BLACKBIRD
Blackbirds are 235 to 290mm long. The male has glossy black plumage, blackish brown legs, a yellow eye ring and an orange-yellow bill, which darkens in Winter. Juveniles and females are sooty brown, with an off-white throat and mottling on the breast. They also have a dull yellowish-brown bill. Although blackbirds can be found in deciduous woodland with dense undergrowth, the garden are these birds favoured breeding habitat. Studies show that in areas with lots of gardens, you will find 3 pairs per acre.
The male blackbird scares away other males with head and tail dipping during a chase. Occasionally, a fight will ensue, but these are brief spats, and the intruder is usually chased away. The female is also aggressive during the Spring, when it competes for suitable nesting sites, these are less frequent but more violent. The male courts the female with head bowing runs with an open beak. Pairs mate for life and will nest in sheds, outbuildings, creepers and bushes. The nest is cup shaped and made of grasses, leaves and mud. The female is the sole nest builder, she lays 3 to 5 eggs which are incubated for 2 weeks. Fledging takes a further 2 weeks with the young being fed outside the nest for 3 more weeks.
