Turdus merula

Other Names: Eurasian Blackbird, English Blackbird

Introduced From: Europe

Size: Birds Size: 25 cm

Family: Muscicapidae, Subfamily Turdinae (True Thrushes, 4 species in Australia)

Distribution: All VIC and TAS, most of NSW, small parts of SE SA.

Status: Common to locally common

Habitat: Varied (lots), including suburban gardens

References: Simpson and Day, Reader's Digest

About the Common Blackbird

They are very shy and will fly away at the slightest provacation. They make noises that sound like a cross between "ping ping ping" and "chip chip chip", often the first birds I hear when I wake up early (like 5-6 am). The male also has a song, which I think sounds a bit like R2-D2 from Star Wars. He will sit at the top of a tall tree or TV antenna and sing for hours in spring.

These are the kind of blackbirds you might "bake in a pie", like in the nursery rhyme.

Photo: Blaxland, Blue Mountains NSW.

See Also

Australian Mammals
Australian Reptiles
Australian Frogs
Australian Fish
Australian Spiders and Their Faces
Australian Wild Plant Foods

Return to Australian Birds