Blackbirds

[Robinia]

How long do blackbirds generally live for?  For 3 yrs I had a blackbird who came to a pot of raisins on my windowsill, & he certainly told me about it when it was empty!  He brought his wives & families & even another couple one season, but this autumn he hasn't returned following his post-breeding break & really I miss him.

There are other blackbirds about but not 'Raffles'. (I know, I'm soft).

[New Forester]

I guess most live for three or four years, but on this page:

http://www.vogeltrekstation.nl/staav.htm

it gives record recoveries for ringed wild birds.  Find Turdus merula and you get 16 years 9 months -- and of course, that bird may not have been dead when recovered, so it could even have lived longer.

 

Life for a small bird is a very risky one -- there are such a lot of people trying to eat you, not least those predators maintained by humans at very high densities by liberal supplies of cat food.  If a bird survives its first year, it has a much better chance of living for a few years more -- but it's still a very tough life.

[byddy rock 6]

4 year

[Robinia]

Oh dear, thank you, looks like he might be gone for good.  I don't know how old he was to start with of course, just old enough to be a dandy thief. (initially I'd left the raisins outside by mistake & he helped himself).