Concise Bird Guide
Page 9
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurio
Length 17cm. Male with a rufous back, white-edged black tail, grey crown and black eyestripe. Female duller with a dark brown smudge through the eye and finely barred below. Breeds in hedges and forest edges, often near thorn bushes. Winters in Africa. Extinct as a breeding bird in Britain, occurring only on coast in small numbers on migration.
Jay
Garrulus glandarius
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
34cm. Striking bird with a pale eye, black moustaches and blue-and-black wing-flash. Streaked feathers on forehead often raised in crest. White rump obvious in flight.
VOICE
Call a noisy screeching ‘kscharch’.
HABITAT
Forests and parks throughout Europe. Often best seen in autumn when storing food.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats seeds, fruits, birds’ eggs, nestlings and insects. Buries acorns and beechnuts. Nest a shallow twiggy cup in the fork of a tree.
Magpie
Pica pica
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
44cm, of which 20–30cm is tail. Wings metallic blue-black, and long and round-tipped tail has a metallic-green sheen. Male larger than female, and tends to have a longer tail. Flight often a series of jerky flaps interspersed with swooping glides.
VOICE
Noisy alarm call is a staccato rattle; also utters a variety of bisyllabic calls.
HABITAT
Breeds around farms and villages, and in hedgerows. Increasingly common in urban areas. Occurs across Europe except Iceland, northernmost Scotland and far north of Norway.
FOOD AND HABITS
Omnivorous; feeds on seeds, insects, carrion (often seen feeding on roadside casualties), nestlings and eggs. Nest a dome of twigs high in a tree.
Jackdaw
Corvus monedula
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
33cm. Nape is grey and eye has a very pale iris. In flight, wingbeats are faster and deeper than Carrion Crow’s. Struts as it walks. Flies in flocks almost as densely as pigeons.
VOICE
Calls a metallic high-pitched ‘kya’ and ‘chak’.
HABITAT
Found in fields, woods, farmland and towns across Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds on invertebrates, eggs, nestlings and grains. Breeds in tree hollows or on ledges of buildings and cliffs, in pairs or small colonies.
Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Length 39cm. Relatively slender crow with metallic black plumage, red legs and a slightly decurved red bill. Juvenile has an orange-yellow bill. ‘Sneezing’ call, ‘keeach’. In Europe occurs in high mountain areas in south, and on coastal cliffs with adjoining meadows in west. Non-migratory resident in range. Scarce in Britain and found only on west coasts, although has recently recolonized Cornwall.
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornis
Length 47cm. Grey underparts and back. Similar voice and habits to Carrion Crow, which it replaces in eastern and northern Europe. In Britain common in north-west Scotland and Ireland, and rare on east coast of England.
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
47cm. Totally black with a stout bill. Upper leg feathers neatly close-fitting. Juvenile much like adult, but duller.
VOICE
Call a croaking ‘krra-kra-kraa’.
HABITAT
A wide variety of habitats, from coast to mountains and towns, throughout western and central Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Omnivorous; feeds on carrion, nestlings and eggs, grain and insects. Not colonial. Nest a bulky twig structure high up in tree canopy.
Rook
Corvus frugilegus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
46cm. Large black bird with ‘ragged trousered’ appearance. Bare face patch makes the bill seem very long. Purple gloss to plumage. Juvenile has an all-dark face.
VOICE
Calls coarse and nasal ‘gaah’ and “grah”.
HABITAT
Farmland, both pasture and arable, with trees for nesting. Year-round resident in most of Europe, but summer visitor in north and winter visitor in south.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats mostly vegetable matter, seeds, roots, cereals and fruits; also a variety of animal food. Breeds in colonies, erecting bulky twig nests in trees.
Raven
Corvus corax
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
61cm. Largest crow and largest passerine. Heavy head has shaggy throat feathers and a huge bill. In flight shows broad heavily fingered wings, a protruding head and a wedge-shaped tail.
VOICE
Calls deep and croaking ‘korrrk’, ‘klong’ and repetitive ‘korrp korrp korrp’.
HABITAT
Coastal, forest and mountain areas year-round in much of Europe, though largely absent from central Europe. In Britain found only in west and Ireland.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds on carrion, as well as small mammals, birds, molluscs and vegetable matter. Builds a bulky nest from twigs in a tree or on a rocky ledge.
Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
21cm. Short tail and neck, upright stance, pink legs, white spots and metallic green shine. Non-breeding plumage has clear pale spots, which are reduced in breeding male. Breeding male also has a yellow bill; bill otherwise blackish. In flight, has an arrowhead profile. Flocks fly in tight formation. Juvenile grey-brown.
VOICE
Versatile mimic of other birds. Calls are creaky twitters, chirps, clicks and whistles.
