Bird Information True Thrushes are medium-sized insectivore birds from the genus Turdus, of the Thrush family, Turdidae. They are known to have a cosmopolitan distribution, meaning the genus can be found across most countries, if not the entire planet. Several species are known to be migratory.
The Common Blackbird Aka Turdus merula, Eurasian Blackbird, the Woosell Cocke or the Ouzel (Old English names). Appearance: Males have a fine black plumage with a yellow bill and eye ring; females are a dark brown with paler throats and breasts. The young are a reddish-brown with spotting on the under parts. Adults are 25cm long in length. Habitat: Woodland undergrowth; common in gardens, parks and cemeteries. It can be found in Europe, Asia, and Africa and has now been introduced to Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Breeding: Two to three broods annually (March to August), three to five blue-green eggs speckled finely in brown. Nests made of stems and roots, strengthened with damp earth, pieces of plastic and other human waste products. Food: Mainly earthworms, as well as snails, insects and spiders. They also eat a number of berries and other fruits. Info: Blackbirds are one of the most common of songbirds; they are known to confidently hop around on the ground unlike other songbirds such as the starling. Originally purely woodland birds they’ve adapted exceptionally to living in urban areas. Blackbirds are known to sing at the break of dawn perching on treetops, roofs, TV aerials and chimney pots from spring to winter. Both sexes are exceptionally territorial around breeding times and display very distinctive calls when their nests appear threatened, bold enough to attack even birds of pray to save their young. Culturally: • The common blackbird was known as a sacred but destructive bird in Classical Greek Folklore, it was said to die if it consumed a pomegranate. • In medieval times live birds such as the Blackbird were placed alive within the crust of a pie just before the serving, to be released in a flurry once the pie was cut open, this inspired the nursery rhyme of ‘Sing a song of Sixpence’ • In the Christmas carol The Twelve days of Christmas the “Four calling birds” were originally believed to be written as four ‘Colly birds’, an archaism meaning as black as coal, the old nickname for the blackbird. • It’s the national bird of Sweden, featured on Christmas postage stamps.
Turdidae
family continued
Song Thrush Aka Turdus philomelos, Throstle and Mavis Appearance: Brown upper parts and cream-coloured under parts heavily spotted. During flight it’s orange-yellow under wings are revealed. Very little difference between sexes, just smaller than a blackbird at 23cm in length. Young are similar in appearance once feathers have fully grown. Habitat: Woodland and copses with shrub layers: commonly seen in parks and gardens. It can be found in most of Europe bar Iceland and Peninsula. Spends winter in Southern Europe and North Africa.
Breeding: Double brooded (March to July), three to six striking pale blue eggs with dark spots. The nests are strong bowl-shaped structures lined with mud and rotten wood, usually found within the branches of young trees. Food: Worms, snails, insects, various berries and fruit. Info: Sings in the early hours of morning then again in the evenings. Has the ingrained skill of cracking snail shells open on rocks, this is called the ‘thrushes’ anvil’. Culturally: • Up to the late nineteenth century the thrush has been caged as a pet for it’s melodic call, as well as being hunted for food throughout parts of Europe. • The Philomelos of its Latin name refers to the Greek myth of Philomela who had her tongue cut out, but was later turned into a singing bird, and in tern her name translates from Ancient Greek to mean ‘loving song’.
Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae) are a large-scale family of small
insectivores, and as the name implies they take their prey on the wing. They live in almost every kind of environment along as there is a suitable supply of trees. The robin is known specifically as a chat, originally placed in the thrush family it’s now considered as part of the old world flycatcher family.
