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Hi..I was shocked to see in my garden over the past few weeks Blackbirds mating with Starlings.
I have been lucky to see the result as in my garden visit the young birds which were produced by this cross breeding . The youngsters which i dont know what to call them have the dark black looking head like a blackbird but the wings of the starling mothers !!!! It was unbelievable to actually see them mating !!! I didnt think that they mated across different breeds !!! but obviously they do....Im not sure what exactly to call the new brred that frequently visit my garden !!!!
mummalou
Hi Louise,
Have you any photos of the juveniles?
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Are you sure that they were blackbirds and starlings mating? As male starlings in summer have very few of the white spots they show in winter, and with the yellow bill that they also have in summer they can appear similar to blackbirds... I'm not trying to insult your ID skills, it's just that to my knowledge blackbirds and starlings are not particularly closely related and as a result I find it hard to imagine them interbreeding and producing young which would actually survive. But if that's definately what it is, then wow I guess.
While I believe, never say never, the mating you describe is highly unlikely if not impossible - ie unless you provide photographic evidence.
Are you sure you that the birds you describe are not jackdaws?
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
Doesnt happen.
If it did,I would send in my pet moggy - Catfish...
Blimey, that's pretty scary! LOL
Those pics are all of typical starlings.