Whether you love to garden or not, watching nature evolve in your own backyard is wonderful.
I have had much delight over the years watching birds nexting in my garden and even getting to see blackbird eggs in a nest.
Have ever wondered what blackbird eggs actually look like?
Read on to find out more about the hatching process and view the images I was lucky enough to capture.
I’m not suggesting you go on a hunt for nests. This is dangerous as you can upset the eggs and the adult blackbirds will never be far away.
I was fortunate enough to spot quite a low nest, nestled away in my cypress trees which provide a safe and secure place for nesting birds.
As you can see, the nest is so beautifully crafted and offers great protection for newborn blackbirds.
What do Blackbird Eggs look like?
Identifying bird eggs can be a delightful challenge and a reason for excitement. Let’s take a look at a few facts about these eggs:
- Colour: The eggs are this lovely duck egg blue, a special kind of pale turquoise mixed with a muted bluish-green, dotted with speckles. It’s not just any blue, it’s a hue that can really brighten up the nest.
- Speckles: The speckle patterns are usually reddish-brown or grey. Isn’t it fascinating how they vary from egg to egg? These little marks aren’t just pretty, they help the eggs stay hidden from predators by blending in with the nest environment.
- Texture: Feel the shell of a blackbird egg and you’ll notice it’s smooth with a bit of a gloss. It’s similar to other bird eggs but has its own unique feel.
- Size and Shape: Each egg is roughly 29 mm by 22 mm and are oval shaped with a bit pointed at one end. It’s quite clever, really, this shape helps keep the eggs safely tucked in without rolling out.
Click to find more details about identifying the eggs.
Comparing Blackbird Eggs with Other Bird Eggs
How do blackbird eggs differ to other birds?
- Robin Eggs: Unlike the duck egg blue of blackbird eggs, robin eggs are famously a bright, solid robin’s egg blue without speckles. They are slightly smaller and have a more uniform colour distribution.
- Sparrow Eggs: Sparrow eggs tend to be white or a dirty white with brown speckling. They are smaller than blackbird eggs and more granular in texture.
- Starling Eggs: Starling eggs can be confused with blackbird eggs due to their similar size. However, starlings’ eggs are generally a more uniform pale blue and lack the speckles that characterise blackbird eggs.
What did we have in the nest?
As you can see, we found 3 beautiful duck egg blue Blackbird eggs!
I had no idea there even was a nest in the Cypress tress! I certainly had not noticed any birds building a nest or spending time around the tree.
Worrying I may have scared the female blackbird away, I was reassured by information I found about nesting Blackbirds.
Fortunately the female blackbird did return and had been happily sat on her eggs since Saturday. After a quick check on her this afternoon, all was ok.
The three eggs were still visible and the female blackbird was clearly off finding food (worms). A couple of hours later and 2 of the eggs had hatched to reveal fluffy baby Blackbirds.
Who were both chirping away awaiting food to be dropped into their beaks. Literally only an hour later and the little bundles had lost their fluffy baby feathers. Immediately the blackbird chicks looked slightly plumper and very relaxed.
What does a Blackbird Nest look like?
The nest is amazing, so well constructed! It really does make you marvel at how clever birds actually are.
My fingers are crossed that the final blackbird egg hatches very soon. As you would expect Liv is beside herself and has already named the birds… Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and the un-hatched egg is Rapunzel.
The fact that Liv has been able to see this miracle is fantastic! She has so many questions about the birds and it really has added to her love of animals.
We are so lucky to have been able to watch this amazing feat of nature. To do so in our own back garden is simply amazing!
Birdbird Nesting Information:
- Blackbird eggs generally hatch after 2 weeks.
- Larger birds such as magpies will try and attack the nest, so be vigilant.
- Blackbirds nest during March and July.
- Don’t keep going up to the nest and certainly don’t touch it as your scent will be left on it.
- Once hatched, blackbird chicks will eat worms found by their parents.
What should you do when Blackbirds leave their nest?
Once the birds have vacated the nest, it is advised to remove and dispose of the nest. This does not mean the birds will not return to nest again in that spot.
If they are happy and felt secure in that nest, then blackbirds will return. They will add more to the nest to boulster it up and make it even stronger.
The great outdoors and nature is so wonderful to observe, do you have any blackbirds nests in your garden?
How can you tell is a blackbird is male or female
Adult male blackbirds are entirely black, with a glossy plumage all over.
Their beak is yellow and their eyes are dark brown with an easy to spot yellow eye-ring. and the legs are black or very dark brown.
Female blackbirds are darker brown in colour with lighter brown streaks on their breast, with dark brown eyes and no other markings around their eyes.
Wrapping it up
Blackbird eggs come in a variety of colors and can be found in nests all over the world.
Blackbird eggs hatch anywhere from 11 to 14 days after being laid, and the chicks are able to fly within two weeks of hatching.
If you’re ever lucky enough to find a blackbird nest, be sure to take a closer look at the eggs! But only if can do so without the birds or nest coming to any harm.
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