What does a blackbird look like?
The appearance of the thrush also varies depending on the species, but the general characteristics remain the same. These are small, fragile birds with dense plumage, strong legs, a small flat tail and tightly pressed wings. Blackbirds can be brown and gray, black and white-collared. Blackbirds are birds with beautiful bright plumage, often with complex patterns that nature gave them. The peculiarity of these birds is their sharp, dense beak, which helps them obtain animal food, and their strong elongated legs, which help them catch up with it. Blackbirds jump quite actively with some stops. The eyes are located on the sides and have a black halo. If necessary, you have to bend over to the side to look closer at the ground. The thrush is a migratory songbird that loves to display its nightingale-like voice and sings from mid-spring to late autumn. Blackbirds fly away to warmer, more favorable climates away from harsh winters, and when the thaw sets in, they return to nest. In one season, a healthy individual is able to reproduce about 17 chicks.
The female differs from the male in size and general appearance. The male is stockier, more voluminous, he has clear, not blurry plumage and there is a defined transition between the body and head.
Fieldfare Thrush
Drozd: description
This is a nomadic species of birds that is found in many parts of our planet. Their lifestyle is due to the fact that during cold periods they migrate to warmer living conditions.
Appearance
These are small birds, with a body length of no more than 27 centimeters and a wingspan of no more than 38 centimeters. Depending on the species, individuals can weigh between 40 and 100 grams. The bird's eyes are located on the sides of its head, so thrushes tilt their heads to the side when searching for food. Due to the presence of characteristic external features, thrushes are not difficult to distinguish from other bird species.
The beak of this bird is relatively short and may have a gray or yellow tint. The nostrils are open, and the color of the plumage is not variegated. Many species have gray plumage with dark specks located randomly on the body. Some varieties are distinguished by a purely black tint of plumage. The wings are not long and have a rounded shape. The tail is rectangular in shape with 12 tail feathers. The legs are relatively short, but quite strong, and at their ends you can see fused horny plates.
Character and lifestyle
These birds have a difficult character, more restless, because, finding themselves in a difficult situation, the bird begins to make loud sounds. This especially happens when for some reason she lags behind her pack. Blackbirds are considered migratory birds, so they winter in comfortable conditions in warm regions. The birds do this unnoticed and silently, so many do not notice either the presence of blackbirds or their absence.
In search of food, blackbirds move along the surface of the earth with characteristic and frequent jumps, as well as long pauses between them. After wintering, they can return to their nesting sites, both as part of a flock and as individuals. If there is enough food for them, then they may postpone their migration for some time or may even stay for the winter.
Interesting moment! In the case of a solo flight, scientists believe that the birds may lag behind their flock or may go off course. Despite this, birds still find their natural habitats.
Having returned to their nesting sites in the spring, blackbirds begin building nests, which are placed either on stumps or in trees. If there are no predators within their nesting areas, then the birds place their nests directly on the ground.
How long do blackbirds live?
The lifespan of these birds depends on their living conditions, the presence of natural enemies and the availability of food supply. It is believed that blackbirds living in the wild can live from 11 to 15 years. In captivity, with proper maintenance, these birds live up to 17 and a half years. In natural conditions, which are distinguished by the absence of natural enemies and an abundance of food, blackbirds live no less.
Habitats
Blackbirds live all over the world from Eurasia to New Zealand, where they were introduced and quickly became established. They like to settle in spruce and mixed forests, birch groves. Currently, you can find blackbirds in parks and city squares. The birds also settled comfortably in other urban green areas. The most common species of thrush in our country is the song thrush. Indeed, by its name, it pleases with melodic singing almost all year round, excluding the winter months. America, Europe, Asia, North Africa, New Zealand. Blackbirds live throughout Russia. They reproduce well and live well in captivity.
