The Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and widespread birds in Europe. Whether in the city or the countryside, it's rare to go a day without spotting these birds hopping on a lawn or hearing their fluting, melancholic song at dawn or dusk. This common bird, however, has a fascinating social life and behaviors worth discovering.
One of the most frequent questions is how to tell the difference between a male and a female. In the Common Blackbird, sexual dimorphism is very pronounced, making identification quite simple once you know the criteria.
The male Common Blackbird is unmistakable: its plumage is a uniform, deep jet-black. The contrast is striking with its bright yellow-orange beak and the eye-ring of the same color, which gives it a piercing gaze.
The female blackbird is much more discreet. Her plumage is a dark brown hue, often paler and spotted on the breast and belly. Her throat is generally lighter, sometimes streaked. Her beak is brownish or horn-colored, lacking the brightness of the male's. Young blackbirds closely resemble the female, but their plumage is a warmer, rusty color and more distinctly spotted, giving them a scaly appearance.
By the Les-Oiseaux.com team, published on July 20, 2025
My tip: The Common Blackbird is so familiar that we often stop truly hearing it. My advice is simple: relearn how to listen. Instead of letting its song blend into the background noise, give it a moment of exclusive attention.
On a spring morning, just before sunrise, open your window and close your eyes. Focus on that fluting, melancholic song coming from a rooftop or a tall tree. Try to pick out the different, rich, and improvised phrases that are never quite the same. This isn't just a sound; it's a declaration: "this territory is mine, and I'm ready to impress." Comparing this melody to its sharp, metallic alarm calls when the neighbor's cat approaches reveals the full communication range of this exceptional bird. It's the best way to turn an everyday bird into a daily spectacle.
The song of the Common Blackbird is one of the most beautiful and familiar sounds in our gardens. Complex, fluting, and melodious, it is delivered from a high perch (rooftop, tree, antenna), mainly at dawn and dusk during the breeding season. It is a territorial song intended to attract a mate and ward off rivals.
Listen here to the rich and varied song of the blackbird:
Besides its song, the blackbird produces a variety of calls. The best known is an explosive and repetitive alarm call, a kind of loud "tchink-tchink-tchink" or a shrill "tac-tac-tac" when a predator (like a cat) is spotted. This blackbird call alerts all other birds in the vicinity.
For a more detailed analysis of its vocalizations, visit our dedicated page on the blackbird's song.
The Common Blackbird is an incredibly adaptable bird. Originally a woodland bird, it has brilliantly colonized human-modified environments. It is now found in abundance in urban parks, suburban gardens, farmland, hedges, and woods. This adaptability explains its very wide distribution, covering almost all of Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa.
The map below illustrates the vast range of the Common Blackbird, showing its year-round (resident), summer breeding, and wintering areas.
The blackbird is an omnivore with seasonal preferences. In spring and summer, it feeds mainly on invertebrates. It is often seen running and then stopping abruptly on lawns, head tilted, to locate earthworms, which it skillfully extracts. It also consumes insects, spiders, and caterpillars. In autumn and winter, its diet becomes largely frugivorous, turning to berries (ivy, rowan, yew) and fallen fruits like apples.
The blackbird's nest is a sturdy cup built by the female from twigs, grass, and moss, all cemented together with mud. It is usually placed at a low to medium height in a dense bush, a thick tree, or a climbing plant. The female lays 4 to 6 blue-green eggs spotted with reddish-brown. Incubation lasts about two weeks, and both parents participate in feeding the young, who leave the nest after 14 days. They can have up to three broods a year.
Seeing a blackbird in your garden often has a positive meaning in many cultures. As one of the first birds to sing at dawn and one of the last at dusk, it is seen as a guardian, a messenger between the worlds of shadow and light. Its powerful song at the start of spring is a symbol of hope, renewal, and the end of winter. Its presence is often interpreted as a sign of joy, protection, and good news to come for the household.
The Common Blackbird is listed as "Least Concern" (LC) by the IUCN. It is a common species with generally stable populations. To help them, simply maintain a welcoming garden: avoid pesticides, leave piles of dead leaves on the ground (rich in invertebrates), plant berry-producing shrubs, and provide a water source.