The Robin
Aka European robin, the Gardener’s Friend, Robin Redbreast Appearance: Large black eyes, upper parts uniform olive-brown, forehead, throat and breast bright brick red. Males and females are similar in appearance. Small in stature, being on average 14cm in length. Smaller than a Sparrow, but with much longer legs. The young are heavily spotted with no visible red. Habitat: Wood undergrowth, copses, scrubs, parks and gardens with sufficient tree coverage, living in villages and towns. Prefers to live within damp areas. It can be found across Europe, East to Western Siberia, North and South Africa. Breeding: Double brooded (April to July), four to six pale eggs. The nests are cup-shaped made from stalks, leaves and moss. Usually made near the ground in-between tree roots or within low tree hollows. Food: Insects and their larvae, spiders, worms; during the autumn period a variety of berries. Info: Robins are known to have magneto-reception, an ability to sense the magnetic field of the earth for navigation. The birds are overall very tame, often appearing when the garden is freshly dug to eat the unearthed worms. They will stay solitary and unsociable to other birds; they also have quite violent natures killing other robins for territory. Culturally: • Robins feature prominently in British and French folklore; one particular belief being the robin gained its colour from sitting by a bleeding Jesus on the cross. • It was believed to be a storm-cloud bird, sacred to Norse god Thor. • In recent times the bird has become synonymous with Christmas, appearing on cards and stamps since the 19th century onwards. • The Christmas connection likely comes from Victorian postmen wearing red jackets and being nicknamed ‘The Robins’. • In the 1960’s The Times had a publicised a vote adopting the robin as the unofficial national bird of the UK. • The small bird is the symbol of a number of football clubs such as Bristol city, selected likely to represent the darting abilities of the players on the field.
The Hirundinidae family of birds characterised by their adaption to aerial feed. This family is subdivided into two subfamilies: the Pseudochelidoninae family, river martins of the genus Pseudochelidon and the Hirundininae family, comprised of the other types of martins as well as swallows. Martins are square tailed and swallows are fork tailed. There’s 83 known species within the entire family.
The Swallow Aka Hirundo rustica, bird of freedom Appearance: Forehead, chin and throat are chestnut red, upper parts a glossy blue-black with pale white spots on tail. Under parts white with grey breast. Extremely graceful and agile within its flight, it’s pointed fork tail making it highly recognisable. In terms of size it’s 19cm in length, making it similar in size to that of a house sparrow. The young are paler and shorter versions of the adults with grey-brown breast bands. Habitat: They nest within villages, farm buildings and at the edges of towns; any shelter with a roof corner to set up a nest within. Swallows have cosmopolitan distribution; they’re believed to have originated from Africa as hole-nesters and now can be found almost everywhere (one genus or another). Breeding: Double-brooded (May to September), four to six elongated eggs, light pink with red speckles. The nests are constructed from mud and straw, attached to the inside of building walls. Food: They are known to catch insects over meadows and fields, parks, gardens and in bad weather over lakes; wherever insects are found to swarm. Info: Like the house martin they collect small pellets of mud within their bills, and gradually build up their nests. They’re able to take drinks in flight by scooping along the surfaces of lakes. They’re very sociable birds, normally gathering in the autumn months in large flocks to roost in reed beds. Culturally: • Swallows are beneficial in their role as insect-eaters, and so are tolerated for their nesting within human habitats; some swallows are actively encouraged with nest boxes erected within buildings. • The Roman historian Pliny the Elder recorded Swallows being used as delivery birds, giving reports on the winning horses of the racing events at the time. • Within the nineteenth century Jean Desbouvrie aimed to use swallows as an alternative to war pigeons for the French Government, by attempting to curb their migratory instincts, however his experiments were eventually stalled. • Siling superstition has it that swallows are a good omen out at sea; their appearance does indeed show land to be close. • Named the bird of freedom, as it’s unable to endure being within captivity. • A collective group of swallows is known as a “flight” or a “sweep”.
The Motacillidae is the wagtail family, including pipits and longclaws. They are mainly small passerine birds breeding in most of Europe, Asia and parts of North Africa. Most Motacillidae ground feeding insectivores , nesting as well on the ground (except forthe forest wagtail).
Pied Wagtail Aka Moctacilla alba Appearance: Black on the throat, at the back of head, along the tail and bill. White face and wing bars, dark grey back and light grey under parts. Females and young are paler, as are the males during the winter period. 18cm in length, similar in size to that of a house sparrow.
