The last three days of January are known as “the days of the Blackbird” and there are many traditions and legends linked to this period: for this reason it comes naturally to ask who the blackbird is. In a few words one could simply say that the blackbird is nothing other than the female of the blackbirdbut in reality there is much more to tell. Meanwhile, the very name “blackbird” derives from merula which in Latin indicates precisely the common blackbird: in fact, the scientific name of the species is Turdus merula. Then it should be noted that in Italian few species of birds have a distinction between the feminine and masculine names, in most cases it is grammatically fixed: let’s say the woodpecker, the blackcap, the falcon, the swallow. Blackbird and blackbird are precisely one of the few exceptions: the English, on the other hand, make no distinction and call it Blackbird, black bird. The blackbird and the blackbird are, therefore, the two sexes of a bird passerineThe Common blackbirdvery widespread in Italy and Europe and belonging to Turdidae family: a family present in almost the whole world except Antarctica and that matters 45 genera and around 300 specieswhich occupy a wide variety of terrestrial environments.
The physical differences between blackbirds and blackbirds
The two sexes of this species differ not only in the Italian name, but also in appearance: in fact they present a dimorphism (difference in appearance between the two sexes) very marked. The male has black plumageyellow eyelids and yellow-orange beak. The female has brown plumage with a darker back and lighter chest, the throat and chin with greyish-white streaks, the beak varying in color from dark brown to yellow: characteristics that allow it to camouflage in the environment much better than the male.
They both have dark and robust legssuitable for looking for food by digging the soil and litter a little in search of small organisms. Although they feed on both animal and vegetal sources, blackbirds prefer, especially during the breeding season, insects, spiders, millipedesearthworms and snails that they try to capture by digging in the ground and sometimes even in the snow up to 5-7 cm deep. Having excellent hearingthey manage to capture and capture organisms even in the first layers of the soil. They have an agile and fast flight, but often move on the ground or among the branches with rapid sprints. They have a modulated and fluted song, with some differences between male and female that a good ornithologist (bird scholar) can distinguish.
An equal relationship, with some division of tasks
It has been observed that females spend more time looking for food than males, especially before spawning to accumulate the necessary energy. Their plumage more cryptic (mimetic) reduces the risk of being preyed upon as they search for food in clearings and open spaces. The yellow and black color of the males is very attractive to females, but can also easily attract predators. Both sexes care for the broodbut the males seem to feed the chicks more than the females, as well as keeping watch and defending the territory also with singing. By studying a population of urban blackbirds it was found that the males have a particularly bright orange beak they also have a greater body weighttherefore they are “in shape” and females tend to prefer them for mating: essentially the merles choose the beautiful ones.
Where blackbirds live and where they build their nests
The common blackbird has a rather variable migratory behavior based on the latitude and the changing climatic conditions of an area. Generally, populations that nest in northern European regions or in mountainous areas tend to migrate with the colder season, while those that live in southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin are predominantly sedentary. They choose environments with trees and shrubsmixed with clearings and open land where they look for food and adapt very well to anthropic environments. They build nests among the branches even a few meters from the ground by weaving grass, straw and twigs and covering them internally with mud. The blackbird has the main role in the nest building and generally begins to do so as early as early February. The first eggs are already observed at the end of February, but the peak time for reproduction is between April and the end of May.
Why is it black? Between nature and legend
The legend of the “Days of the Blackbird” tells that the blackbirds were originally white, but one day, in the last period of January, a blackbird and its chicks, to find shelter from the particularly intense cold, took refuge inside a chimney and came out all black due to the soot: since then the blackbird has become black. This legend it could have a scientific explanation: the most important pigments for the coloration of birds are carotenoids for yellow and red and the melanin for black and brown. The intense black of the blackbird and the brown of the blackbird therefore depend on quantities of melanin produced by each specimen. It is not uncommon to find blackbirds wholly or partially white due to a phenomenon mentioned above leucism, due to a poor production of melanin and which can result from a genetic defect or from a diet lacking in proteins which causes depigmentation of the plumage. The phenomenon is especially frequent in battlements that populate urban environments either because they may be exposed to mutagens or nutrient-poor diets or because, despite being white and clearly visible, they have fewer natural predators in the city. So, it’s likely that someone observed white blackbirds in January and came up with a fascinating story.
