing our birds nesting in their gardens.
October 17th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
What wonderful stories (yes I read all of them!).
We have had a family of black birds nesting in our roof for years now but the other night we noticed that one of the baby birds had fallen down the roof cavity (we have raked ceilings, but about 4m away from the nest it drops down to a normal height in the roof which is where the bird was). So on the 3rd day we couldn’t take the cries for help any more and have just cut a hole in the wall to rescue the poor thing. Well what a surprise we got when we looked in the hole as there was not one, but two of the poor things stuck in a tiny gap above the door frame (I guessed the spot right on target to cut the hole). So now we have two little birds talking to each other (non stop)in a nest we have made for them in our kitchen. As a child I raised many small birds which had fallen out of nests but have lost the “what to do” (I remember feeding them weetbix with a little bit of pentavite mixed in). I am currently feeding them worms but was wondering what else they can have and how often I should feed them? They have most of their feathers so I assume that they will be trying to fly soon, so what will be the best way to release them (we have cats that I’m sure would love them for dinner, so I am reluctant to let them go in our garden).
October 18th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Hi there Nerissa - thanks for stopping by and leaving a few comments.
The things some people do to rescue stranded animals! I hope that the hole in the wall can be easily repaired.
I have no experience in looking after orphaned birds. What you are doing sounds okay - see if you can find some beetles and caterpillars as well. Maybe a spider or two and even chopped up fruit.
Keep the