Habitat: Varied range of open habitats, usually near water and within distance to towns and villages, gardens and playing fields. Found throughout Europe, including mountain regions. Breeding: Double brooded (April to August), five to six pale grey eggs, thickly speckled in dark brown. The nests are usually untidy constructs made of leaves, stems and moss, often within recess or open holes in buildings, on weirs (river barriers), in sheds or amongst woodpiles. Food: Grubs and spiders, beetles, dragonflies, snails; insects disturbed by the movement of grazing animals, such as the flies found on cows. Info: The Pied Wagtail constantly wags its long tail, usually found running sporadically across the ground whilst jerking its head. Their known to often attack their own reflections in windows and car mirrors, mistaking them for competitors for territory and mates. Culturally: • They’ve adapted well to human changes to their environment living within manmade structures • In a Japanese Ainu creation story a water wagtail is sent to help create habitable land within a watery world below.
The New World Troglodytidae family holds all the genus of wren; they’re mainly small, brownish passerine birds. There are about eighty true species of true wren within roughly twenty genera’s.
The Wren
Aka Troglodytes troglodytes, the King of birds. Appearance: One of the smallest European birds at 9.5cm in length, they’re tiny and round in shape. A plumage of brown, finely banded: short tail often cocked upwards. Young are similar in appearance once feathers have fully grown. Habitat: Living within the undergrowth of woods, thickets and tangles. Seen in thick hedges especially, within parks and gardens. Wrens can be found within the whole of Europe except for the far north. Breeding: Double brooded (April to July), five to seven whitish eggs, with delicate speckles of red. Food: Their diet consists mainly of insects and spiders; they’re also been known to eat vegetable matter, small frogs and lizards. Info: Their songs are often loud and complex; sometimes a pair will preform a duet. They search for its food mostly near to the ground, often in areas close to water. Culturally: • Killing a wren or disturbing its nest is associated with having bad fortune. • Wren day, celebrated within Ireland on St. Stephen’s Day, the 26th of December, a fake wren is paraded around town perched on a decorative pole, in the past real birds were used for this purpose. The origin for this tradition may be as a sign of revenge for the betrayal of Saint Stephan by a noisy wren whilst hiding from his enemies with inside a bush. • The Eurasian wren is considered “the King of birds” within parts of Europe. • Since 1948 the Carolina wren has been the state’s bird, and features on the Carolina state quarter, the British farthing (old money) also featured a wren.
The Cinclidae family holds the genus of Cinclus, with Dippers forming it’s members. Named dippers due to their bobbing and dipping head movements. They are unique amongst the other passerine birds for their ability to dive and swim. There are now sadly thirteen extant and extinct subspecies of the dipper.
The White-throated Dipper Aka Cinclus cinclus, European Dipper, Dipper Appearance: Dark brown with a white bib, plump in shape and short tailed, 18cm long win length. The young are much paler lacking the clear bib. Habitat: Lives near clear, fast-flowing streams and rivers, occasionally within villages and towns. Found in Britain as well as throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Breeding: Double brooded (March to July), four to five white eggs. Their nests are normally composed of moss, leaves and dead grass. They nest by the water within large wren like nests, built usually within the cracks or the hollows of rocks, sometimes within the supports of bridges and in rare cases within trees. The young will then be dropped within the water from very early on. Food: Aquatic insects and their larvae, especially caddis flies, beetles, fish and small amphibians. It also has a particular taste for Gammarus, a type of shrimp. Info: During courtship the male will sing whilst running and posturing, showing off his snowy white breast. It will walk into the water submerging its head and using it’s strong feet to anchor itself in place, with this it’s able to eat such aquatic life as caddis worms, larvae, beetles and freshwater molluscs. It’s also a very capable swimmer using its wings to propel it through the water; this also allows it to catch fish and small amphibians. Culturally: • The white-throated dipper is Norway’s National bird • The genus name Cinclus derives from the Greek word Kinklos meaning small tailedwagging bird living near water.
