Attracting Blackbirds/Songthrushes in Garden

[bazwold075]

Hi All,

I have been in the local garden centre and found a bag of feed that is made up of dried berries/fruit and insects specifically for attracting Blackbirds/Song Thrushes.

My questions are:

1. Would you put this in a feeder - always thought these birds were ground feeders so I doubt this is the case.

2. Would starlings/sparrows be interested in this feed.

Your hope would be most appreciated.

Thanks

Barry

[Jim Ford]

For a few years we've been putting crushed digestive biscuits in a dish on a table near the open bedroom window. For about 3 years the same male blackbird has been coming in to feed - summer and winter. We know it's the same one from a few white feathers in its tail. It doesn't mind us when we get up and move around the room, getting to within a metre or so from it. It's still wary of us when in the, garden though!

Jim

[shenk1]

We always find raisins soaked in water for a few hours go down well with blackbirds.We put them on a ground feeder with sunflower hearts to keep the local population happy. There aren't many starlings around at this time of year but when they come its for suet blocks mainly or live mealworms when we can afford them (we spend a fortune on them in spring for the babies but its worth every penny!).Sparrows tend to go for seed or live food and will take it anywhere.Can't comment about thrushes as sadly only seen 3 in the seven years we have lived here. We normally feed sunflower hearts,niger seed and suet blocks plus some raisins and other mixes from time to time on ground and hanging feeders and have so far attracted 40 different species to our small back garden!

[Cazzie]

Hi Barry and welcome to WAB

Blackbirds like nothing more than currants or raisins!! I managed to get many blackbirds coming into my porch for them at my last house (and they'd even sit on the window sill peering in as if to say "oi!... where's my dinner" - specially in the spring when they had offspring to feed lol! I'd put them just inside the doorway and they knew where to find them every time and thankfully the starlings were too shy to come that close (not that I don't like starlings either, but they sure are greedy

Tbh I wouldn't bother with the 'special mixes' you can buy as I think they are a rip off for the price. Just go to yr supermarket and buy some dried fruit from the baking section, scatter a few about the lawn, scatter them nearer and nearer your house each time and you'll be rewarded

As for Thrushes eating this 'mix'... I've personally not seen a thrush eat much more than insects, berries and snails tbh!

Good luck and let us know how you're getting on ok

Cazzie

[Tringa]

Most birds seem to eat nearly anything you offer them, but blackbirds, along with being unable to leave mealworms alone, are big fruit eaters. However as said it is probably cheaper to buy the dried fruit at the supermarket.

[Caveman52]

Originally Posted by Tringa

Most birds seem to eat nearly anything you offer them, but blackbirds, along with being unable to leave mealworms alone, are big fruit eaters. However as said it is probably cheaper to buy the dried fruit at the supermarket.

Confer with above... dried mealworms are first choice here (but they don't get THAT spoilt).... a few every day.... BUT

second choice is Porridge oats. Seriously and dead cheap... about 70p for 500g bag... all the birds enjoy too, so goes on all the feeders ever day (often twice a day).

Dried raisens/sultanas, I soak for bit before putting out (and often chop first), of course old apples and apple cores, when I've finished prove popular.
Cheers
c