Birds to look for in January — Blackbird


Blackbird

Where to look

They can be seen everywhere from gardens to the countryside and from coasts to hills

Description

The Blackbird (Turdus merula) is the most common breeding bird in the British Isles, with an estimated population of 4.5 - 6 million pairs. In winter, migrating birds from all over Northern Europe add to our home grown numbers, so this month the blackbird in your garden could be from as far away as Russia! Blackbirds show sexual dimorphism (where the males and females look very different). The males are completely black with bright yellow beaks while the females are a more speckled brown with duller beaks. They are famous for their beautiful song and the first blackbirds should be heard singing by the end of this month. Listen out for them after a shower of rain because it’s thought that’s when they like to sing! They are omnivores with a wide diet including, insects, earthworms, snails, spiders, berries and seeds.

Blackbirds are a real part of our culture, appearing in nursery rhymes and songs and they even have their own patron saint, St Kevin of Glendalough!

Tweet of the Day
To hear the blackbird’s song follow the link below to the BBC’s Tweet of the Day


Spottings

Ethan
class 4
James
Victoria
Stanley
“We see them in our garden!”
Tamsin
Rox
Edie
“Blackbird on the way up butterrow”
Amélie
All of us
Jo
Ella
Gavin
“Spotted in New Polzeath, Cornwall.”
Tamsin
“I finally manged to get a picture of a blackbird... only a couple of months late!”

Where we've found Blackbirds


Blackbird spottings journal (19 seen)

Last seen Location Spotted by Group Notes
23 Apr 2024 Stroud Valleys Project
11 May 2023 Stroud Valleys Project
15 Mar 2022 Stroud Valleys Project
28 Jan 2022 The Bassetts Ethan Foxmoor Primary
17 Jan 2022 class 4 Foxmoor Primary
14 Jan 2022 Gladfield Gardens James Foxmoor Primary
14 Jan 2022 Cranham Victoria Foxmoor Primary
1 Feb 2021 Garden Stanley Brimacombes We see them in our garden!
4 Jan 2021 Stroud Tamsin Stroud Valleys Project
19 Dec 2020 Dudbridge Rox The Leopards
5 May 2020 Butterrow west Edie Leafgatherers Blackbird on the way up butterrow
27 Apr 2020 Garden Amélie Cooks&Co
15 Apr 2020 In our garden All of us Buckley-Nolans
7 Apr 2020 Garden Jo The Weaver's
30 Mar 2020 Follane Ella The Weaver's
24 Mar 2020 Polzeath, Cornwall. Gavin Blended Spotted in New Polzeath, Cornwall.
24 Mar 2020 Stroud Tamsin Stroud Valleys Project I finally manged to get a picture of a blackbird... only a couple of months late!
12 Mar 2020 Blended
6 Jan 2020 Buckley-Nolans

← OTHER THINGS TO LOOK FOR THIS MONTH

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