The Paridae family constitutes of tits, chickadees and the titmice. This is a large family of small passerine birds, which occur mainly within the Northern Hemisphere and Africa. Most are classified in the genus Parus. The word ‘tit’ is used to denote something small. They mainly share small, stocky shapes (ranging between 10 to 22cm in length) and stout bills, some even having crests.
Blue tit Aka Parus caerulus. Eurasian blue tit. Appearance: Blue and yellow plumage, with white face and black stripes across eyes and throat. They’re smaller then their relatives the great tit at 11.5cm in length. Young have a light brown and yellow plumage, with brown stripes. Habitat: Conifers and mixed woodlands as well as in parks and large gardens. Found throughout most of Europe, absent however from Iceland, Scandinavia and Italy. Breeding: One to two broods (April to June), ranging from seven to fourteen white eggs with red spots. Felt like nests of moss, wool, hair and feathers within tree holes, nest boxes, hole in the walls and even letterboxes. Food: They eat insects, spiders, seeds, nuts and suet. Often seen eating from bird feeders. Info: Able to hang skilfully upside down to gain food, easily attracted to gardens by food and nest boxes. They’re non-migratory birds so can be seen all year. Blue tits are known to host mites within their feathers, the mites live off the dead feather tissue. Culturally: • Blue tits appear commonly on stamps and in ornaments due to their attractive appearance
• •
With milk bottles being delivered and left outside doorways the blue tits learnt to peck through the lids and eat the cream underneath. The instinct to strip bark from trees to find insects has lead them having a tendency to peel and damage building materials such thatch and window putty.
The Sturnidae
family is made up of small to medium-sized passerine birds known as Starlings. Sturnidae derides from the Latin word Sturnus meaning Starling. Many of the Asian species, the large ones in particular are called Mynas. African species are known as ‘glossy starlings’ due to their iridescent plumage. Starlings are native to the Old world, from Europe, to Asia and Africa.
Starling Aka Sturnus vulgaris, the Common starling, the European starling. Appearance: Glossy black plumage with faded white speckles dotted about them, iridescent feathers of violet and green and a pale blue base. Females are less iridescent, have stronger spotting, pale irises and a pinkish base. In winter starlings are heavily spotted white, the spots grow out again by the spring, the bill is darker in winter as well. Just smaller than a blackbird at 21cm in length. The young are a dull grey-brown. Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woods, copses; commonly seen within parks and in gardens on old trees suitable for nesting. Starlings exist throughout all of Europe bar Peninsula where they only visit in winter. They have also been found to migrate to other Mediterranean countries. Breeding: One to two broods annually (April to July), four to seven greenish blue eggs. The starling’s nests are usually untidy constructs of stalks and leaves; built in both natural and artificial environments of tree holes and nest boxes. Food: They are omnivores by nature eating insects, worms, snails, seeds, berries and fruit. Info: It’s a noisy bird with an unmusical call; it does however posses the ability to mimic other birds, as well as car alarms and even human speech patterns. A flock of starlings is known as a murmification, these flocks may contain a number of species of starling. The sociality of the starling is proven by them flocking in their thousands even within nonbreeding seasons. Culturally: • Its number has been in decline in Britain due to there being less grassland invertebrates to eat, globally however there seems to be no decline in numbers with it being classified as non-concern by the union of conservation. • Mozart was said to have a pet starling apparently teaching it part of his Piano Concerto in G major.
The Corvidea family (aka the crow family, Corvids) is a cosmopolitan collection of oscine passerine, medium to large sized birds. The family includes crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, coughs and nutcrackers. Over 120 species recorded, the genus Corvus includes a third of the family with jackdaws, ravens and crows. They are considered to be the most intelligent of birds, as well as some of the smartest of all animals. Demonstrating self-awareness when presented the mirror test as well tool-making abilities, something until now only associated with humans and other higher mammals. The brain-to-body mass ratio is equivalent to that of great apes and cetaceans (whales), and only slightly lower as to humans.
