{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Common Blackbird	Karoo Thrush
Scientific Name	Turdus merula	Turdus smithi
Order	Passeriformes	Passeriformes
Family	Turdidae	Turdidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	25.0 cm (9.8 in)	—
Wingspan	36.0 cm (14.2 in)	24.4 cm (9.6 in)
Weight	100.0 g (3.53 oz)	73.0 g (2.58 oz)
Diet	Earthworms, insects, berries, and fruit. Forages on the ground, turning over leaf litter. Famously pulls …	--
Clutch Size	3-5	1-4
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length

Common Blackbird 25.0 cm

Karoo Thrush —

Wingspan

Common Blackbird 36.0 cm

Karoo Thrush 24.4 cm

Weight

Common Blackbird 100.0 g

Karoo Thrush 73.0 g

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Common Blackbird only

🌲 Forest 🌾 Grassland

Karoo Thrush only

🏜️ Desert

Common Blackbird

Woodland, hedgerows, gardens, and parks. One of the most common garden birds across Europe.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Common Blackbird

Song

Arguably Britain's finest songster: rich, flute-like phrases with deep, mellow quality. Sings persistently at dusk. Alarm is a sharp 'chook-chook'. Song includes liquid 'pew' notes.

Karoo Thrush

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Common Blackbird

Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Northern populations are migratory.

Karoo Thrush

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Common Blackbird

Least Concern

Karoo Thrush

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Common Blackbird

Plumage

Males are jet black with a bright yellow-orange bill and eye-ring. Females are dark brown with mottled underparts and a dull yellowish bill.

Bill

Bright yellow-orange bill in males, dull brownish in females

Karoo Thrush

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Common Blackbird

The common blackbird is one of Europe's most familiar and best-loved songbirds, celebrated for its rich, fluting song delivered from rooftop and treetop perches at dawn and dusk. Originally a shy woodland bird, it has colonized urban environments over the past two centuries and become one of the most successful urban adapters.

Karoo Thrush

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

American Robin vs Common Blackbird

same-family

Common Starling vs Common Blackbird

look-alike

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

More from Turdidae

Abyssinian Ground-thrush Geokichla piaggiae Abyssinian Thrush Turdus abyssinicus African Thrush Turdus pelios Alpine Thrush Zoothera mollissima All Turdidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants