We have woodland behind the top of our garden and always have loads of birds visiting the garden. We always have a resident pair of robins and dunnocks as well as a range of tit’s, blue tits, great tits, coal tits and long tailed tits. We have many other birds but we also have a lot of blackbirds.
Like robins, blackbirds, are territorial and at the moment we appear to have a couple of males and four females which is rather a lot for one garden. For months now the females have been chasing each other around the garden. They chase each other over the cabin roof, the chicken run roof, the top of the fence and all around the garden.
We have seen them go into our bay tree with twigs and a nest has been built in there. After this I saw something that I hadn’t seen before. I think up until now the battle was to gain the territory but now the battle is probably to keep the territory now that a nest has been built. The level of aggression has been raised.
I was in the chicken run a few days ago when I heard a commotion. Two female blackbirds were on the patio area outside the chicken run and there was a brutal battle going on. It reminded me a bit of chicken behaviour. One female had another female pinned down beneath her and was pecking at the back of her head while the other flapped and struggled. Eventually the one being held down struggled free and flew off with the other in hot pursuit.
Yesterday the same thing happened again on the patio area outside our cabin. The battle looked brutal and was prolonged. I went indoors for my camera and took some photos. They were so engrossed that I was able to get close without them taking any notice of me. It looked brutal but I am guessing it probably looked worse than it was.
When my girls fight I break them up but as blackbirds are wild birds I felt it best to leave them to sort it out and once again the one being attacked flew off unharmed with the attacker in pursuit.
Female blackbirds having a battle
Battling blackbirds
The photos are blurred due to vast amount of movement but you can get the gist. They moved all the way around the flower pot joined together.
Nest box in the bay tree
Nest in the bay tree
I think the wooden nest box may have been filled by the robins and the nest above was made by the blackbirds. I think there is a possibility that this nest may be abandoned because of all the aggression between the females. We will have to wait and see and I will report back at a later date. Spring hormones are definitely raging.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Oooo I would have had to clap my hands but I’m a wuss as I can’t bear the cruelty of nature. xx
I think it looked worse than it was because they flew off with no trouble. It has been quiet in the garden since then.
Very good to get these pictures, shows spring is on the way.
Yes spring is on the way. One of the pairs of blackbirds were back in the garden today so maybe they will continue with their nest after all.
I have just taken another photo of the miniature daffs so I am just about to put that post out.
Really interesting to capture this, Carol- our garden disputes are generally wood pigeons! Any birds which have already laid eggs will be incubating through some dire temperatures this weekend – we’ve just returned from a few days in Barcelona and it’s a shock to the system! Hopefully, once temperatures pick up again next week, that will be the last of the season.
The blackbirds have yet to lay so hopefully will wait until after the weekend. It’s so lovely, sunny, and spring like here today that it is hard to imagine that we have snow forecast tomorrow and Sunday. At least this time it is only forecast to last two days so like you I really hope that that will be the last of it.