Although blackbirds are probably New Zealand’s most widespread bird, not many people know that only the male (top) is actually black. It also has a distinctive orange beak. The female blackbird (bottom) is brown with a variegated underside. She builds the nest and incubates the eggs, but the male joins in feeding the nestlings.
Listen to the calls of blackbirds, interspersed with some chaffinch calls.
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Natural Sciences Image Library of New Zealand
Reference:
Bi0109LC1t.tif (top); DSCH0048Smd.JPG (bottom)
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Sound file from the Department of Conservation.
Comments
What does a female blackbird
Michelle Richards (not verified)
02 September 2021
Today, almost the shortest
Matthew Glubb (not verified)
30 June 2010
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