When you think of blackbirds, you might think of large crows or the smaller red-winged blackbirds. Both of these birds are blackbirds, but there are many other blackbirds. In fact, over 10 species of blackbirds live in America. The blackbird family even includes meadowlarks and orioles.
Blackbirds build nests on the ground or in shrubs in fields or near streams. They don’t build nests in trees, but they do roost in trees when they’re not nesting. Sometimes over 1 million blackbirds roost together in a single area!
Fun Facts about Blackbirds for Kids
- Blackbirds eat insects, weed seeds, grain and fruit.
- Farmers don’t like blackbirds because they eat sunflowers, corn and other crops.
- Scarecrows were designed to scare off many birds, but blackbirds are usually a bigger problem than other birds.
- Blackbirds fly to the southern U.S. during the winter.
- Grackles and cowbirds are types of blackbirds.
Blackbird Vocabulary
- Meadowlark: a bird belonging to the blackbird family
- Grain: hard cereal foods like wheat or oats
- Scarecrow: a large doll made of straw
- Roost: rest
Learn More All About Blackbirds
Check out this cool blackbird video:
A video about a beautiful red-winged blackbird singing to its friends.
Blackbird Q&A
Question: Do male and female blackbirds look the same?
Answer: Females are usually smaller and may be brownish or gray instead of shiny black.
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Question: How long do blackbirds live?
Answer: Life as a bird is tough. Blackbirds have many predators, including cats and owls. Most live no more than 5 years.
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