Blackbirds

[phylisbide]

When blackbirds are born, is it obvious which are male and which are female -( ie, yellow beak, black feathers) or do these characteristics develop later? I recently hand fed a fledgling which fell out of the nest - but not sure if it is now visiting the garden. Any ideas? Phylis

[odile]

Sorry - I do not know the answer. But blackbirds singing at dawn is the ONE thing I miss since we moved here to the Jura. Our UK garden was full of blackbirds and thrushes - and waking up to their song was wonderful. Enjoy.

[baypond]

Talking of thrushes, these are Mistle Thrush chicks about one week old, taken this week in a palm tree in our garden in the Gers. I hope this works as it is the first time I have posted a picture .

[IMG]http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz259/baypond/mistlethrush.jpg[/IMG]

[chris pp]

There is no discernible difference Phylis between the sexes of very young blackbirds, AFAIK it's only when they moult their brown mottled feathers that they take on the adult differences.

Chris

 

[phylisbide]

Thank you, Chris. Some weeks ago I found a lost and very tired fledgling blackbird on the path and it was so exhausted it had lost the power to call for parental help - I spent the whole day giving it water and looking for worms - difficult in the dry spell we had at the time. By the end of the day it recovered enough to call for its parents and they returned to feed it. I then 'helped' feed it for several days - cut up raisins and worms - very special. There are now three blackbirds in our little garden and the younger scruffy one is seemingly quite tame - not afraid of me being close by. Lovely. PB