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I've noticed in the past with the Blackbirds round here and also recently with the ones visiting the garden that they're not quite the typical 'textbook' looking Blackbird.
Some of the males seem to have black or very dark beaks instead of the usual yellow, so I'm just wondering if this is fairly unusual or are they birds from Europe etc?
Hi Paul
The reason why you are seeing male Blackbirds with dark beaks is that they are still juveniles, and as far as I know take a couple of years to mature {unless someone knows better}
There is no physical differences between any of the blackbird species as far as I know, no matter if they are UK birds or not.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Unknown said: I've noticed in the past with the Blackbirds round here and also recently with the ones visiting the garden that they're not quite the typical 'textbook' looking Blackbird. Some of the males seem to have black or very dark beaks instead of the usual yellow, so I'm just wondering if this is fairly unusual or are they birds from Europe etc?
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/blackbird/feathers.aspx it can be quite confusing sometimes but from your descriptiojn id imagine that they're first year males!
hi Lloyd
Interesting link about the Blackbirds and their differing feather shading.
Thought the darker shading/non-adult colouration with Blackbird Males and Females meant that they where still youngsters {smile}
Slightly off topic: We had one male Blackbird in our last garden that had broad white lines through his feathers.
So like the picture on the link you gave,
Shocked to see how white Blackbirds go {eek}
Thank you for your response Blackbird and Lloyd :o)
Your answers have actually confirmed what I originally thought anyway.
In fact it was only when I a keen (slightly obsessed if I'm honest) friend of my dad's came to check out my feeders (he gets jealous, lol) and he was telling me different. I argued it but after that I did have to check to see who was right!
Black beaks, yellow beaks...it doesn't matter they still hoover up my sultanas in no time! :o)
I took a photo (with my new lens I must add, lol!) of one of our Blackbirds with the black beaks :o)