Male blackbird chattering ....

[Leighsa]

We have a male blackbird in the garden and over the past few days we have noticed him chattering a lot. This often means he is alarmed and he does quite a bit of flapping of his wings (warning call). I've been looking around the garden, but can't see anything wrong - he actually does this outside the entrance of his nest. Can anyone advise on this? When he catches my eye he immediatey goes to the feeding area and eats a few bits of the stuff I've put out - and looks at me again before going back to his post. And then disappears in his nest. This has happened several times, the same pattern and procedure, can anyone advise on this? Thanks.

(Today I saw his mate follow into the nest a few moments after - was he just calling for her?)

[shei111]

Hello Leighsa Hes probaly seen a magpie about, if a magpie gets too close to his nesting site he starts making a noise and also ive seen blackbirds chase off magpies too. I watched this over a nesting period 2 years ago at my house before we moved here. sheila

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Leighsa

We have a male blackbird in the garden and over the past few days we have noticed him chattering a lot. This often means he is alarmed and he does quite a bit of flapping of his wings (warning call). I've been looking around the garden, but can't see anything wrong - he actually does this outside the entrance of his nest. Can anyone advise on this? When he catches my eye he immediatey goes to the feeding area and eats a few bits of the stuff I've put out - and looks at me again before going back to his post. And then disappears in his nest. This has happened several times, the same pattern and procedure, can anyone advise on this? Thanks.

(Today I saw his mate follow into the nest a few moments after - was he just calling for her?)

As Shei111 suggest the blackbird may well have seen a threat that you were not aware of. However this behaviour is very common when one or other of the adults are approaching the nest tree and I wonder whether it may be a 'distraction technique' aimed at a potential, rather than an actual predator.

The chattering of course is also used as a challenge to any other pair of blackbirds which dare encroach on the breeding territory and there are lots of squabbles over feeding rights at this time. Worm rich lawns are at a premium.

CM

[witham]

The Blackbird could even see you as a threat despite being a regular visitor to your garden, they are very protective of their nests and you often read of nests being abandoned when people get a bit too inquisitive and want to have a look, the birds in our garden usually ignore us up to a point and will use the feeders etc when we're about, but this time of the year as I walk across the garden there's almost a Mexican wave of alarm calls comming from assorted nesting birds

[Leighsa]

Amazing !