Resident Birds of the Garden, Orchard 

 and Cultivated Districts 



BLACKBIRD (Turdus merula). 



Generally distributed, and common throughout Great 

 Britain. 



Plumage. Glossy jet-black. Bill and eyelids orange- 

 yellow. Legs and feet brownish black. Length 10 in. 

 Female sooty brown, paler on under parts, and marked 

 with dusky. Young like immature hen birds, but feathers 

 have dark tips, and those of under parts are barred. 



Language. Song, mellow and fluty, uttered in a placid 

 almost dawdling manner; generally breaks off 

 abruptly, and is followed either by a mimicking echo 

 in the minor key or an interlude of silence maintained 

 for a few moments. When alarmed it utters a harsh 

 chuckling cry, especially at nightfall, thus " chink," 

 repeated several times ; then " chacka, chacka, chack, 

 chuck, chuck, chuck." Call-note, a shrill " tzeet." 



Habits. Pugnacious, and often fights desperately at 

 mating time. Fond of skulking under thick bushes, and 

 is never flushed without many loud and clattering 

 remonstrances. In flight, fairly rapid and direct. On 

 alighting it always throws up its long tail almost at 

 right angles to its body. It sometimes runs, though 

 more usually it hops. It is a close sitter, and if driven 

 from the nest is most vociferous. 



Food. Worms, spiders, snails, slugs, insects, and 

 larvae. Soft fruits in season. In winter vegetable food 

 and various berries. 



Nest. March onwards. Several broods. 



Site. Generally low down in centre of thick bush, in 

 17 c 



