Eurasian Blackbird Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesEurasian Blackbird
Adult male
Adult male is black, with a striking orange-yellow bill and eyering.
© Andre Vieira / Macaulay LibraryRegião Autónoma dos Açores, January 03, 2017Female
Female is dark brown overall, with some rufous tones. Pale, sometimes whitish throat is finely streaked, while browner underparts have coarser smudging. Bill ranges from dark brown to yellow.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryConnaught, September 17, 2016Male and chick
Adult male in breeding season is all black, with a bright yellow-orange bill and eyering. Both sexes care for the nestlings—typically 3–4 chicks in a large cup nest.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibraryCataluña, May 19, 2017Not all videos have sound
Immature male
Immature male is duller than adult male, with brownish wings and a darker bill.
© Leo Damrow / Macaulay LibrarySchleswig-Holstein, October 31, 2021Juvenile
Juvenile is similar to female, but often more rufous. Note also the buffy streaks on the upperparts.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibraryNavarra, Comunidad Foral de, July 30, 2021Adult female
Female is brown overall. A white throat with brown streaking gives way to darker, spotted underparts. Blackbirds frequently feed on the ground, often in search of invertebrates, but also taking advantage of fruit when available.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibraryCastilla y León, January 03, 2020Not all videos have sound
Adult male
Male sings mellow, slow-paced song from treetops, rooftops, and other conspicuous perches.
© Taylor Abbott / Macaulay LibraryCastilla y León, March 19, 2015Adult male
Feeds on berries and fruits (especially in the fall), as well as earthworms, insects, and other invertebrates.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryConnaught, September 17, 2016Adult male
Often uses bill to flip over leaves in search of insects and other invertebrates in leaf litter.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibraryCataluña, March 10, 2019Not all videos have sound
Adult male
Common in city parks and backyard gardens.
© Jerome Chie-Jen Ko / Macaulay LibraryRegion Hovedstaden, February 13, 2016Adult male
Often feeds on worms.
© Pierandrea Brichetti / Macaulay LibraryVeneto, April 23, 2015Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesEuropean Starling
Breeding adult
European Starling is smaller than Eurasian Blackbird, with a pointed bill, iridescent sheen, yellowish-white spotting, reddish legs, and short tail.
© Carlos Sáez lira / Macaulay LibraryCataluña, May 04, 2021Similar SpeciesRing Ouzel
Male (Northern)
Adult male Ring Ouzel has an unmistakable white breast band and more subtle white edging to wing feathers.
© Rafael Merchante / Macaulay LibraryAragón, November 28, 2017Similar SpeciesRing Ouzel
Female (Alpine)
Female Ring Ouzel is paler than female Eurasian Blackbird, with an indistinct white breast band, white scalloping below, and conspicuous white wing panel.
© John Thompson / Macaulay LibraryMurcia, Región de, November 21, 2017Similar SpeciesRing Ouzel
Juvenile (Alpine)
Juvenile Ring Ouzel has a lighter overall appearance than juvenile Eurasian Blackbird. The wing feathers have extensive pale edging and the breast is whitish with brown spotting.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryTirol, July 11, 2010Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Thrushes and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Turdidae)
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