Blackbird / Black Thrush

Blackbirds are monogamous animals that live in pairs and strictly defend their territory during the breeding season between February and August; these territorial fights can even end fatally.
They have 2-3 broods a year, the clutch consisting of 2-5 eggs is incubated for 10-20 days, 4 weeks later the young birds are already fledged, but are still under the care of their parents.

200 years ago the blackbird was a shy and purely woodland bird, today it is one of the most common birds in urban areas, from parks and gardens on trees in bushes and shrubs, to sheltered spots around the house, to the luggage racks of bicycles or concrete boxes in the middle of the city center, the blackbird finds suitable places everywhere for its cup nests made of stalks, strings and twigs, which are padded and reinforced with damp earth, moss and clay.

The male blackbird, still brown in its first year, is jet black with a bright yellow or orange bill and a yellow ring around its eyes, while the female is plain brown to gray with a reddish-brown, speckled breast and an inconspicuous brown bill.
The young birds have light brown barring on the head, back and wings as camouflage.

Climate change, air pollution, intensive agriculture with pesticides and insecticides, loss of habitat – irrespective of their successful existence as a cultural successor – and, as a result, food shortages, domestic cats or foreign introduced species such as raccoons (Germany) as well as partial regional hunting and the illegal trade in these birds are probably the greatest threats to blackbirds and countless other wild animals and their populations posed by humans.

The good thing is that we can do something!

By working to protect the natural habitats of blackbirds, by not using harmful chemicals and by combating illegal activities, we can help to safeguard the welfare and population of blackbirds.
We all have a responsibility to protect the environment and wildlife.

By becoming aware of how our actions affect blackbird habitats and survival, we can make better choices and help create a sustainable future for these important members of our ecosystems.
We live in and with nature not against it!

Help in the garden or on the doorstep -> Plant evergreen plants such as yew or ivy, which provide shelter, cover and food for blackbirds and many other species.
Put out a bird bath or a flowerpot saucer with water and clean it regularly to save the animals unnecessary energy consumption in search of drinking opportunities.
Feeding stations and feeders, probably the most common way to help our wild birds is to feed them at feeders, but blackbirds also like to take half apples or mealworms from the ground (soak dried mealworms in water for 30 minutes first), tit dumplings with a high fat content or seed mixes for garden birds are readily available in shops and are readily accepted, it is important to use those without netting because the birds could get tangled up in them.
Or you can go one step further and make the fat balls yourself:

You will need- > 1kg palmin (coconut fat)

1kg grain mix (poppy seeds, millet, sunflower seeds, cereal flakes, broken peanuts)

3 tablespoons cooking oil

1. Melt the fat and oil over a low heat, add the grains and leave the mixture to cool
2. Moisten your hands with warm water, roll and shape the dumplings and roll them over the remaining grains.
3. If you don’t want to buy a fairly inexpensive refillable dumpling holder, you can use old gutter screens that are still intact, simply place the dumpling in them, pull them closed with a string or ribbon and hang them up.

You can find many more recipes on the Internet to keep things exciting.