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Getting Rid of Blackbirds |
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Question:
I would like to know if any members know how I can get rid of Blackbirds. I have 2 feeders and they caused all my Pretty Songbirds to leave. I do have 2 pair of Morning Doves that are not afraid of the Blackbirds. All these Blackbirds do is eat up the seed and fight amongst themselves. I have tried not to put seed out, but they still hang around.
Thanks for your help.
Sherry from Valdosta, GA
Answer:
Sherry,
I have dealt with a similar situation in the past (starlings); here are a few strategies to try:
- Blackbirds like to feed from open ground feeders and they prefer soft food like rolled oats, suet (fat), cooked rice, sunflower chips and cheese). Try placing an open ground feeder farther away from your existing feeders and offering the blackbirds some of their favorite foods. This will help keep them occupied and away from your main feeders until they move on.
- If you have a store specializing in bird feeding supplies (or a farm supply store), you might check to see if they sell feeders equipped with weighted perches. These are hopper-style feeders with perches set to close the feeding window when triggered by the weight of a larger bird or squirrel.
- If you're using tube feeders, shorten the perches to make it difficult for the blackbirds to land. If you use hopper-style feeders, consider adding a few tube feeders that will only accommodate smaller birds.
- Fill feeders with just one type of feed (e.g. one feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds, another with safflower seeds, etc.) Blackbirds seem to love the seeds that most other songbirds waste (milo, millet and cracked corn). Avoid buying generic mixes that contain a lot of these "fillers".
Hang in there! They will eventually move on.
Ellen
About The Author: Ellen Brown is our Green Living and Gardening Expert. Click here to ask Ellen a question! Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
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Post By Kathleen (Guest Post)
(04/21/2008)
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You can try using a sonic or ultrasonic deterrent, they are sometimes able to be specialized to only detract one kind of bird. You might be able to find one that plays distress calls of blackbirds, to it'll scare them but not frighten the other birds. Bird-X offers eco-friendly and humane products that are very effective.
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
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Post By aquiltinggag (Guest Post)
(06/08/2007)
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please help their driving me nuts. i can't stand them. they are taking over.
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
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Post By (Guest Post)
(04/09/2007)
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gracles are not gentle they kill small birds too
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
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Post By Patricia (Guest Post)
(09/04/2006)
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Regarding blackbirds, I have tubular feeders that the birds are just emptying with their beaks. Recently two small birds were on the ground dead after being attacked viciously by the blackbirds causing me to take the feeders down. The blackbirds literally held the other birds down on the ground and pecked them to death. I was sickened by that. Now I run out to the yard constantly chasing them away. I'm getting a little daft.
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
Hi Ellen. Thanks so much for your info on ridding of Blackbirds. I will certainly take you up on these ideas. Sherry

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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
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Post By Lynda (Guest Post)
(08/02/2006)
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I hang about two dozen cheap bright colored rubber dollar store snakes in my fruit trees which attract them. I also keep a lot of water in my bird baths which they don't use for some reason. I watch the compost and keep it covered with a good two inches of leaves and soapy water. I also bag melons and fruit in panty hose parts, tying off with twist ties to discourage the odd birds from trying to peck them.
Some folks believe in the blow up and plastic owls around the yard, but I haven't tried them. My cats always discouraged all birds until a Coyote family loose in the city ate every last one. We complained but the city defended the Coyotes until several folks actually caught them on camera attacking kids around the country. I notified the Animal Shelter and haven't seen a Coyote since. I also hang small-holed bird houses all over to discourage bigger birds, and really watch to keep places they can nest out of their reach or sight. Some of the small bird families can give those Ravens fits. Grackles are black and bigger than small birds but smaller than Ravens (true blackbirds). Grackles are VERY GENTLE and don't cause much trouble anywhere they go. I treated a wounded one once for a broken wing and leg until well and then I had a car accident just before I released it . My husband forgot he was in the garage and the dear Grackle died after all of that but was a VERY gentle bird to hold and care for. Such is life. Good luck and God bless.
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
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Post By Sherry (hamp2468) (Guest Post)
(07/25/2006)
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Thanks to everyone that has tried to help me out with Blackbirds. My husband said they might leave the area first and my songbirds will return before going South.

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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
The tree rats, I hope some one comes up with a good way. Where I live we are not allowed to shoot them and let's face it some folk like the darlings Ha Ha. I trap and take them away. If you and another nearby person helps with traping at two locations I am certain you will see a big diffrence in your feed bill.(I use the,"Have-A-Hart""trap). As to birds, use only Black oil sunflower and White Safflower seeds, mix 50/50. Try to avoid other kinds of seeds and NEVER ANY CORN.
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
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Post By (Guest Post)
(07/22/2006)
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Valleyrimgirl, I know what you mean by using a gun. My husband already shoots the Squirrels. We had trouble with our Line, when the men saw all the Tree Rats, they all agreed & told us to shoot them. Two blocks over from us there was a house fire because of Tree Rats, Two children died, they are a menace. The men said they start many House Fires by chewing wires in your attic. A high powered B B gun dose the trick ~ there is no suffering ~. They dig up my bulbs, knock off my flower pots, now broken. (hamp2468 )
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
If you live in the country, you could use a gun to get rid of the blackbirds.
If you live in the city, call your animal control officer and he can shoot them for you.
This is the only permanent way of getting rid of them.
Yes, there will be people writing in, responding to me now, saying not to use guns. Too bad. There is a place in this world for using guns and this would be one of them.
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RE: Getting Rid of Blackbirds
The problem with using any type of device to rid the area of blackbirds, is that it usually scares away all the other birds, laying a plastic snake on the ground by the feeder will work, or having a owl figure sitting nearby. Joy > Culbertson MT
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