Nearly every morning I get woken up by the blackbirds tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet, they go on and on. Now I always thought it was a territorial thing with them, they do it morning and night and in the mating season (a long one for them) they go on all day long, but this evening just as I was leaving work I saw three of them going at it on someones roof, not taking any notice of the other two next to them. So I am now thinking that they just like to make a noise because they can. Can anyone give me any clues into their behavior...........Jon
What is it with Blackbirds ?
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andyn
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jon have you looked on the RSPB site?
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/b/blackbird/index.asp
They have a social behavour section on most birds.
I don't know much about birds, but it makes interesting reading netherless.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/b/blackbird/index.asp
They have a social behavour section on most birds.
I don't know much about birds, but it makes interesting reading netherless.
Cheers for that Andy. I have just had a look, it does not answer my question fully, though it would suggest territory, but from spring onwards, its winter. I cannot believe that the numbers are down by 20%, I am finding loads of them everywhere I go..........Jon
wolf
Settler
No mate...........Thats robins that sing in the night under a street light. Blackbirds are shouting away in my back garden where there is no lights............Jonwolf said:i think its to do with the street lights......
wolf
Settler
We have a robin that sometimes sings away at 3 in the morning out the front. It is nice to hear, not like the blackbirds which are annoying. I do wonder when the robin gets some kip................Jonwolf said:i knew it was one or the other,remember reading something...
Jon Pickett said:
Would this *shouting* be loud, shrill, CHIP, CHIP, CHIP, getting kind of frantic? Goes on for up to quarter of an hour?
If so, you've got cats or foxes nearby. When they're nesting the birds flyte like that when the magpies or squirrels get too close to their nests.
Cheers,
Toddy
Toddy said:
Hi Toddy..........I happens everyday around here, yes there are cats around and a few foxes, but the birds arn't nesting at the mo. It is the chip chip chip noise they are making and I did used to think they were alarmed by a cat, but it happens every morning and evening and all day long during the mating season. You say 1/4 hour, I have heard them constant for 3/4 hour and I mean constant. I am a bird lover, but Blackbirds really test my patience, esp when I want a lay in, I can't sleep with the window shut..................Jon
Jon Pickett said:
Cats are dawn and dusk hunters and they'll scare the blackies at any time of year; it came to mind because the ones at the edge of my garden were doing it this morning and there's new tom cat prowling around my tabby, he slithered under the fence and sat as bold as brass on the back path before 7 this morning and set the birds off. It is really annoying (I'm being polite
) the racket they make. It is their alarm call by the sounds of it, no idea how to help , sorry.My neighbour feels the same about one of the great tits that sits up the top of a sycamore at the edge of the gardens, it sound likes a barrow with a flat toned squeeky wheel, whistled repetitively
the d*** bird starts at 3.45 am all summer long; Billy's sworn he's buying an airgun if it starts again this year.
How about putting out bread for the birds at the opposite end of the house from where you're trying to sleep? See if you can encourage the blackies to go there, and even if they do get alarmed it's out of your earshot? ......maybe, it's gye shrill
Cheers.....with sympathy,
Toddy
It is probably my fault that there are birds there in the first place, I have got feeders everywhere, glutton for punishment I suppose. I know what your neighbor means, I have wished for a gun at times.Great tits can be noisey when looking for a mate, they make a sound a bit like a chiff chaff.............JonToddy said:Cats are dawn and dusk hunters and they'll scare the blackies at any time of year; it came to mind because the ones at the edge of my garden were doing it this morning and there's new tom cat prowling around my tabby, he slithered under the fence and sat as bold as brass on the back path before 7 this morning and set the birds off. It is really annoying (I'm being polite
My neighbour feels the same about one of the great tits that sits up the top of a sycamore at the edge of the gardens, it sound likes a barrow with a flat toned squeeky wheel, whistled repetitively
this year.
How about putting out bread for the birds at the opposite end of the house from where you're trying to sleep? See if you can encourage the blackies to go there, and even if they do get alarmed it's out of your earshot? ......maybe, it's gye shrill
Cheers.....with sympathy,
Toddy
Everywhere I've been Blackbirds do that chink-chink-chink thing at dusk.
I suspect that it's a nervousness thing as that chinking is the Blackbird's agitation call.
As darkness comes on, which is when predators are hardest to spot, I think the birds are set off by just about any disturbance and so will call constantly. Well, that's my theory anyway.
I suspect that it's a nervousness thing as that chinking is the Blackbird's agitation call.
As darkness comes on, which is when predators are hardest to spot, I think the birds are set off by just about any disturbance and so will call constantly. Well, that's my theory anyway.
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