Blackbird bird in the photo
Interesting facts about blackbirds
- These birds move interestingly: by jumping, crouching slightly;
- Distributed in Europe, America, Asia, they fly south in flocks for the winter;
- The most popular species for breeding are: songbird and blackbird - such individuals have beautiful voices, they are even nicknamed “forest nightingales”;
- To discourage enemies from the nest, blackbirds attack them. If the tactics do not work, then the bird pretends to be sick and lame and leads the predator away from the nesting area;
- Blackbirds are bold but cautious birds. Once deceived, an individual will never fall into the same trap again.
See photos of different types of blackbirds and listen to the voice of the song thrush
Types of blackbirds photo and description
There are 62 species of blackbirds and they occupy almost the entire territory of the globe. We will describe some of the species in more detail. The most common species in Russia is the song thrush. It is a fairly uniform brown color with a spotted bright white belly. There are whitish spots on the wings, and the inner color of the wing is noticeable in flight. It is brownish yellow.
In Europe, the missle thrush is known for its singing talent and cheerful spotted coloration. The thrush of this ancient species is slightly larger than its predecessor. It was famous in Rus' as a hunting trophy and served at feasts. Now found in the European part of the continent. Mainly settles in city parks, oak forests and lives in close proximity to humans. Europeans have the opportunity to observe this bird very closely and take photographs with it.
Mistle Thrush
American Robin or Wandering Thrush. Looks like one of the brightest representatives of the blackbird family in America. The entire chest and abdomen are painted a bright red, fiery color. The head is black, the back and tail are gray, the legs are also gray. The inside of the tail is white. Birds inhabit the entire continent of America quite well with the exception of Alaska. This species feeds 90% on animal feed. Loves butterflies, ground beetles and other insects.
Photo of American Robin
A very beautiful plumage of the island thrush or changeable as it is also called. The name comes from the fact that the color of this bird varies depending on the species of Island Blackbird, and there are about 6 of them. And each species has its own appearance. The most beautiful plumage is the white head and completely black camouflage below. It looks very impressive. This species has spread in North America to Alaska, and the Island Thrush also lives in Europe and Russia.
Changeable Thrush
But the Blackbird is the most common bird of the thrush family throughout the population. It is completely black with an orange beak. It has many subspecies and is very common in European countries. The bird settles, without hesitation, very close to humans. It builds nests in close proximity, thereby perceiving the person in a very friendly manner. The blackbird is an omnivorous bird. Like her predecessor, she prefers animal food. Loves plant foods in the form of berries, herbs, and some fruits. Builds nests in full view of humans. They are quite dense. Nesting occurs, like other species, from April to August. With a clutch of approximately 7 eggs.
Photo of blackbird
What do blackbirds eat?
The blackbird is a fairly omnivorous bird. The diet consists mainly of what is within reach. If these are hot areas with an abundance of animal food, then the thrush’s diet will be appropriate. These are mostly insects. The blackbird loves caterpillars, ground beetles, small beetles and worms. Nutritious animal food energizes the thrush and keeps it strong longer. Vegetable food is also no less loved by the thrush. These include berries, grass, fruits, young greens. The blackbird adapts to its habitat and feeds in accordance with natural data. In winter, during the cold season, things with food are much more modest and the blackbird is forced to be content with rowan, hawthorn and rose hips. In captivity, the blackbird feeds almost the same. It is true that due to favorable living conditions and the absence of hunger, life expectancy increases significantly.
Photo of blackbird
What do blackbirds eat in the wild?
The thrush's menu is varied, but generally depends on the season of the year. In winter, they find berries, old fruits and seeds for themselves. If there is a lot of food around the habitat, the thrush does not fly away for the winter at all.
In summer, the thrush is the worst enemy for a summer resident. In people's gardens, it eats strawberries, currants, raspberries, honeysuckle, cherries and even apricots. The bird can be seen on cabbage, potatoes and other crops. The main delicacy is worms, larvae and other protein foods.
