Dear Zed , my last and final word about birds is that the Yellow-headed Blackbird and the Redwinged Blackbird , whether in flocks or solemly single are
Not related whatsoever to my well loved blackbirds who are not called blackbirds at all but
Merel, (pr. May-rhol)and have nothing to do with starlings either.
They belong to the
thrush family and they
SING! (Except for deafman's ears.)
They are no pest in lands where they have a healthy set of natural enemies.
Right now at dusk, while writing this post mr. black male
merel sings his heart out ! That can go on for 10 to 12 minutes.
Darn de doofpot!
blackbird sound 
