Common blackbird keeps my cats and us in stress (1 Viewer)

[k.a.charlotte]

Hello!

I have very little knowledge about birds, so if someone could help me, I would really appreciate it!

For the past week, every single day, a common blackbird was chirping basically all day long, all around our house and garden.
We haven't had this before, and we don't know much about birds, but so far we figured he must be protecting his nest.
However, the problem is he is really aggressive - whenever my cats are out, he instantly comes and chirps really loudly and annoyingly, so by now they are scared to go out. The bird even has company sometimes. And he attacked us humans as well! :eek!:

What am I supposed to do? Is there any way to get him out of our property? Or how much time will pass until he goes away? :brains:

Thank you!

EDIT: The birds nest is not in our garden, and cannot be accessed by the cat.

 

[TFM70]

I hope you don't let the cat roam outside.

 

[Cambrian dweller]

Check the colour of the blackbirds beak, orangy-yellow, male, dark like the birds feathers, a female. Also you are larger and more scary than a blackbird, so all you have to do is tell it this. Animals and birds sense fear and also are easily scared into attack mode for defence purposes. The male can sing all day from sun up to sun set looking for a suitable female to mate with. the singing, as you noticed is load and constant, but this is just mother nature doing her thing. Blackbirds will nest on the ground very close to buildings, sheds, houses etc, as they do not know any better. A few weeks later and the babies are born and fed up to look after themselves. The singing loudy daily is usually the male calling for a female to say, look I have a good place and nest.
A bit late in the season, but birds can lay twice if the weather is right.
Don't know if this helps, but the cat is in no danger and can outwit birds, so maybe your fear is coming across on the cat.
Cats are more aggressive and can easily if needed, remove a bird no problem. the cat will find a way of getting past this, but you have to face up to the bird, use a broom in your hand if need be, but a sauce-pan lid would be better incase he tries to get near you. He will not touch you, only get very close as he is more scared than you are.

 

[ElCucuy]

those birds relax me somewhat and make me happy

 

[CasualBirderPod]

I'm afraid it is probably your cat that is causing the Blackbird to make that repeated sharp call.

I have noticed over the years that Blackbirds (and Starlings) seem to have particular calls for certain perceived threats.
The sound you describe has often alerted me to a roaming cat in our garden or a Magpie nearby.
I think the Blackbird probably has a nest and is defending it whenever it sees your cat.
If your cat is taken indoors, does the calling settle down and stop?

 

[owhy]

How would you react if a tiger was walking around outside? Because that's basically what any bird sees when they see a cat in your garden - a big killing machine. The only thing you can do is keep your cat indoors (which people should do anyway imo but that's another matter).

 

[Jack Dawe]

How would you react if a tiger was walking around outside? Because that's basically what any bird sees when they see a cat in your garden - a big killing machine.

Quite so. The Blackbird has a nest, so it is undoubtedly trying to protect it and/or its young. This is perfectly natural and the bird has every right to do this. The fact that your cat doesn't like it is nothing to worry about. It is being temporarily inconvenienced, yes, but it will come to no harm. Once the Blackbirds have fledged and gained independence things will return to normal and your cat will cease to be mobbed.

 

[Nutcracker]

How would you react if a tiger was walking around outside? Because that's basically what any bird sees when they see a cat in your garden - a big killing machine.

It's more than just that - think about this: how would you react, if you'd just heard that a tiger had escaped in your town, and might still be somewhere around, even if you haven't seen it yourself. Would you still walk down to the shops?



Fear is a powerful disincentive, just as much to birds as it is to people.

 

[Deb Burhinus]

There’s so much about this post that needs clarifying to the OP!

...Also you are larger and more scary than a blackbird, so all you have to do is tell it this.

How does one go about ‘telling’ a bird you are bigger than they are ... , broomhandles and saucepan lids?!!

The male can sing all day from sun up to sun set looking for a suitable female to mate with. the singing, as you noticed is load and constant, but this is just mother nature doing her thing.

The OP is describing alarming calls not singing.

Blackbirds will nest on the ground very close to buildings, sheds, houses etc, as they do not know any better.

They do occasionally nest on the ground but more often than not in climbing shrubs and bushes

A few weeks later and the babies are born and fed up to look after themselves.

Young Blackbirds have the ability to fledge early (as early as 9 days old) and can spend a week or so on the ground unable to fly and being totally dependant on parents for feeding. If the OP’s Blackbird is consistently alarming, its very likely that one or more of the youngsters are grounded in the garden hiding under shrubbery.

The singing loudy daily is usually the male calling for a female to say, look I have a good place and nest.

Actually, male Blackbirds sing throught the breeding season to defend their territory from other males.

A bit late in the season, but birds can lay twice if the weather is right.

Not so, Blackbirds will nest well into July and may make nesting attempts 3-4 times with chicks in the nest up to August

Cats are more aggressive and can easily if needed, remove a bird no problem.

When is it ever ‘needed’ for cats to ‘remove’ birds - they ‘remove’ millions every year but it’s certainly never needed!

but you have to face up to the bird, use a broom in your hand if need be, but a sauce-pan lid would be better incase he tries to get near you.

I’m not quite sure what you are suggesting here but threatening Blackbirds with very probably its young on the ground in the garden waiting to be fed, and the Blackbird trying to defend them, is simply so wrong, I’m at a loss how any BF member could offer this as advice?

To the OP, please keep your cat indoors at night, early evening and early morning, at least if you are unable to keep it from going out at all. The alarming of the Blackbirds will lessen if you do this and it’s youngsters will have a chance to fledge without being predated. The Blackbirds with not harm you or the cat and there is no need to adopt aggressive tactics, indeed, to do so would be cruel as there are very probably young Blackbirds on the ground that the Male is trying to feed and protect.

 

[Nancy62]

Hello!

I have very little knowledge about birds, so if someone could help me, I would really appreciate it!

For the past week, every single day, a common blackbird was chirping basically all day long, all around our house and garden.
We haven't had this before, and we don't know much about birds, but so far we figured he must be protecting his nest.
However, the problem is he is really aggressive - whenever my cats are out, he instantly comes and chirps really loudly and annoyingly, so by now they are scared to go out. The bird even has company sometimes. And he attacked us humans as well! :eek!:

What am I supposed to do? Is there any way to get him out of our property? Or how much time will pass until he goes away? :brains:

Thank you!

EDIT: The birds nest is not in our garden, and cannot be accessed by the cat.

We have the same. every year around this time. Usually it's a male - all summer! Today I have a female going bonkers! They are just protecting their nests, but my bird is like yours and knows no fear! The cats will be fine. Nature is rather cool allowing the birds to see off their predators, don't you think? If our cats wanted to, they would have him in an instant! Mine slink back inside with an irritated look on their faces!

 

[Mila]

Hello!

I have very little knowledge about birds, so if someone could help me, I would really appreciate it!

For the past week, every single day, a common blackbird was chirping basically all day long, all around our house and garden.
We haven't had this before, and we don't know much about birds, but so far we figured he must be protecting his nest.
However, the problem is he is really aggressive - whenever my cats are out, he instantly comes and chirps really loudly and annoyingly, so by now they are scared to go out. The bird even has company sometimes. And he attacked us humans as well! :eek!:

What am I supposed to do? Is there any way to get him out of our property? Or how much time will pass until he goes away? :brains:

Thank you!

EDIT: The birds nest is not in our garden, and cannot be accessed by the cat.

Here is a video I filmed some time ago

In this situation he was protecting the nest.
How do you know that the nest is not in your garden?
It could be well hidden.