What does blackbird mean?
Word: Blackbird
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Blackbird means a common garden bird; the male is black with a bright orange-yellow beak.
How do you spell blackbird?
Syllables: black - bird
Tricky part: This compound joins black and bird. Black keeps its ck at the join, so do not drop the c or the k.
Watch out for: blakbird, blacbird, black-bird
Memory tip: Picture a black bird sitting on a black clock: clock and black both keep the c and the k side by side.
Blackbird in a sentence
Example 1: A blackbird built its nest deep in the hedge by our gate.
Example 2: Every evening a blackbird hops along the wall of our colony garden.
Example 3: Mira drew a blackbird with a bright beak for her nature diary.
Fun Fact
The blackbird belongs to the thrush family, and only the male is truly black. The female is a dull brown, so people often do not realise she is a blackbird at all.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the correctly spelt compound word:
a) woodpeker
b) kingfissher
c) sparowhawk
d) blackbird
Show answer
d) blackbird. Woodpecker needs ck, kingfisher has a single s and sparrowhawk has a double r.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
blackb_r_
a) e, d
b) i, t
c) i, d
d) u, d
Show answer
c) i, d. The second half is the ordinary word bird, spelt with ir like girl and first.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
bllackbird
a) l
b) a
c) b
d) d
Show answer
a) l. The word black has only one l, and it stays that way inside the compound.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
kbcadilrb
a) blackberry
b) blackbird
c) backyard
d) blackboard
Show answer
b) blackbird. Count them: nine letters, with two b's and no o, y or e, fit only blackbird.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does a blackbird often pull out of a lawn to eat?
a) a pebble
b) a dry leaf
c) an earthworm
d) a twig
Show answer
c) an earthworm
2. A male blackbird is best known for ____.
a) its webbed, paddling feet
b) its huge hooked beak
c) its long, bright tail
d) its rich, fluting song
Show answer
d) its rich, fluting song
