I've just moved into my new house and there are lots of robins, tits, nuthatches, wrens and chaffinches here but my beloved blackbirds have taken over the entire garden! Much as I love them it's Blackbird Central here and I have no idea how to combat their enthusiasm since they're taking over the bird table, feeders, ground feeder and everything! They can get everywhere and take over. I've got around a dozen who spend all day fighting each other over the food that the other birds are no longer getting access to. I thought maybe they need more food, but the more I put out the more come and eat it all. I've only been doing this for a couple of weeks, but I'm definitely sure I'm putting enough food out (unless I'm supposed to feed the entire neighbourhood) since I've got through about twenty quid's worth of food in a fortnight. I'm assuming I can't overfeed from what I've read on the site so far. Please help!
Hi and welcome to the forums :-)
You say you have just moved house - does this mean you have also just put up the bird feeding stations? If so, it could just be that your other birds haven't discovered them yet while the blackbirds, being bold opportunists, are not so shy. Could also be that the other birds may be coming at other times once the blackbirds' feeding frenzy has abated.
Make the boy interested in natural history if you can; it is better than games [Robert Falcon Scott]
Hi there
I have lots of blackbirds in my garden too and they are as greedy as yours! The way I've found round it is to put food in different places - I have a main bird table but also put seeds and scraps on various ledges and bins around the garden. That way some of the little birds get a look in too. Also, if you have hedges in the garden that little birds can hide in, try putting the food under them. And to save money, put out household scraps instead - there's lots of advice on here on what to give them. My birds loved the sultanas my mum put out for them today - they even got distracted for long enough to stop fighting! Hope that helps :)
Scattering food in different locations is indeed a good idea! as it will divert the more dominant birds from focal points such as bird tables. As mentioned sultanaas and raisins are great! as are halved grapes and chopped apple also suet nibbles sprinkled in undergrowth will be appealing. although large gatherings do occur at good feeding sites there generally isn't much social intereaction between blackbirds other than the odd scuffle over food!
Hi and welcome to the RSPB Forum
I have to say I have never had problems with Blackbirds at all
To me they spend more of their time posing and hoping about than eating.
Even though there are a good number of Blackbirds, they tend not to be dominant of the feeders at all
To me I would that one bird in dominant here it is the Starlings.
Nothing less friendly then a Starling taking a sharp peck at other birds to remove them from the food area.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
When I open my back door in the mornings, I usually have around 7 or 8 blackbirds waiting to be fed! This morning, there were over 30!!! This weather is bringing the 'rural flocks' into our gardens!! Fortunately I'd popped back to Tescos last night and bought several bags of pears and apples that were being sold off!
Oh, and welcome Aristophanes! ;-)
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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Hi Aristophanes, and welcome from me.
I don't have a blackbird problem. Mine hop about on the ground and keep away from the feeders and tables. They have their own piles of food in different places in the garden, and do chase off the odd bird who dares go near, but nothing serious. I even have them sharing a pile of food with other birds on occasions. However, I never get the sort of numbers everyone on here is talking about.
My starlings are the dominant ones.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Dear All,
Thanks for the advice and welcomes!
I'm already doing most of what you're suggesting - placing food in different sites etc. There just seem to be so many blackbirds, hanging around eating all day, all over the garden, since each establishes his/her own entire quadrant and chases the others off, that the other birds do supersonic diverts to the tree, after nosediving for the feeders or bird table. The tits are on flyovers and the robins look like little harrier jump jets! I've bought another feeder, a hanging fisherman's lantern thing, with a small tray dish so the robins etc can land but the blackbirds and Walter the pigeon won't risk it. That seems to be giving them a new alternative. The birds all know about this new restaurant so that's not the issue. (I'm new to this and maybe it's just luck but I had visitors ten minutes after the feeders and table went out and they haven't stopped coming yet - all species. Only my song thrush won't eat here.) I think it's just a heavily populated Blackbird garden and I'll have to put scraps and different types of smaller feeders around. I plan to work on making the garden more wildlife friendly anyway with shrubs, trees etc. Thanks for all the helpful advice people. Nice to meet/hear from you all. I shall be bugging the forum with "Identify this for me..!" requests I'm sure...
Hi Aristophanes and welcome to the forum :o)
You certainly seem to have one busy garden! Lots of species too - fantastic!
I'm in agreement with everyone else, if you scatter the food in several locations the other birds should have a better chance.
In my garden the biggest challenge is putting food out that the Starlings won't get to first :o)
Yesterday I posted to this thread saying I don't have a problem with blackbirds. I spoke too soon.
I still only have a couple, possibly 4, although rarely at the same time. However, yesterday I had a song thrush for the very first time and he has been good enough to return today. BUT, one of the blackbirds will not let him feed, and I have food in every nook and cranny of the garden, back and front. There is plenty to go round. I have been watching on and off all day, and I am sure this blackbird is doing nothing but watching the thrush and waiting for him to land, then he attacks. After the thrush has been vanquished, he has a go at the smaller birds, sparrows, dunnocks, robins and even the starlings, in fact anything on the ground. He has never bothered before, other than with Mrs. Blackbird on occasions.
Meanwhile, the thrush is all fluffed up and sitting in the tree, probably hoping the blackbird will drop dead.
Postscript to the above.
Within 5 minutes of submitting the above post, the thrush tried again. Down came Mr Blackbird and had another go. BUT, this time, the thrush faced him and had a go back. I was expecting to see feathers fly, but no!!! To my surprise, Mr Blackbird turned his back on the thrush, fluffed himself up, and did nothing. The thrush had a good feed, moving about the ground at will, and all the time Mr Blackbird stayed put, always with his back to the thrush, and didn't move an inch. After maybe 6 or 7 minutes the Blackbird turned and started to eat off the ground within a yard of the thrush, who was still eating. Eventually, Mr Blackbird scarpered.
It seems the blackbird isn't really confrontational - just bad mannered and basically a coward!