Baby Blackbirds Still In Garden

[dixie10]

We have blackbirds nest every year in one of our conifers and normally the babies fledge without us seeing too much of them. This year we noticed that we had two babies in the garden (over a week ago) and ever since then they have stayed in our garden. The parents are very attentive, with usually one of them being in one of our trees or in a bush. The babies are less fluffy than they were, have grown tail feathers, can actually fly (we have seen them flying onto the birdbath, into small shrubs and at night roosting with their parents 9 feet up a plum tree) they can also feed themselves, as they've been looking for grubs and also eat the mealworms we put out, but at the same time are still pestering the parents and are being red. We are lucky that our area has lost two cats since last years breeding season, as I don't think these fledglings would have been able to literally, hop around our garden (we find them in the strangest places!) in such safety. They also have no fear of us either, but know to dodge the squirrel (who we were originally concerned about being interested in them, but peanuts are more tempting).

Is this normal behaviour? When do baby blackbirds usually leave their parents to fend for themselves?

[LRM]

I've seen well feathered 'baby' blackbirds still being fed by their parents whist sitting in the middle of the seed dish. But the female will probably soon be sitting on another clutch of eggs and as soon as they hatch, they will be busy with them. If there is enough food then the young will probably stay around for awhile. And of course come winter loads of blackbirds pile into the garden.

If you didn't see them around previous years, the cats or sparrowhawk may have got them.

A couple of years ago 2 female young had fledged and the female must have laid a second clutch before she flew into the window and was killed, because the male was run ragged flying off with food into the bushes on his own. And I saw the 2 young birds bullying their father off the dish. He must have been too exhausted to chase them off. Unfortunatley I never saw any more young fledge.

The following year there were 2 pairs of blackbirds, who seemed to be co-existing OK. I may well be wrong, but I like to think they were the 2 females of the previous year.

I know the female who was killed had been around for a couple of years as she was quite 'tame' and followed me for food.

I've heard that Robins do chase off their young, but I don't know how soon. They seem to be around until they've got their red chests.

Our present pair of blackbirds are busy collecting worms and I'm sacrificing my worms to them by moving planters and turning over stones etc.

I saw them collecting food several weeks ago and going into the privet bush, then it all went quiet. then last week they started collecting food again and I can hear the young squeaking. So something must have happened to the first brood. Either in the nest or after they fledged, I didn't see any.

Unfortunately, another 5 cats as well as the previous 3 have discovered our oasis of a garden amongst the tarmac and concrete, and 2 seem to have taken up residence. The black tom chases out the other cats - good - but he chases the birds as well.

A squirrel has also recently moved in.

[dixie10]

Yes, we thought we saw the female collecting twigs a few days ago, but there has been no sign of any more collecting or nest building and both parents have still been around the babies as much as ever.

I would like to think as the garden is perfect for birds with plenty of trees and bushes for cover, and not the mention the food, that they are staying put because of that and not for any other reason such as ill health etc. They have been getting more independant in regards moving around the garden and feeding themselves and are more active than they used to be.

Usually it is the collared doves that get eaten by the sparrowhawk (can't blame them when we can have 16+ at any one time in the garden) so I'm hoping these two will survive to adulthood.

[moleydee]

my pair of blackbirds have just started on their third brood!!
they r both looking a bit scruffy hard work all that feeding
the first lot i think only one of three survived
second lot again one of three
one ended up dead in pond
i have spent last 4 wks shooing off magpies crows and cats
being a blackbird sentinal is hard work
but very rewarding
saved from mouths of cats and beaks of magpies on several occasions
roll on the end of the season its exhausting
xx dee

[Pipa]

the parents (mainly the male if the female is off making another nest or sitting on more eggs) will continue to feed them for a good couple of weeks after they leave the nest..