Blackbirds in Sweden
When the Blackbird (Turdus merula) is present in Sweden, when it nests, and which native Sweden plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Sweden
- Summer visitor
- Nesting season
- April–July
- Size
- 24 cm, 100 g
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
When to expect blackbirds in Sweden
The Blackbird arrives in Sweden in spring to breed and leaves again in autumn. Short, intense summers with very long days.
Resident in the south; summer visitor further north.
Temperate in the south, boreal across most of the country and subarctic in the far north.
Nesting in Sweden
In Sweden the Blackbird usually nests April–July. Nest site: mud-lined cup in hedges, climbers or sheds. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 13–14 days; chicks fledge after 13–14 days, and pairs raise 2–3 per year.
- The Blackbird does not use enclosed nest boxes — dense native shrubs and climbers give it nest sites.
- Avoid cutting hedges during the nesting season (roughly March to August) — in the UK, disturbing an active nest is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Native Sweden plants for blackbirds
Of the native plants we track for Sweden, these 8 provide food the Blackbird uses:
Haws feed thrushes all winter; spring blossom supports hundreds of insect species.
Orange-red berries are a magnet for Blackbirds, thrushes and Waxwings from August.
Late-winter berries when little else is left, plus dense nesting cover.
Late-summer berries taken by Blackcaps and thrushes.
Thorny cover that protects nests; early blossom for insects.
Hips persist into winter for thrushes and finches.
Translucent red berries in autumn.
Pink-orange fruit eaten by Robins and thrushes.
Feeding in the garden
Earthworms and insects; fruit in autumn and winter.
- Best foods: Soaked sultanas, Apples, Mealworms, Suet pellets.
- Feeders: Ground tray, Open table.
- Windfall apples left on the lawn feed Blackbirds, Redwings and Fieldfares in hard weather.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are blackbirds in Sweden all year?
No. The Blackbird is a summer visitor to Sweden, arriving to breed and leaving in autumn. Resident in the south; summer visitor further north.
When do blackbirds nest in Sweden?
Typically April–July. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 13–14 days, with 2–3 per year.
Which native plants help blackbirds in Sweden?
Hawthorn, Rowan, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Dog rose, Guelder rose, Spindle are native to Sweden and provide food or cover the Blackbird uses.
Blackbirds in other countries
Other garden birds in Sweden
Sources
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.