HABITAT
Widespread throughout Europe in all habitats, particularly human settlements.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats berries, seeds and fruits. Breeds in holes. Outside breeding season roosts in huge flocks in city buildings and trees.
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
15cm. Male has a grey cap and grey breast, with an extensive black throat-patch. Female has a pale brown cap and buff eyestripe. Wings of both sexes have small white wingbars.
VOICE
Monotonous chirps; song a sequence of ‘tshilp’ and ‘tshurrp’ calls.
HABITAT
Completely linked to humans. Found in towns, villages and farmland near human habitation. Common but declining.
FOOD AND HABITS
Omnivorous; feeds on seeds and insects, as well as bread and other food left by humans. Breeds mostly on buildings. In winter flocks feed in fields.
Tree Sparrow
Passer montanus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
13cm. Sexes look similar. Distinguished from male House Sparrow by chestnut crown and nape, white cheeks, small neat black bib and black spot behind the eye.
VOICE
Song more musical than House Sparrow’s.
HABITAT
Farmland and suburbs, but not a town bird. In winter flocks to feed in stubble fields with finches and buntings. Widespread and common in some parts of Europe. Increasingly scarce in Britain.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds mainly on weed seeds and corn; also insects and spiders. Nests in holes in trees.
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
15cm. In winter blue-grey of head and pink of breast in male are subdued. Female similar to female House Sparrow. Two white bars on each wing.
VOICE
Call a sharp ‘pink’; flight call a softer ‘yupp’. Song a loud ringing trill that becomes lower, ends in a flourish and is then repeated.
HABITAT
Breeds in all types of woodland, and in parks and gardens. Flocks form in autumn. British Chaffinches are resident, but birds from elsewhere in Europe may winter in Britain.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats fruits and seeds, and also ins
ects during breeding season. Nest a neat cup of moss, grass and feathers bound with spiders’ webs, usually built in a tree fork.
Brambling
Fringilla montifringilla
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
15cm. In all plumages has an orange breast and a large white patch on the rump and lower back. Breeding male has a black head and bill. Female always has a brown-grey head.
VOICE
Call a rasping ‘zwee-ik’. Song simple and monotonous, like a distant saw, ‘rrrrrhoo’.
HABITAT
Breeds in north European forests. Occurs widely as a winter visitor in beech forests south to Mediterranean.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds on beechmast, seeds and berries, and insects in summer. Nest a deep cup of moss, grass and hair, lined with feathers and wool, and decorated with bark and lichen; usually built in a tree fork.
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustes
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
18cm. Big head, huge bill and short tail. Bill is blue-black in summer, becoming brown in winter. Male’s flight feathers are black, female’s secondaries are grey. In flight, white wingbars are visible.
VOICE
Call a sharp ‘tic’. Song a soft series of ‘zih’ and ‘zri’ notes.
HABITAT
Deciduous and mixed woodland. More widespread and confiding on the Continent than in Britain.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds on seeds, cherry stones and nuts. Nest a bulky twig platform high in tree canopy.
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
16cm. Compact bull-necked finch with a black cap. Male has a rosy red breast, grey back, white rump and black tail. Female has a pale brown breast. Juvenile has a grey-brown head and breast. White wingbars of both sexes show in flight, which is fast and undulating.
VOICE
Call a soft and sad fluted whistle.
HABITAT
Mixed woodland, parks, large gardens and churchyards. Feeds in orchards and gardens. Widespread and resident throughout Europe except far south.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds on buds and seeds, and insects in breeding season. Nest a shallow platform of twigs built in a shrub.
Linnet
Carduelis cannabina
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
13cm. Breeding male has a crimson forehead and breast, and a chestnut mantle. Winter male resembles female.
VOICE
Canary-like song is a pleasant twitter consisting of chirping and rolling sounds, sung from the top of a bush.
HABITAT
Open fields with bushes and waste ground. Farmland and coasts in winter. Widespread throughout most of Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Mostly eats seeds and arable weeds. Often breeds in loose colonies. Nest a grassy cup well hidden in a shrub. Common but declining due to changes in agricultural practices.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Twite (C. flavirostris). 13cm long. Highland version of Linnet. Sexes very similar; male may have a faint pinkish-tinged rump. Bill yellow in non-breeding birds, blackish in breeding phase. In Britain breeds on moorlands of Scottish Highlands, northern England and north Wales. In winter found near coast in Scotland and eastern England. Forms large flocks outside the breeding season.
Lesser Redpoll
Carduelis caberet
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
12cm. Greyish-brown and dark-streaked with a red forehead and small black bib; small broad bill. Adult male has a red upper breast. Wings have faint wingbars. Juveniles lack red head.
