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Bird✓ Protected species

Blackbird

Turdus merula

What to do NOW

  1. 1One of the most commonly found injured passerines in Italy
  2. 2"Brancher" young (with short tails, hopping on the ground): leave them — the parents will feed them
  3. 3If injured (glass collision, cat attack): dark, quiet box
  4. 4After a glass collision: dark and silence for 1–2 hours — they often recover on their own
  5. 5If not recovered after 2 hours or has neurological signs: contact CRAS

NEVER do this

  • Do not give earthworms or raw meat (infection risk)
  • Do not keep in a cage with cats or other domestic predators
  • Do not release at night — vulnerable to predators in the dark

Important note

Glass collisions are one of the leading causes of blackbird death in urban areas. If the glass is transparent, apply stickers or curtains. Blackbirds attacked by cats often carry bacterial infections from Pasteurella — even without visible wounds, antibiotic prophylaxis from a vet is necessary.

Legal protection

Protected by Law 157/1992.

Also known as

  • common blackbird
  • blackbird male
  • blackbird female

Similar animals

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