I am obsessive about blackbirds and this year had 3 broods, which all seem to have stayed in and around my garden. I have continued to feed regularly, but they are now fighting quite a lot and aggresively chasing each other and other birds, some have hit the windows! I have about 12 blackbirds who hang around waiting and I am worried what will happen in spring if they are fighting now! Should I gradually reduce feeding or are they now reliant on me? I love seeing them all but the aggression is worrying me. Have I done the wrong thing feeding all the young as they have all stayed and not found their own areas? Any help would be appreciated.
SharomC-532715954 said:Some of the birds are black with black beaks, would they be the migrant birds?
It's a bit of a myth about blackbirds with black beaks are migrant birds; I think, although I'm certainly not an expert, that they are more likely first year birds that have black beaks.
In nature some birds will fight as part of territorial behaviour, sometimes over food (or maybe over a prospective mate during breeding season) and serious injury or death can occur in rarer instances but most cases one will back down. I wouldn't think it necessary to withdraw food especially over the colder months and when natural food is less available as, in my humble opinion, the benefit of feeding outweighs the chances of injury to a bird.