#colly bird

[bubblyernie]

A few doodles of my two fursonas lol

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[drhoz]

#1939 - Turdus merula - Common Blackbird

This somewhat traumatised-looking bird, spotted in the Green Dragon tavern at Hobbiton, is from the most widespread bird species in New Zealand. Unfortunately it’s also introduced. Also known as the Eurasian Blackbird.

In their native range they breed in Europe, Asiatic Russia, and North Africa, and may be year-round residents, partially migratory, or fully migratory depending on local climate. It has a number of subspecies across its range; a few of the Asian subspecies are regarded as separate species by some authors.

The species was introduced to Australia by a bird dealer visiting Melbourne in early 1857, and to New Zealand in 1862, and in both countries is considered a pest because of the damage they do to fruit crops and their ability to spread the seeds of weeds like blackberry. On the other hand, they are also pollinators of the South American feijoa fruit, which is a popular fruit in New Zealand, spreading the pollen as they eat the juicy petals. Beyond that they’re omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, and earthworms, as well a wide range of native and exotic berries and fruit.

The adult males are all black except for a yellow eye-ring and bill and have a richly melodious song - females and juveniles are mostly dark brown. They breed in woods and gardens, building a neat, cup-shaped nest, bound together with mud. Both sexes are territorial in the breeding season.

As a common and conspicuous species, there are a good number of literary and cultural references, frequently related to its song, but also baked into pies, delivered as Christmas gifts (’four colly birds’), and regarded as sacred but destructive by the Ancient Greeks. Unusually for a black animal, not regarded as evil. 

[jonstick]

Stay Another Day: 

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