cannibal blackbirds

[poppie]

We have lots of blackbirds in our garden - we had 4 pairs who all had young over the summer.

They've had a good autumn, as we have plenty of apple trees, bushes and trees with berries not to mention lots of wild berries etc.

The other day I notices one of them with an injured wing - I wasn't sure if it was broken or just injured, and although it couldn't fly was very lively.

I've been putting lots of food out for the birds and scattering round different places, but whenever this bird went to feed it was getting attacked by other blackbirds. I know they are always fighting among themselves but was surprised by the ferocity of the attacks.

Hoping it might be an injury that would improve I tried to make sure the blackbird got food, and as said before apart from the wing seemed in good health.

Anyway I opened the kitchen door this afternoon to see it lying dead on the doorsteps with another blackbird attacking it - not content with that it was eating the dead bird.

Must admit it came as a bit of a shock to me as I didn't realise they were this aggresive.

[rossy]

think what you have witnessed is a case of only the strongest , fittest will survive, im afraid , looks like it was only going to be a matter of time, that it succumbed to the weather, or a predator, its also possible that it was already dead , and the other blackbird was just eating it , sad but thats the way nature works, and yes blackbirds are very terrortorial, rossy.

[Harold Smith]

Hallo Poppie,

Welcome to WAB.

Yes! Blackbirds can be very aggressive to each. They are very territorial. It is not unknown for them to fight to the death. They will certainly attack a sick or injured bird which is competing for food, especially at this time. I can't say I have ever heard of Blackbirds eating carrion though.

Harold.

[Littlesparrow]

I haven't seen blackbirds do this, but chickens will pick at another dead chicken or dead rat.

[free spirit]

I think it mentioned on Autumn watch a couple of weeks ago, that most of our birds migrate to warmer climates. So the birds of Norway, Lapland and the arctic areas fly to the UK because it is milder. If this is right then what we have in our gardens are different to what we had in spring. Most animals will become canibalistic, it depends on the circumstances; even humans have tasted their kind in history. ooer! you look nice! and quite tasty.
free spirit.



Dont knock it until you have tried it.

[poppie]

Thanks for your replies - I thought it would probably only be a matter of time until a predator got it, as we have pinemartins, cats etc about, not to mention a buzzard who's around the garden at the moment, I just didn't expect it to be another blackbird.

As you say, survival of the fittest, especially with the weather conditons at the moment, but it's always sad when one dies.

[John B (NTS)]

Protein is protein when you're cold and hungry. Not much gets wasted in nature.....