Blackbirds acting like drama queens for no reason (1 Viewer)

[NZbirds1]

I have some blackbirds (Turdus Merula) around me and they will often land somewhere and start there alarm call over nothing and I don't get what it is that makes them do it. We have hawks here, but I rarely ever see them and when I've gone outside to see the blackbirds being dramatic I haven't noticed them. We also have some plovers, masked lapwings but they don't bother the blackbirds, so what on earth is it that is making these silly birds go off for no reason? I personally think they're just drama queens.

P.S. I was in my caravan before and one of them started up for no reason.

 

[delia todd]

Hi NZbirds and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. In my experience (I live in a country town), the Blackbirds start up when their young have just fledged and are a rather vulnerable. They're probably hiding under bushes. The main reason for it here is when a cat is around.

So they are probably alarming due to any perceived threat in your area. I don't know what you have that would predate on young birds; are there cats around? Maybe snakes?

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[NZbirds1]

We have no snakes in NZ as it's too cold for them and we may have a cat around here where the neighbours are but I've never ever seen it come in here as they live too far for it to go wandering out of it's comfort zone despite them being only 187m (metres) away. There's no ground predators in NZ but we have lots of birdlife and because it's the males normally doing it, they could be being territorial. But it does look quite funny when they do it as sometimes their wings and tail feathers will start flicking up and down and then next minute they'll be bouncing along the fence.

 

[Wildmoreway]

Whilst sitting a bench having a butty in a local park I have had blackbirds land in front of me and utter alarm like calls .. it quickly became evident that they were begging for a share of my sandwich. I have also observed robins doing the same.

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum.

 

[jogresh]

Were they doing it at dusk? They do it when vying for the best roosting sites. It's one of my favourite autumn/early winter sounds, the "chink chink chink" as they posture and pose next to a nice thick shrub.
I was watching some at Rostherne Mere next to a dense Holly bush, it was fascinating. The females seemed to be bottom of the pecking order! 🐦