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Blackbird's rare call (1 Viewer)

JayFeatherPL

Well-known member
Poland
Hi! Apart from the typical blackbird's calls "plik-plik-plik-plik..." or "chack-chack-chack..." they also make a deep "yup" call. Sometimes I can hear this call in the morning, but it's quite rare and it's not often heard. Do you know when and why do blackbirds utter that call? Because it's definitely rarer than the other blackbirds' calls. And by the way this "yup" call is quite similar to the white-backed woodpecker's call. This woodpecker also makes a deep, low and 'thick' "yup" call. In the old forests with coarse woody debris, where white-backed woodpeckers live, blackbirds can also exist, so you can hear both these call at the same time and in the same place. Do you know how to tell these two calls apart? Thank you in advance for the answers! Below, there are links to this "yup" call (from xeno-canto).
Blackbird's "yup" call:
XC808693 Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
XC893472 Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
White-backed woodpecker's "yup" call:
 
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Hello,

the Blackbird has different alarmcalls to terrestrial (men, cats...) and avian (raptors) dangers from above.

But an online search revealed that the situation is more complex, interesting, learned something new today: "In winter multiple ‘chuk’ and ‘chink’ calls can often be heard just before dark, as each blackbird proclaims their own roosting spot for the night."

So thanks for this interesting question and I hope for more comments. Thanks!
 
Hi! Apart from the typical blackbird's calls "plik-plik-plik-plik..." or "chack-chack-chack..." they also make a deep "yup" call. Sometimes I can hear this call in the morning, but it's quite rare and it's not often heard. Do you know when and why do blackbirds utter that call? Because it's definitely rarer than the other blackbirds' calls. And by the way this "yup" call is quite similar to the white-backed woodpecker's call. This woodpecker also makes a deep, low and 'thick' "yup" call. In the old forests with coarse woody debris, where white-backed woodpeckers live, blackbirds can also exist, so you can hear both these call at the same time and in the same place. Do you know how to tell these two calls apart? Thank you in advance for the answers! Below, there are links to this "yup" call (from xeno-canto).
Blackbird's "yup" call:
XC808693 Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
XC893472 Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
White-backed woodpecker's "yup" call:
Hi I heard this squeaky toy sound a few weeks ago in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. It was so unusual I had to investigate. I discovered it was a male blackbird on the ground and although I couldn’t see absolutely everything which was going on, it obviously involved a family of blackbirds and a magpie also on the ground very close to the male. The bird was on high alert but not moving to attack the magpie. I came to the conclusion it was telling its recently fledged offspring to be quiet/ stay hidden. When the magpie flew away the blackbird stopped the noise.
 

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