Blackbird singing in the dead of night? London, England (1 Viewer)

Hi! I am in London, and last night, as I left a train station at 11:30PM, I heard a bird tweeting in a group of bushes. I went over to investigate, and it was a male blackbird. I wondered if he was injured or something, but he looked fine. Not singing, but tweeting, and poking around in the dirt.

I remembered the line, "blackbird singing in the dead of night" from a Beatles song (is it called 'Blackbird'?). Anyway, is this normal behavior? What is this about? Don't they roost at night?

Any info gratefully received!

Michele

cebollita said:

I remembered the line, "blackbird singing in the dead of night" from a Beatles song (is it called 'Blackbird'?). Anyway, is this normal behavior? What is this about? Don't they roost at night?

Any info gratefully received!

Michele

Click to expand...

It is called Blackbird. As to why it was singing... sometimes bright street lights confuse birds as to what time of day it is. is that a possibility?
Chris

Robins are renowned for singing by streetlight so it may have decide to mimic them. I vaguely recall having heard Blackbirds singing at night but that was some years back.

CB

When I used to finish work at midnight I have heard both Robin and Blackbird singing probably because as the previous posters have put about the street lighting.

The strangest and most eerie was a Eagle Owl that started hooting as we came out, it was an escapee that hung about in Middlesbrough centre for about 6 months.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tees/content/image_galleries/owl_gallery.shtml

blackbirds do sing at night - so do some other birds like robins, grasshopper warb and nightingales.