Common blackbird: illustrated description
- Length (from beak to tail)= 27 cm
- Width (wingspan)= 34 to 38 cm
- Weight= from 80 to 110 gr
- Lifespan= up to 16 years
- Blackbirds eat fruits (cherries, figs, berries, etc.) during winter and insects (especially earthworms) during summer.
- Each blackbird has its own territory and doesn’t live as part of a large group (it’s not a herd bird)
- The male is black and the female is brown.
- Both have a yellow (orangy) beak.
Common blackbird: scientific classification
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Turdidaes
- Genus: Turdus
- Species: Turdus merula
Common blackbird: what it sounds like
The following is a recording of an (adult) blackbird (during a windy day!) As for most birds, it has different types of songs depending of the type of message it wants to convey (alarm call, parade song, etc.)
Young blackbird
How can you tell a young blackbird from an adult blackbird?
- The colour of its coat: the young blackbird is brown (rather like a female blackbird);
- Its beak: it is pale, unlike adult blackbirds (male or female) which generally have a yellow beak;
- Its plumage: unlike the beautiful smooth coats of its parents, the young blackbird still wears down, which gives it a “dishevelled” appearance.
You can purchase a high-resolution picture (taken in Avignon, Provence, South of France) of this common blackbird in our eshop.
Common blackbird in Provence
5,00 €