VOICE
Flight call a hard metallic ‘chet-chet-chet’.
HABITAT
Breeds in forests (especially birch) and on heaths from Britain to southern Scandinavia and western central Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds in flocks, searching among tips of birch trees for seeds. Nest a neat cup high in a tree.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Mealy Redpoll (C. flammea), 13cm. Paler and less brown than Lesser Redpoll. Rare winter visitor to north and east of Britain.
Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
13cm. Red face, white cheeks and throat, black cap and black-and-gold wings. In flight wings show broad golden bands, and white rump and black tail are visible. Sexes alike, but juvenile has a brown-streaked head.
VOICE
Cheerful trisyllabic ‘tickelitt’ call. Song a series of rapid trills and twitters.
HABITAT
Open lowland woodland, heaths, orchards and gardens in most of Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats seeds and berries. Favours teasels and thistle heads. Nest made of hair and rootlets; positioned high in canopy.
Greenfinch
Carduelis chloris
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
15cm. Summer male olive-green, merging into grey-green on the face, wings and flanks; bright yellow wing feathers on sides of tail. Female and juvenile paler with streaking, stronger in latter. Bouncing undulating flight.
VOICE
Flight call a sharp ‘burrurrup’. Song a wheezy sequence of twitters and whistles.
HABITAT
Breeds in woodland edges, open woodland, parks, gardens and farmland with hedges. Year round in much of Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Eats seeds and berries, and some insects during breeding season. Visits garden bird tables. Nest a cup of grass, twigs and moss in a tree or bush.
Siskin
Carduelis spinus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
12cm. Dark-streaked greenish-yellow plumage. Male yellower than female, with a black cap and bib. Wingbars in both sexes are yellow, and male’s tail has yellow patches on either side. Tail deeply notched. Flight flitting and uneven.
VOICE
Flight call either a descending ‘tilu’ or a rising ‘tlui’; twittery and trilling song.
HABITAT
Coniferous and mixed forests in winter in much of Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Seeds of trees. Nest a cup of twigs high up in a tree, usually a conifer.
Serin
Serinus serinus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
11cm. Smallest finch, with a tiny conical bill. Male yellow-green with dark streaks, a bright yellow head and breast, and a yellow rump; breast becomes brighter as it wears. Female rather duller.
VOICE
Song has a jingling quality.
HABITAT
Gardens, parks and churchyards. Rare in Britain, breeding very occasionally, mostly in Devon, Dorset and East Anglia; common in central and southern Europe.
FOOD AND HABITS
Mostly eats plant seeds, including alder and birch seeds. Nest a tiny cup of grass and moss high up in a tree.
Common Crossbill
Loxia curvirostra
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
16cm. Sturdy, with a crossed bill-tip adapted to feed on spruce cones. Adult male an unmistakable red all over. Female smooth dull green or almost brown. Juvenile streaked; young male with less red than adult.
VOICE
Call a liquid ‘chip chip chip’. Song similar to Greenfinch’s, with chirping and trilling.
HABITAT
Fir and spruce forests in much of Europe. Also breeds in winter in some parts of range.
FOOD AND HABITS
Feeds on pine seeds. Nest a flat twiggy platform high up in a tree.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Scottish Crossbill (L. scotica) 16.5cm long. Very similar to Common Crossbill, but with a slightly longer bill. Confined to Caledonian pine forest in northern Scotland.
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandra
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
18cm. Large plain bunting that is brown with dark streaks. No white markings.
VOICE
Distinctive monotonous jangling song is high-p
itched, likened to keys being jingled.
HABITAT
Farmland, arable land and grassland with bushes and hedges across much of Europe except far north.
FOOD AND HABITS
Mostly eats seeds, corn, fruits and other vegetable matter; also insects and earthworms. Very sedentary. Sings from a prominent perch. Nest a grassy cup well hidden on the ground.
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis
Length 17cm. Male becomes progressively whiter with the approach of spring. Breeds on tundra. Winters on fields and dunes around North Sea and northern Black Sea. In Britain mainly a winter visitor to coast, especially in north and east.
Lapland Bunting
Calcarius lapponicus
Length 15cm. Breeding male has a strikingly marked head; head much paler in female and non-breeding birds. Breeds on northern tundra. Winters on dunes and fields around North Sea and northern Black Sea. Scarce visitor to Britain, principally to coastal locations in autumn and sometimes spring.
Cirl Bunting
Emberiza cirlus
Length 15cm. Male has a striking black-and-yellow face pattern. Female paler and less boldly patterned. Breeds in southern and south-western Europe. Very rare in Britain, breeding in a few rural areas in south-west England.
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
16cm. Male has a vivid yellow head, brown-streaked back and chestnut rump. Female is duller.