Nesting
Nesting begins in April and lasts quite a long time. The blackbird population recovers due to repeated laying of eggs during the season. The female incubates them. Building the nest is the work of both parents. And they build nests from long rods, coated with clay, which makes the nest environmentally friendly and durable. Thrushes usually place their nests on stumps, low trees, or even on the ground, in the grass. The female lays up to 7 eggs per clutch. They are light blue with brown spots. The blackbirds hatch after 14-16 days, very small and fledgling, of course. Due to excellent nutrition, acute hunger very soon subsides, and the chicks become more mature. Thick plumage appears and a desire to explore everything around. Parents obtain food for their chicks together. Small frogs and lizards. Beetles and larvae, on animal food, chicks grow much faster and become strong and active. Thrushes can eat a whole small frog or lizard, although such a meal will last for a long time. The chicks will remain under the care of their parents for about another month. The female and male take turns incubating the eggs, and they also take turns caring for the offspring and building a home. It must be said that blackbirds create a pair for one season. The chicks hatch and fly away.
blackbird nest
How do blackbirds reproduce?
This bird arranges its nests in the spring, choosing for this purpose bushes or trees no higher than 5-6 m. They can often choose tall grass, an old stump, or even sit on the ground for this purpose.
The nests themselves are woven from twigs, lichen, moss, dry grass and leaves, all held together with clay. The home is not only reliable, but also spacious; it is insulated with feathers and down. The female can lay eggs twice a year . The clutch itself may contain up to 6 blue or greenish-blue eggs with small brown specks. The female makes the first clutch at the turn of April-May, the second - at the end of June or beginning of July. The chicks hatch for about 2 weeks.
For the first two weeks, hatched chicks are completely dependent on their feathered parents.
They, in turn, fly about 200 times a day for berries, seeds and insects to feed their offspring .
After two weeks, the young begin to independently get out of the nest and learn to fly, however, they still continue to eat the food obtained by their parents. It is during this period that most chicks die, leaving only the hardiest ones.
How long do blackbirds live?
Blackbirds live in their natural habitat from 5-17 years. It all depends on the degree of favorable conditions. If there is enough food, warmth and fellow birds, then the blackbird can live for more than a decade and a half. If the conditions of the natural environment are unsatisfactory, then for a number of different reasons the thrush can significantly reduce the quality and life span. Blackbirds live longer in captivity. The duration can reach 20 years. You can calmly, as practice shows, take a blackbird from its nest and feed it at home. Due to the fact that these birds are quite small and modest in size, they need careful and constant care, which, unfortunately, they sometimes cannot provide for themselves. A person can easily provide a thrush with a minimum set of conditions for the longevity of thrushes. Which contributes to the harmonious reproduction of thrushes in captivity.
Photo of a wandering blackbird
How blackbirds sing
It must be said that a unique feature of these birds is their voice! It is often recorded on audio as relaxing sounds. The voice of a thrush, especially males, is similar to the trills of a nightingale. The overflows and rolls are reminiscent of the sounds of a flute and pipe. A variety of melodies and tunes can be heard in the morning and evening from this bird. The voice of the blackbird can be heard in the park and city square, because the blackbird has long become a city friend. Although the bird prefers to nest in forests and copses, it still flies with pleasure into the urban area and lives next to humans. She takes food from him and sings her wonderful melodies as a sign of gratitude.
Photo of a song thrush
Why blackbirds are useful
The world's bird population is of great importance. They interact with nature, performing their immediate tasks. Namely, thrushes are involved in the reproduction of the species, the reproduction of many plants and the degradation of the number of harmful insects. It is impossible to select any fragment separately. These tasks are completed and the birds cope sufficiently with all the tasks assigned to them. Everything that nature provides is significantly important for maintaining the balance of the fauna. Man, as a thinking individual, is obliged to promote natural balance. Bring harmonious adjustments and support the animal and plant world. Often a person is forced to observe the opposite picture. Quite a lot of organizations support the bird population and expand its species diversity.
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Listen to a blackbird sing
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