Page 26 - NT Birds of a Feather
P. 26
Blackbird
You can see Eurasian blackbirds all year round in Europe and North-west Africa, in summer in western parts of Asia, and occasionally in parts of Australia and New Zealand. In the UK, pairs remain in their homes all year round,
but in other parts of the world they move around if the weather becomes too hot or cold. In Europe, blackbirds prefer to make their nests in woodlands, parks and gardens where they can live safely and close to food sources.
During medieval times, all adult birds were called ‘fowls’. Eventually, smaller species were called ‘birds’. The blackbird then became the first ‘black bird’ in the UK!
Although male blackbirds seem black from far away, they are actually a very dark brown. Females are a slightly lighter brown with a paler area around the throat. Adult birds often have beautiful bright yellow beaks with a yellow ring around their eyes.
