Blackbird (Common Blackbird)
Turdus merula
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Distribution Britain 2,664 (-1.9%) Ireland 976 (-0.8%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 4,400,000 Ireland 1,800,000 European status: 43,000,000 (14% in Britain and Ireland =2) British population trend: decline possibly stabilising? (-33% CBC){-29%} How likely are you to record it? 3949 squares (87.9%) Ranked 3 [2] |
This very common bird spread from its woodland and woodland edge habitat to breed in gardens in towns and cities and extensively through farmland. By the end of the 18th century it had also expanded into the northernmost parts of Scotland, to the Western Isles and Orkney — and throughout Ireland. It may seem incredible that this is a bird causing concern because of reduction in numbers. However the data from the CBC shows a quick recovery from the effects of the cold winter of 1962/63 and then rather steady populations for 15 years. However the 25-year change from all CBC sites is a reduction of 33% (1972-96) — easily enough to set the alarm bells ringing. A careful and detailed analysis of the CBC data for individual plots can tease no causative relationship between loss of Blackbirds and the increase in Magpies and Sparrowhawks. Detailed investigation of survival rates of ringed birds shows that these are low when the population is declining but much more work needs to be done to find out how this decline is driven. Perhaps the decline is over, since the BBS does not show a significant change, but do not count on it!
The following Bird On! sketch is available:
Blackbird
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead