Blackbird query

LWBLA · #1 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 09:54 AM

Does anyone know how tall/high a fully grown male blackbird is please? We want to provide a bird table suitable for blackbirds. We know they are ground feeders, but need to find an alternative as we get rats. We're trying a table too high for a rat to get onto and want to try to cover it to stop the food getting ruined by rain/snow. The height of the blackbird is critical to get the cover height right! I can find length, wing span and weight info, but nothing about height.

Yours hopefully
Bev

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 01:18 PM

Rats are excellent climbers, so the height of a table won't deter them.

LWBLA · #3 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 03:07 PM

We've managed to keep rats off our existing table by using a chrome pole and a baffle. It's kept the squirrels off too. I like squirrels, but they eat so much; we can't afford to keep buying bird food for them. The new - hopefully blackbird friendly - table has a smooth plastic pole so we're hoping it will prevent the rats climbing up. It's been up for a week and no rats yet; no blackbirds either unfortunately, I think because the cover is too low for the blackbirds to feel they can fly in and out quickly. That's why I asked about blackbird height.

solus · #4 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 04:12 PM

The length of a bird is generally measured from bill tip to tail tip so that should give you an idea of height, but it might simply be the roof - of any height - they don't like too much. Incidentally, a smooth pole didn't deter either squirrels or rats from climbing our feeders but vaseline on the pole did!

LWBLA · #5 (**permalink**) 31-01-2010, 01:56 PM

I can't tell you the height of a blackbird, but I can tell you that the revision to the height of the cover made a positive difference and we now have blackbirds feeding! Excellent result, made doubly better by no sightings of rats!

bigdave60dog · #6 (**permalink**) 31-01-2010, 02:45 PM

The BBs in my garden are around 4 or 5 inches high. I`m not sure if they like to go in low places though. Mine seem to stay in places that they can fly out of rapidly. Use a clothes pole as support. Grease it if you feel so inclined. Rats can only climb surface when they can either get a grip with their claws or wedge their little bodies eg. a corner.