Eurasian Blackbird

Eurasian Blackbird

Turdus merula

Silhouette: Anthony Caravaggi · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
at Białowieża National Park

In 3 days >90%

1,078 Verified sightings at Białowieża National Park From 2019 to 2026
33,115 In all 44 parks
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Eurasian Blackbird

The common blackbird (Turdus merula) is a species of true thrush. It is also known as the Eurasian blackbird (especially in North America, to distinguish it from the unrelated New World blackbirds), or simply the blackbird. It breeds in Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. It has a number of subspecies across its large range; a few former Asian subspecies are now widely treated as separate species. Depending on latitude, the common blackbird may be resident, partially migratory, or fully migratory.

The adult male of the common blackbird (Turdus merula merula, the nominate subspecies), which is found throughout most of Europe, is all black except for a yellow eye-ring and bill and has a rich, melodious song. The adult female and juvenile have mainly dark brown plumage. This species breeds in woods and gardens, constructing neat, cup-shaped nests bound together with mud. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, earthworms, berries, and fruits.

Both sexes are territorial on the breeding grounds and have distinctive threat displays. However, they are more gregarious during migration and in wintering areas. Pairs remain in their territory throughout the year if the climate is sufficiently temperate. This common and conspicuous species has given rise to a number of literary and cultural references, often related to its song. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Dawn song1:13

Germany · 2018

© Amselforscher · XC1186957 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:05

United Kingdom · 2026

© Mark James Pearson · XC1186004 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song1:10

Portugal · 2026

© Radek Grochowski · XC1156705 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~90%
2 Egmont National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~80%
3 Plitvice Lakes National Park 🇭🇷 Croatia
~80%
4 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~80%
5 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~80%
6 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~70%
7 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
~70%
8 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~70%
9 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~70%
10 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~70%
11 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~60%
12 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~60%
13 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~60%
14 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
~60%
15 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~60%
16 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~60%
17 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~60%
18 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~60%
19 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
~50%
20 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
~50%
21 Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~50%
22 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~50%
23 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~50%
24 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
~50%
25 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~50%
26 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~50%
27 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~40%
28 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~40%
29 Hohe Tauern National Park 🇦🇹 Austria
~40%
30 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~40%
31 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~30%
32 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~30%
33 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
34 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
35 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
36 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
~20%
37 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
38 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
39 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~10%
40 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~10%
41 Flinders Chase 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
42 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
43 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
44 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Bishkek 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
>90%
2 Mashhad 🇮🇷 Iran
~90%
3 Amman 🇯🇴 Jordan
~90%
4 Jerusalem 🇮🇱 Israel
~90%
5 Marrakesh 🇲🇦 Morocco
~90%
6 Lisbon 🇵🇹 Portugal
~90%
7 Dushanbe 🇹🇯 Tajikistan
~90%
8 Milan 🇮🇹 Italy
~90%
9 Hobart 🇦🇺 Australia
~90%
10 Madrid 🇪🇸 Spain
~90%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Moscow Zoo 🇷🇺 Russia In captivity
2 Barcelona Zoo 🇪🇸 Spain In captivity
3 Philadelphia Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
4 Aquarama Barcelona 🇪🇸 Spain In captivity
5 Willowbank Wildlife Reserve 🇳🇿 New Zealand In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Eurasian Blackbird in Białowieża National Park?

Very likely

About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Eurasian Blackbird sighting in Białowieża National Park on a given day, based on 1,078 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 182 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Eurasian Blackbird in Białowieża National Park?

May

In that month about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Eurasian Blackbird in Białowieża National Park on a given day, against about 30% in November to January, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Eurasian Blackbird?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eurasian Blackbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Which relatives of the Eurasian Blackbird live in Białowieża National Park?

Same genus: Turdus

The closest relatives of the Eurasian Blackbird that you can see in Białowieża National Park (genus Turdus, Typical Thrushes) are Song Thrush (about 60%), Mistle Thrush (about 20%) and Fieldfare (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Eurasian Blackbird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Eurasian Blackbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Białowieża National Park (1,078 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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