The Jay Aka Garrulus Glandarius, Eurasian Jay
Appearance: Reddish-brown plumage with blue and black barred markings on the wings. Grey bill and black markings on head. Smaller than a Carrion Crow at 34cm in length. Young jays are smaller versions of the adults. Habitat: Lives within deciduous and mixed woodlands: frequently seen in parks and large gardens with high, aged trees. Found within most of Europe bar Iceland and northern Scandinavia. Breeding: Single brooded (April to June), four to six blue-green or olive-brown eggs, with brownish flecking and spotting. Small twig nests lined with grass and lichen, usually well concealed within bushes and trees. Food: Acorns, hazel nuts, beechmast and insects; during spring they eat bird eggs and chicks. Info: As a rather shy bird it’s often difficult see, as it remains hidden, especially in breeding seasons. In autumn sightings are more obvious with them carrying acorns and in winter when they use woodland feeding stations. In migration it roams in small flocks over the continent. Culturally:
The Corvidea family continued Magpie Aka Pica Pica Appearance: Striking black and white plumage, grey bill and long graduated tail, on close inspection the bird’s feathers are iridescent with green and purples visible. Smaller in size than a Carrion Crow at 44 to 48 cm long. The young are similar in appearance, only rougher with less then sleek feathers and short tails. Habitat: Open countryside with copses and hedges, seen within towns and villages in tall trees; in parks, gardens and cemeteries. Wherever trees can be found, even in busy cities. Found throughout the whole of Europe except Iceland. Breeding: Single brooded (April to May), five to eight bluish-green eggs. Nests are domeshaped roofed constructs made of tree twigs, the bases of the nests are made of roots and earth. Food: As Omnivores they eat plant life, but they generally feast on snails, worms, insects and the eggs and chicks of other birds as well as carrion. Info: Magpies run with a somewhat swaggering gait. Culturally:
The True Finches (Fringillidae) are a small to medium-sized family of passerine birds. Finches have stout conical (cone shaped) bills, naturally adapted for eating seeds; they also often have colourful plumages. They have a worldwide distribution bar Australia, able to occupy a good range of habitats.
Goldfinch Aka Carduelis carduelis, European goldfinch Appearance: Black, white and red head markings. Chestnut brown back, with black and white spotted wings with yellow bars. Creamy toffee under parts, white rumps and a light pink bill. Females have a smaller red area on their faces. Smaller than a House Sparrow at 13 cm long. Habitat: Lives amongst Orchids, in villages with tall deciduous trees, parks and gardens. During winter it’s more commonly found within the open countryside. Lives mainly in the south of Europe. Breeding: Double brooded (May to August), four to six reddish-patterned eggs. Nests carefully constructed to have thick walls of plant wool, stems and moss. Usually found quite high up in trees and bushes. Food: Living on a diet of seeds, buds and insects.
Info: In winter goldfinches tend to group together to form flocks of up to forty, often seen along road verges extracting seeds from thistles with their pointed bills. Culturally: • Goldfinches are often depicted in Italian renaissance paintings of the Madonna and Child. As the goldfinch eats thistle seeds, in Christian symbolism this associates it with Christ’s crown of thorns and in turn his passion, and so the goldfinch represents foreknowledge of the event in the paintings of Christ as a child, considered as the “saviour” bird. • The goldfinch is also an emblem of endurance, fruitfulness and persistence, it’s also associated with Saint Jerome. • Antonio Vivaldi composed a Concerto in D major titled “II Dardellino”, imitating the song of the goldfinch on the flute. • John Keats’s poem ‘I stood tip-toe upon a little hill…’ features heavily a Goldfinch described as one of the natural “luxuries”.
The Coraciiformes are an order of small to medium sized colourful birds including kingfishers, bee-eaters and Todies. In general they have syndactyly, giving them three forward pointing toes (with the third and forth toe fusing). This is mainly comprised of an old world order with a few dozen new world Todies and Motmots, the rest being ninety species of Kingfisher. Coraciiformes translates from latin to mean Raven-like, however ravens themselves belong the Passeriformes order.
