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Blackbird

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                    iBlackbird
   An adult male BlackbirdBirdsong (help·info)
   An adult male Blackbird
   Birdsong

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Passeriformes
   Family:  Turdidae
   Genus:   Turdus
   Species: T. merula

                                Binomial name

   Turdus merula
   Linnaeus, 1758

   The Blackbird or Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) is a European member
   of the thrush family Turdidae.

   It is common in woods and gardens over all of Europe and much of Asia
   south of the Arctic Circle. Populations are resident except for
   northern birds which move south in winter.

   Blackbirds are 23.5 to 29 cm in length. They are omnivorous, eating a
   wide range of insects, earthworms, seeds and berries. They nest in
   bushes or similar, laying several (usually 4) bluish- green-grey eggs
   with brown reddish marks in a neat cup-shaped nest.

   They do not form flocks, although several birds, especially migrants,
   may be loosely associated in a suitable habitat. Female blackbirds are
   especially fierce in the spring when they compete and fight with each
   other for a good nesting territory. Male birds are also competitive and
   will protect their territory by chasing away other males. If a fight
   between male Blackbirds does occur it is usually short and the intruder
   is soon chased away.

   Adult males are all black except for a yellow eye-ring and bill. Adult
   female birds and juvenile birds have brown plumage and brown beaks and
   do not have a yellow eye-ring. Overall, juvenile birds are a slightly
   lighter brown than female birds and very young juvenile birds have
   somewhat speckled chests.

   The male sings its varied and melodious song from trees, rooftops or
   other elevated perches.

   The Blackbird has been introduced to many parts of the world outside
   its native range. In Australia and New Zealand it is considered a pest
   and has an effect on natural ecosystems.

   The blackbird is also the national bird of Sweden.

Vocalisations

   The Blackbird has a number of distinct calls:
     * a thin high-pitched 'peeeeeeee'
     * contact call, 'sriii'
     * a low 'tuc tuc tuc'

Other blackbirds

   Two Asian Turdus thrushes, the White-collared and Grey-winged
   Blackbirds are named as blackbirds.

   The Blackbird and the two Asian species are not related to the New
   World blackbirds, such as Red-winged Blackbird or Red-breasted
   Blackbird, which are icterids, family Icteridae. The Blackbird's New
   World relatives are larger thrushes such as the American Robin, Turdus
   migratorius, and the Mountain Robin, T. plebejus.

Gallery

   A male attempts to distract a male Kestrel that is too close to its
   nest

   A female

   Chicks in a nest

   Male leaving the nest while the female inspects the eggs

   Male in mid-song

   Blackbird nest
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbird"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
