Birds nest advice please (1 Viewer)

Hi,this is my first post so was unsure which forum to post to- hope this is ok and will provide me with some useful info.

I live in Melbourne- Australia and have found a blackbird's nest on my laundry window sill, and wondered what to expect and what to do (or not do).
Two days ago an egg was laid and yesterday another appeared.

Can I expect any more?
How long until they hatch?
Should I leave any foods nearby?
how long until the baby birds fly?
will the birds return to this nest for a long time or is it just there for hatching purposes?
Is there anything I should or shouldn't do?
Will I be able to move this at a later stage? (i cannot open my window at the moment- but am not overly bothered by this as find it quite exciting to be able to get such a close up view from inside without disturbing them)

Any advice would be nice, thanks in advance

Nicki

First, on behalf of the Admin Team and the Moderators, let me welcome you to BirdForum.

I hope you enjoy your time here.

I'm guessing you mean our "Eurasian" Blackbird... assuming it has reached your shores.
If so, (in fact, even if not) my first advice would be to leave it alone completely, if at all possible.

Our Blackbirds are quite bold birds, and will nest in places that you might think were a bit close at hand. If yours are the same, then you will probably find they are quite happy - and the addition of another egg suggests they are.

I think you are right to be excited, and I hope you enjoy seeing a family grow.

Remember, whatever attracted them to the spot previously, is probably exactly how things are now. So I would keep things the same and enjoy the privilege.

As for the more specific details, I'll let someone else answer.

Good Luck

:t:

Hi Nicki, and welcome to BirdForum!

Your blackbirds are indeed the same ones as Birdman's. They were introduced to Australia.

They generally lay from 3 to 5 eggs in a clutch, so you could expect to see one more each day until the hen has had enough. The most common number is 4.

The eggs hatch after 13-14 days.

It's probably best not to try to feed the birds in any way. They know best what to do. Just leave them to get on with it, and have fun watching!

After hatching, the nestlings will grow for another 13-14 days before they fledge (leave the nest).

Once they've gone, they won't want the nest any more. If they raise another brood this summer, they'll build a new nest. So it's best to throw the old one away and clean up the windowsill.

In my experience, blackbirds sometimes start a nest, then something puts them off and they abandon the attempt. If this happens, they'll build elsewhere. To cut down the risk of this happening with your nest, I would suggest avoiding opening any nearby door to the outside, if you have one near the nest. Limit yourself to one look each day, and if possible only look at the nest when the adults are away from it.

Once the young have hatched, the adults will be much more persistent, and likely to see the job through!

Let us know how the brood gets on. Who knows, you may soon be planting climbers up the wall to attract nesting honeyeaters!

Rufous has answeredall your questions very well only thing I can add is beware of the domestic cat. There is nothing worse than to get attached to a little feathered family nesting in your garden, then to see it wiped out by a feline marauder.

Hi Nicki. Welcome to birdforum. Enjoy your time here and enjoy your Blackbirds.

Hi Nicki - we regularly put out mealworms for the robins and bluetits, and these are particularly appreciated when there are hungry young ones to be fed. At first these were put in a dish on a shelf near the window, and Mrs Blackbird kept coming to take away 12 or more at a time, so we decided this could not be allowed, as mealworms are not exactly cheap to buy, and our breeding programme cannot keep up with demand at these times. Do you have anywhere you can buy mealworms - I don't think they would do your blackbirds any harm. Good luck - and let us know how things go.

3 eggs now- will let you know how things progress.