The Kingfisher Aka Alcedo atthis Appearance: Turquoise-blue and orange-chestnut colouration. Long pointed bills and short tails. Females have a Habitat: Clear streams and rivers, with fringing vegetation and steep banks to provide a suitable area for a nest site. Outside of breeding season they live on types of water body including within park lakes. Breeding: two to three broods a year (April to August), five to seven white eggs. Kingfishers excavate horizontal tunnels up to a metre long with an enlarged nest chamber at the end. Food: They have a diet of small fish, larvae of aquatic insects and frogs. Info: Kingfishers will often sit motionless on a perch over water waiting to spot fish below, they will then use their bills to penetrate the water and catch their meal. Culturally:
The Picidae family are a group of near-passerine birds consisting of piculets, wrynecks, sapsuckers and woodpeckers. Members of the family can be found worldwide bar Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand and Madagascar. Most species live in forests and woodlands, although some can be found living in treeless areas, such as rocky hillsides and deserts. There are two-hundred species known within thirty genera, many species are threatened or endangered due to loss of habitat. The Genus Dendrocopos is a widespread group of woodpeckers from Asia, Europe and Nothern Africa. They are known to range from the phillipines to the British Isles.
Great spotted Woodpecker Aka Dendrocopos major
Appearance: Black, white and red plumage, striking white shoulder patches and a bright red under tail coverts. Females are without the red patch on their napes. They’re just smaller than the blackbird at 23cm long. The young have a red crown and pale pinky-red under tails. Habitat: They live in all types of woodland, favouring oaks and hornbeams, commonly seen in parks and gardens with tall trees, seen even within cities. They almost live across the whole of Europe except for Iceland, Ireland and the far north. Breeding: Single brooded (May to June), four to seven white eggs. Great Spotted Woodpeckers excavate new nest holes annually and therefore create future nesting sites for other birds and mammals. Food: Diet consists of wood-dwelling insects and their larvae, beetles and moths; tree saps; eggs and young birds by chiselling through nest boxes. In winter they’ll eat conifer seeds, nuts and fat. Info: The drumming has a similar function to song in proclaiming territory. Nut’s wedged in bark crevices is a sign of the birds presence, these are known as ‘woodpecker anvils’ as they are used to help hold the food while the bird breaks it apart. Culturally:
The Order of Stingiformes includes around two hundred species of mostly solitary nocturnal birds of prey, usually large in size with binocular vision and binaural hearing. They also tend to have sharp talons and feathers adapted for silent flight. Owls form two families, the true owls (the Strigidae) and the barn-owls (the Tytonidae). Owls are found within all the regions of Earth except from Antarctica, some have even been seen on remote islands. Barn Owl Aka Tyto alba Appearance: Pale white feather plumage, upperparts golden brown; long legs. The facial disk is heart-shaped and relatively small with black eyes. Upper-parts are golden brown whilst underparts are yellowish-white, sometimes marked with tear-shaped spots. Similar in size to that of a feral pigeon at 35cm in length. Habitat: the barn owl can live on various types of farmland close to human settlement, hunting along open corridors of grass verges. They can be found all across Europe bar the east, Iceland and Scandinavia. Breeding: one to two broods (April to September), four to seven white eggs. They nest in holes within roof spaces, church towers and barnyards. Food: their diet consists of voles and field mice, small birds, frogs, insects as well as shrews, if there is a shortage of other prey. Info: during winter the population of barn owls suffers large losses, the birds can be helped by leaving open barns and other uninhabited buildings to allow them to catch mice within shelter; rodents can be attracted by the scattering of grain. Culturally:
The Accipitridae family is one of four within the order of Acciptriformes, they are a family of birds ranging from small to large based on their diets, with strong hooked bills. Their prey goes from insects to medium-sized mammals, with some feeding of carrion as well in some cases fruit. The Accipitribae have a cosmopolitan distribution being found on most of the world’s continents, some species are migratory. The family includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old world vultures.
