Is the common blackbird a pest? Well, it depends…

The blackbird is undoubtedly one of the most famous birds across Europe. It is a beautiful, well-groomed silky black bird typical for its hopping around. This bird is certainly nice to look at, but on the other hand, blackbirds can also be harmful. There are never-ending discussions about whether this bird is a pest or not. We shall take a closer look and try to settle this issue for once and all.

Impressive and smooth appearance

It is a medium-sized, coal-black bird. The female is usually more brownish with gray spotsand with white or rusty spots on the chest. Thanks to the typical colouring, it is difficult to confuse it with other birds. A rounded tail is another typical feature plus males have the characteristic orange beak while females have greyish beaks.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Where can you see blackbirds?

Well, all over the old continent, but mostly in moist forests with dense vegetation. They also live happily in cities, or in our gardens where you can hear them singing every year. Blackbirds can be seen as early as in February and most of them lead a solitary life, and only when they attract females during the mating season they gather together. The males use their singing to attract females. As mentioned earlier blackbirds are famous for their typical jumping movement while searching and pulling earthworms from the ground but they also love insects and various fruits. Before the winter comes, certain species fly to warmer regions but most of them stay for the winter.

How do blackbirds reproduce?

After the male gets a female, it builds a nest ina thick bush in tree. Most of the time blackbirds use moss and grass as building material. If they decide to build their nest on loose bushes, then they add soil and roots. The female usually lays 4 to 7 eggs in the second half of March. Chicks are born after 14 days and both parents take care of their young. After three weeks the young are able to fly.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

So, are these birds harmful or not?

Blackbirds are not protected by any legislation and if you don’t have a garden, then you have nothing to worry about. They do however enjoy sweet fruits and they search for it. This includes strawberries for example, but they can “clean” your cherry trees easily too. Not many people know that they also eat small snails and enjoy a variety of other foods. But who can blame these cute birds for doing little harm. If you see their funny jumping … well we just laugh it off.

Preview photo: commons.wikimedia.org