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What you should know about the Common Blackbird:

• It is an introduced species.
• It is a pest in southern states and is spreading north.
• It has infiltrated South East Queensland but locations and numbers are unknown.
• It has been recorded in the Toowoomba area since 1999 and is breeding there.
• It has been recorded in the Stanthorpe area in recent years.
• Males are black and have a distinctive orange to yellow bill and eye-ring.
• Females are greyish-brown and have a dull yellow-brown bill.
• It is aggressive towards other birds.
• It can colonise many types of habitat.
• It is a pest in orchards, vineyards and market gardens.
• It forages mostly on the ground—probing and raking in litter, soil and lawns.
• It should not to be confused with the Common Starling — another introduced pest.

              Male Common Blackbird

DESCRIPTION

The introduced Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) is approximately 25 centimetres from head to tail and most obvious during spring and summer when the breeding males sing from vantage points.

The male is black with a bright orange to yellow bill and eye-ring. The female has dark grey-brown upper parts and mottled, light grey-brown underparts, a paler chin and dull brownish-yellow bill. Juveniles are similar to females, with lighter underparts and streaked crown.

Blackbirds are superficially similar to the Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). In summer, adult starlings have iridescent black plumage and yellow bills. In winter, they have black bills, and whitish feather tips giving them a finely spotted appearance. By comparison, blackbirds are 4–5 cm longer, males have yellow eye-rings and a duller, uniformly black plumage all year round.

Blackbirds have a high, fine ‘tseee’ contact call, a distinctive song, and a harsh, almost screeching chatter of alarm when in flight.

Another distinctive characteristic is that blackbirds move in jerky hops over the ground rather than walking.

THE PROBLEM

Blackbirds are considered pests because they damage a variety of soft fruits including figs, grapes, olives, berries and stone fruit. If fruit is available, they will consume it throughout the year. Blackbirds have also been implicated in the spread of weed species including blackberry. They are aggressive and compete with native species.

Blackbirds have infiltrated South East Queensland with breeding reported in Toowoomba and Highfields. Through a community effort, we have the opportunity to prevent this species becoming an established pest in Queensland.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If you think you have seen blackbirds in Toowoomba, Highfields or anywhere else in South East Queensland, please contact the ‘blackbird hotline’ on 4699 4365 or 4633 0553. Alternatively, you can enter details with our Blackbird Report Form. If possible, please take a photograph to assist with confirmation.

RELATED LINKS

www.birdsinbackyards.net

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbird

DECLARATION DETAILS

Blackbirds are prohibited wildlife under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and cannot be legally kept in Queensland.

Blackbirds are not declared under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 and therefore there is no legal obligation on landholders to control them.