Every Summer, there are blackbirds in the garden, an always welcoming sight. But I've been made aware of blackbird calls that are not the usual, pleasant chirp. One call is an insistent and rapid chirp, when they move around in a seemingly casual manner - are they attracting their young out of the nest? The other is more of a shrieking, high-pitched chirp as it flies rapidly around, often disappearing from view. In this latter situation, I have the impression that they are feigning enemies -- magpies & cats -- away from the nest and young.
_Can anybody verify my observations or offer advice where relevant can be found? Thank you.
It could be warding off other blackbirds that they are around and it's their territory. I have a pair who chirp loudly every now and again. No predators are around as far as I can see.
I had to throw some pebbles at one which kept sitting on our guttering going cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep........ad infinitum. I think it had Blackbird Tourette's.