Latest news with #blackbirds
Times
27-06-2025
- General
- Times
Mornings are quieter now but the real stars are here
T he dawn chorus is now less rich, less showy — daytime birdsong is subdued and lacks the vigour of spring, but there are songsters still. In our garden there are melodious blackbirds and wood pigeons cooing calmly throughout the day. But the stars of the midsummer garden are a handful of song thrushes, whose calls remain as confident and tuneful as they have been all spring. These birds start early in winter, sing long days all spring and still perform into July. The song thrush is one of the loudest songsters for its size and the most interesting: each of our garden birds has a repertoire of repeated calls, sometimes simple phrases and sometimes more complex, often a mimic of a curlew or starling. My Merlin bird app still gets thrown by these inventive and energetic songbirds, misidentifying my garden thrushes as American warblers, Indian jungle birds or continental European songsters.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Somerset campaigner warns blackbird decline is 'taste of future'
A young ornithologist has warned a mosquito-born disease linked to a sharp decline in blackbird populations "is a taste of things to come".Mya-Rose Craig, from the Chew Valley in Somerset, says the spread of the Usutu virus is more proof British wildlife is struggling "in a way people don't realise".Ms Craig, 23, known as BirdGirlUK on social media, has been campaigning for the environment since the age of 13 and launched the Black2Nature initiative to encourage children from minority backgrounds to engage in conservation."One of the reasons [blackbird decline] concerns me is because it's getting worse because of climate change," she said. Data published earlier this week revealed Usutu has spread across most of southern England in just five years, and blackbird populations in Greater London have fallen as much as 40% in that monitoring the progress of the virus fear mosquitos will expand their range as the planet warms, spreading the diseases they Craig, who was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bristol in 2020, told BBC Breakfast: "My biggest concern is that blackbirds are one the most common species in the UK, they are everywhere. "When you heard bird song, it's quite often blackbirds that you are hearing, so I think it's quite upsetting." She added: "I think on top of the disease, one of the reasons it concerns me is because it's getting worse because of climate change."Because of warmer weather and increased flooding, so it feels like kind of a taste of what's to come."Ms Craig said she was a "big defender" of the UKs "small, brown" birds."I think our garden species are so special which is why I find it so worrying, the speed of decline we are experiencing at the moment," she said. "Our wildlife is really, really struggling in the UK in a way I don't think people really realise."Ms Craig added blackbirds are far from the only species to be hit by climate change, pointing out that the starling populations have fallen 80% since the does a lot of campaigning based on the mental health benefits of being close to nature."I think a lot if the time when we are talking about species decline it feels very separate, but actually imagine a city without bird song - it has a really terrible knock-on effect on people as well," she said.
The Sun
17-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Warning to anyone who sees blackbirds in their garden this summer over deadly virus decimating critical species
A WARNING has been issued to gardeners to look out for blackbirds this summer. Almost half of the species' population has been decimated from a mosquito-borne disease. 1 Scientists are now calling on UK households with gardens to monitor blackbird population. Anyone whose garden gets frequented by the bird has been asked to participate in a national research. The deadly Usutu virus has reduced the blackbird population in Greater London by 40 per cent since 2020. The disease is spreading rapidly across the UK, especially in the southern parts of England. Now, there are concerns that more mosquito-borne diseases could spread in the future. Dr Arran Folly from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) told BBC: "We've seen that the virus has spread further than we thought it might do, and it's persisted. "Blackbirds specifically are quite susceptible to the virus. "It gives an indication that in the future we might get other viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes emerging in the UK." Scientists have urged the public to note how many blackbirds they see within a particular time frame and enter that information into a survey. You will also be asked to look out for any behaviours such as foraging for food. 'Intense' mystery symptoms with baseball-sized swelling in mosquito bite victims leave doctors stumped Participants are encouraged to complete one survey per week. The British Trust for Ornithology said: "The Blackbirds in Gardens project will help us understand how Blackbirds use gardens, and the potential effects of the Usutu virus on their population in the UK. "If you have access to a garden, have an interest in garden birds and can recognise a Blackbird by sight, then this survey could be for you!" The survey will run until September and takes 15 minutes to complete. It comes as gardeners have been warned to postpone one common task during Spring. The warning has even been backed by Sir David Attenborough. Top 5 Spring Gardening Jobs *If you click a link in this boxout, we may earn affiliate revenue Nick Grey, Gtech Inventor and CEO shared the tasks to crack on with as Spring arrives. 1. Clean your garden Make sure to clear away all leaves, soil and plant debris from your patios and flower beds; this creates a healthier environment for new growth, especially as we get into the summer months. Gtech's Garden Safety Kit includes durable gardening gloves and safety glasses; perfect for comfortability whilst tackling those outdoor tasks. 2. Weeding Early Spring is the best time to tackle weeds; if you can introduce some regular weeding into your routine, you can guarantee a tidy garden all year round. 3. Hedge maintenance Spring is the ideal time to tidy up overgrown hedges and shrubs, as regular trimming ensures healthy growth and reduces pest issues. Using a tool like the Gtech Lightweight Hedge Trimmer can help to keep your greenery looking sharp and neat. 4. Composting Starting a compost heap this spring is a pro-active, cost-effective way to harness nutritious soil for your plants and recycle organic waste that will benefit the overall health of your greenery and foliage. 5. Look after your lawn Lawn care is hugely important in assuring your garden stays looking beautiful. Make sure to rake away any excess leaves and trim your grass routinely.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Killer mosquito-borne disease threatening English blackbirds
A killer disease called Usutu, first detected in the UK in 2020, is spreading across southern England. The virus, originating from Africa, is particularly harmful to blackbirds, with a 40 per cent population decline observed in Greater London. Usutu is transmitted by mosquitoes, which are becoming more prevalent in northern Europe due to climate change and warmer temperatures. While the virus can also infect horses and humans, the risk to people is considered low. Scientists are monitoring the spread of Usutu, concerned about its potential impact on the UK's blackbird population.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Blackbirds under new threat after new mosquito-born disease arrives in UK
Scientists are racing to monitor the spread of a mosquito-borne disease which has been linked to a decline in the blackbird population. The disease Usutu has spread across much of southern England over the last five years, and is easily transmitted to the songsters. Mosquitos are a growing risk for the UK's wildlife, with longer summers and hotter temperatures due to climate change meaning they are increasingly breeding in northern Europe. Scientists at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have been tracking mosquito-borne diseases in wild birds, with results coming back all clear until 2020. However, after that summer's heatwave, Usutu, which originates from Africa, was detected in several blackbirds in Greater London. "Blackbirds specifically are quite susceptible to the virus and since 2020 we've found a decline in blackbirds of approximately 40% in Greater London," said Dr Arran Folly of APHA. "It gives an indication that in the future we might get other viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes emerging in the UK." The virus was first detected more than 50 years ago around southern Africa's Usutu river, but has since spread around the world. It can also infect horses and occasionally humans, but is regarded as low risk to people. However, over the last five years the disease has spread across much of southern England at a speed that has taken scientists by surprise. It has now been detected in birds as far north as Cambridgeshire, with concerns that it will impact the number of blackbirds in the UK, who are currently one of the commonest garden birds. In other parts of Europe, Usutu has been linked to mass die-offs of blackbirds but this is yet to be the case in the UK. Over the summer months, large numbers of wild birds have been found dead without prior evidence of ill-health, or a short period of lethargy, loss of coordination and seizures.
