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Common Blackbird breeds in spring and usually produces three clutches. The female builds a robust nest among the vegetation, at low height but well hidden, fixed in a three branches’ fork.
The nest is an open, bulky cup made with dry grasses, moss and mud. The female living in my garden tears off the moss from the ground and dampens it in the water reserved for birds. Then, she trails it through the dry earth before to add it to the construction in order to embed the various elements between them.
The interior is lined with fine and soft grasses, and it is common to see pieces of white paper or plastic on the exterior of the nest, mixed into the stems.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS SPECIES

DESCRIPTION OF THE REPRODUCTION

Le merle noir se reproduit au printemps, et il peut y avoir jusqu’à trois couvées. La femelle construit un nid solide dans la végétation, à faible hauteur mais bien caché, calé dans une fourche constituée de trois branches.
Le nid est une coupe ouverte et volumineuse faite d’herbes sèches, de mousse et de boue. La femelle qui vit dans mon jardin arrache de la mousse sur le sol et va la tremper dans l’écuelle d’eau réservée aux oiseaux. Elle la traîne ensuite dans la terre sèche avant d’aller l’ajouter à la construction afin de sceller les différents éléments entre eux. L’intérieur du nid est tapissé d’herbes fines et douces, et il est courant de voir des morceaux de papier ou de cellophane à l’extérieur du nid, pris dans l’enchevêtrement des tiges.

POUR EN SAVOIR PLUS SUR LE MERLE NOIR

DESCRIPTION DE LA REPRODUCTION

2492-Common Blackbird - nest-site	2497-Common Blackbird - nest-site	2501-Common Blackbird - nest-site	2503-Common Blackbird - nest-site	2544-nest building	2549-nest building
2551-nest building	2556-nest building	2560-nest building	2563-nest building	2569-nest building	2572-nest building
2575-nest building	2578-nest building	2582-nest building	2584-nest building	2587-nest building	2588-nest building
2593-nest building	2598-nest building	2599-nest building	2600-nest building	2604-nest building	2607-nest building
2610-nest building	2614-nest building	2615-nest building	2618-nest building	2619-nest building	2620-nest building
2634-female at nest	2638-female at nest	2640-female at nest	2641-female at nest	2642-Incubating female	2645-Incubating female
2647-Incubating female	2653-Incubating female	2656-Incubating female	2660-Incubating female	2662-Incubating female	2665-Incubating female
2670-Incubating female	2672-Incubating female	2696-Incubating female	2699-Incubating female	2703-Incubating female	2704-Incubating female
2709-Incubating female	2712-Incubating female	2719-Incubating female	2724-Incubating female	2727-Incubating female	2731-Incubating female
2755-Incubating female	2762-Incubating female	2765-Incubating female	2767-Incubating female	2769-Incubating female	2774-Incubating female
2775-Incubating female	2778-Incubating female	2786-Incubating female	2799-Incubating female	2800-Incubating female	2805-Incubating female
2811-Incubating female	2813-Incubating female	2830-Incubating female	2832-She looks at the chicks inside the nest	2835-She looks at the chicks inside the nest	2852-the female is restless
2881-the female is restless	2892-the female is restless	2904-the female is restless	2906-Dad visit	2908-Dad visit	2909-Dad visit
2910-Dad visit	2934-Incubating female	2937-Incubating female	2941-Incubating female	2945-Incubating female	2947-Incubating female arranging the nest
2966-Incubating female during rain and storm	2985-Dad visit	2987-Dad visit	2990-Incubating female	3006-Male-with-food	3027-Incubating female
3057-Incubating female	3061-The female is restless	3072-Female leaving the nest	3082-Chick-feeding	3089-Chick-feeding	3095-The female checks that everything is fine
3114-Dad visit	3115-Dad visit	3119-Dad visit	3121-Dad visit	3149-Female waiting for the male with food	3150-Food passage
3152-Food passage	3153-Food passage	3161-Female feeding the chicks	3177-Male leaving the nest	3183-Female with her chicks	3187-Female at rest after chick-feeding
3199-A small bill finally appears	3238-food-passage	3239-food-passage	3241-female-at-nest	3244-female-at-nest	3245-chick-feeding
3255-chick-feeding	3263-dad-on-the-nest	3309-female-at-nest	3314-open-bill	3315-second-chick	3318-chick-feeding
3320-two-bills	3327-they-are-hungry	3335-male-at-nest	3341-larger-prey	3362-hungry chick	3364-open bills
3401-female on the nest	3403-female on the nest	3415-male with prey	3423-male feeding the chicks with a large prey	3459-difficult to swallow this large prey	3469-female arriving at the nest with prey
3476-female helping the chick with the large prey	3481-female taking the large prey from the small bill	3485-female trying again to feed the chick	3490-female helping the chick	3493-she tore pieces of the prey	3495-the female seems to chew the prey to make it easier to swallow
3516-trying again to feed the chick	3517-trying again and again	3529-it doesn't seem at all obvious	3532-trying again...	3533-definitely, this is not going to pass	3541-trying again
3542-definitely, this is not going to pass	3543-she takes it again	3552-they are hungry!	3554-we try again?	3556-well, let's move on and rest	3564-the male comes just after the departure of the female which was brooding the young
3566-but no small open bill to welcome it...	3569-the male is a little surprised and finally, it swallows the prey before to fly off	3573-it returns a few moments later with other prey, but nothing moves	3574-it leaves without releasing the worms he was carrying. It won't come back...	3300-Nest in the sun	3467-As a little memory of this beautiful story that ends badly, here is a little fluffy head !

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