What Do Baby Blackbirds Eat?

Baby blackbirds don’t eat what older blackbirds eat, as their digestive systems have not properly developed and they are not physically capable of eating such larger foods. If you have a baby blackbird that has fallen out of its nest into your garden that you are trying to feed so that it can grow and eventually leave, then you should stick to the natural foods that it would usually eat. Generally these would include berries and fruit, in small chunks and portions.

You should ensure that you don’t leave any bread or other processed human food around, as these do no good for the bird and can actually be harmful to chicks, if it’s fed to them by their parents.

Berries and fruits aside, the typical food that a baby blackbird will eat is actually worms. Everybody’s heard the stories about cartoon birds eating worms, but that’s true in real life! Worms are easy to obtain and readily available around your home. You simply need to look in your garden, on the grass and in your flower beds to get a hold of them. Failing that, you can actually purchase worms for birds from stores. These are generally sold for putting them in bird feeding devices, but these can be given to a baby blackbird.

If you’re not trying to feed a baby blackbird yourself, and you’re just trying to make sure that the mother bird is providing enough food, then just leave the fruits around the garden. You won’t need to bother about worms, as these will be easy for the mother bird to find.

You can feed them berries and fruit, but don't leave bread or any other processed human food. They are not healthy for birds, and potentially dangerous to chicks if it's fed by the parents.

Along with berries and fruit, blackbirds eat insects and worms, which are readily available in your area, so there isn't any need to provide more.

Keep bird food far away from nests as it can attract predators, and do not attempt to feed, touch or handle the babies.

Best of luck to you!

They would eat worms, fruit and berries.

I found a baby blackbird a couple of days ago.  The parents were there but I couldn't find the nest, I couldn't leave it because it had already been picked up by cats, so I bought it, after about an hour of looking for the nest, home.  He's now eating, at extremely short intervals, meal worms, maggots, rain worms, hard boiled egg yolk and dry cat food soaked and softened.  His motions are a bit loose so I found some drops for this so we'll see.  He's hopping around in his bird cage and is able to hop onto the branches.  Can I feed him raspberries and when should I let him free.  By the way, he's a tail less blackbird at the moment.

Whatever their parents feed them!  You didn't say, but if you've found a baby blackbird and have assumed that it has been abandoned - please watch and wait.  The parents WILL NOT approach the baby if you are around.  So if you can find the patience (I know it's hard) to watch from a distance for a while the parents will most likely come and feed it.  When the baby starts "squawking" mom or dad will appear shortly with food.  The baby won't travel very far for the first day or two after fledgling, so try to stay away from the area it's in.  I know they're cute and irresistible, as are all baby animals, but interfering is doing the baby AND the parents a huge this-service.

Seeds, wet bread, fruit, plants.