When Do Blackbirds Nest + Baby Blackbird Arrival Time

When Do Blackbirds Nest?

Eurasian Blackbirds are a familiar sight for many. The males are distinctive with their dark bodies, yellow bills, and yellow eye rings. Females are subtle with their drab bodies that provide good camouflage during the breeding season. Those interested in having blackbirds nest in their yards may be curious about when they might begin to expect blackbirds nesting. So, when do blackbirds nest?

Well, blackbirds may nest as early as mid-March in some parts of the United Kingdom and Europe. However, some migratory blackbirds may not construct a nest until mid-May. Once a nest is created, birds may continue nesting until September in some cases.

Although blackbirds have been introduced to a host of non-native environments, they are not nearly as bad as species like the House Sparrow. Blackbirds in Australia and New Zealand have adapted to nest from August to February, corresponding with spring and summer in the southern hemisphere.

Now we now know the answer to the question, “When do blackbirds nest?” so now let’s talk about where blackbird nests are built. 

Where Do Blackbirds Nest?

Blackbirds are rather ubiquitous in many parts of the world, but where do blackbirds nest? Well, blackbirds are no strangers to nesting among people. In fact, much like tit birds, these birds commonly situate their nests on various nooks and crannies of human-made structures. When they’re not nesting on buildings, they frequently place nests in trees and shrubs. Dense hedges are particularly alluring places for male and female blackbirds to build their nests.

Breeding territories may be located in towns, villages, parks, orchards, cemeteries, and riparian corridors. Blackbirds are better adapted to living near human settlements compared to most other birds.

How Do Blackbirds Build Nests?

Typical blackbird nesting behaviour dictates that a simple, cup-shaped nest made of dry grasses and twigs is built. The nest is reinforced with mud to hold all of the components together, so although the architecture may not wow too many people, the nest is structurally sound for these UK small birds.

How Long Do Blackbirds Nest For?

The blackbird breeding season commences when a male and female have paired up and mated. Nest construction will commence shortly after. It may take blackbirds more than a week to evaluate potential nest sites and construct a nest. Blackbird parents will then begin to incubate their eggs once the nest is made. So, how long do blackbirds nest for once the nest is constructed? In other words, how long do blackbirds sit on their eggs?

Blackbird parents will incubate their eggs for about 20 days before the young begin hatching. However, the blackbird nesting season as a whole can then last for the next several months depending on how many broods they produce. 

Another curiosity about blackbird nesting behaviour involves a blackbird’s tendency to stay put on its nest. Do blackbirds sit on their eggs all the time? 

Blackbirds rarely leave their eggs unattended during the nesting season, as predators like squirrels or other birds could quickly gobble up the unattended eggs. Therefore, females are almost constantly sitting on the eggs, as males do not help with incubation. 

Now that we have a better idea of how long blackbirds may nest, let’s discuss the question, “How many eggs does a blackbird lay?”.

How Many Eggs Do Blackbirds Lay?

We’ve now discussed about how long it takes for blackbird eggs to hatch, so we can now move on to focus on the reproductive abilities of blackbirds. The question, “How many eggs do blackbirds lay?” is not quite specific enough. So, let’s instead investigate the number of broods that blackbirds can produce – how many broods do blackbirds have?

Eurasian Blackbirds have impressive reproductive potential, as they are capable of producing as many as three broods annually. To fully comprehend the reproductive capacity of blackbirds, we have to discuss their egg-laying abilities. So, how many eggs do blackbirds lay in a clutch? Moreover, how many eggs does a blackbird lay in a typical blackbird nesting season?

The number of eggs that female blackbirds lay depends on their age, food availability, and the quality of the habitat in which their nest is located. Additionally, blackbirds may lay additional eggs if they face predation pressures from crows, jays, and mammals.

Generally, blackbirds lay 2 to 6 eggs per brood, with 3 or 4 being common. Eggs will be laid after a pair has copulated. Females will wait to lay a second brood of eggs until young from her first brood have fledged. You may ask, “How long do blackbirds sit on their eggs?”. Well, this time can vary a bit, with some eggs being incubated for as little as 10 days and others being incubated for nearly twice as long.

When Do Baby Blackbirds Leave The Nest?

Those who realize that they’re hosting blackbird babies may want to know how long they will be able to enjoy these precious babies before they fledge. So, when do blackbirds fledge? In other words, when do blackbirds leave the nest?

Baby Eurasian Blackbirds don’t spend very long in their nests once they’ve hatched from their eggs. Male and female blackbirds deliver dozens of meals to their young throughout the day, helping them to quickly grow. Therefore, baby blackbirds leaving the nest typically takes place after about two weeks.

The weeks immediately after leaving the nest are the time in a blackbird’s life in which they are most vulnerable, as they are happily taken by sparrowhawks and other predators during this clumsy time. 

Do Blackbirds Use Birdhouses?

Those who hope to attract blackbirds to their yards may be curious to know if they would build nests in birdhouses. Though this would be convenient, nesting in birdhouses would be shocking blackbird nesting behaviour. Remember, these thrushes like to build nests in trees, shrubs, or along human-made structures.

Therefore, do not expect an Eurasian Blackbird to take up residence in a birdhouse if you put one on your property.

Do Blackbirds Mate For Life?

You may wonder if the blackbird pair that returns to your yard every year consists of the same birds. Do blackbirds mate for life?

Blackbirds may indeed mate for life, but this is not always the case. As is the case with other thrushes, blackbirds tend to have short lifespans, this often prevents a pair from mating for multiple years. However, if both birds survive until the following breeding season, studies have found that the majority of pairs will rekindle their bond.