The Sparrow Hawk
Aka Accipiter nisus, Eurasian sparrow hawk, northern sparrow hawk, the Krahug (germanic name) Appearance: Upper parts dark brown, yellow eyes and beak with black tip. Underparts finely barred on a rusty background for the male and on white for the female. The young are similar to the females in colouration.Males are thrush sized at 29cm long, the females however are larger and heavier at 37cm in length. Habitat: Mixed and coniferous woodland adjacent to countryside, parks and gardens. Seen throughout Europe except Iceland and North Scandinavia. Breeding: Single brooded (May to July), four to six pale grey eggs splotched in brown. Nests within trees, often within a conifer plantation. Food: Mainly lives off eating small birds such as sparrows. Males tend to catch smaller birds such as tits, finches and sparrows: whilst females catch larger prey such as thrushes and starlings. Info: Hunts small birds all year, especially in Winter. Culturally: • The hunting pattern of sparrow hawks is in conflict with humans as the hawks kill racing pigeons. The increase of sparrowhawks has also ment a decrease in British House sparrows, amongst other passerine birds. • Falconers have used the sparrowhawk since the 16th century, although difficult to train it’s praised for its courage • In Teutonic mythology (Germanic paganism) the sparrowhawk is a sacred bird living amongst the gods. Holy sparrowhawks were said to perch on the branches of an oak tree growing from the grave of a murdered man. • There was an old English belief that the common cuckoo turned into a sparrowhawk during the winter.
The order of the Galliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground feeding birds that include chickens, turkey, grouse, quail, ptarmigan , partridge, junglefowl, cracidae and pheasants. The common name being gamefowl or gamebirds. The order includes five families, Megapodiidae, Odontophoridae, Numididae, Cracidae and the Phasinidae (a family including pheasants). Phaisianidae is the largest one including most of the popular game birds, it’s occasionally broken into two subfamilies, the Phasianinae and the Perdicinae. Pheasant Aka Phasianus colchicus Appearance: Males are very colourful, with brass coloured breast with black spotted in pattern with white collar bands, Females are predominantly a yellow-brown, marked black. Habitat: Live across various types of farmland with fields bordering open woodland and parks. Found Food: Has a diet of seeds, grain, plant matter, worms, snails and insects. Info: Pheasants are sociable in Winter and will often come to the edges of villages, grain can be scattered to help get them through the icy weather. Culturally:
The Columbidae family is constituted of pigeons and doves, which includes threehundred-and-ten species. Generally the terms dove and pigeon are somewhat interchangeable. Pigeon a French name deriving from the Latin ‘pipio’, meaning ‘peeping’
chick, whilst dove is Germanic and refers to the birds ability to dive in flight. Doves tend to be the smaller species and pigeons being the larger.
Feral Pigeon
Aka Columba livia f. domestica, flying rats, city doves, city pigeons and street pigeons Appearance: Plumade extremely variable, reflecting the varieties of domestic pigeon, though most ate largely dove grey with two black bars across the wings. Purple and green fleresent neck featers and white rumps and lower back. 33cm in length. Habitat: Mainly lives within towns and cities, within squaes, parks, zoos, and other open spaces, usually where people drop food. Seen throughout most human settlements all over Europe. Breeding: Three to four broods a year (March to September), two white eggs. Nests made of twigs, roots and stems found within hole in walls, under bridges, on window ledges and balconies. Food: They eat seeds, grain, buds, shoots, leaves, bread and any scraps they can find. Info: With pigeons being able to multiply quickly and being fed regularly from our waste they are rapidly becoming a problem within built up areas, as they destroy old buildings with their droppings. Culturally:
The Ardeidae family are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds, with sixty-four recognised species. All member within the genra Botaurus and Ixobrychus are refered to as with some named Egrets or Bitterns rather than heron Egrets are the smaller members of the family, usually white or with decorative plumes Unlike storks and cranes, herons fly with their necks retracted Some members will colonise within tree tops to nest whilst others will nest using the reed beds There’s very little difference in appearance between male and female herons The smallest species are the little bittern at the size of 12 inches in length and the largest is the Goliath hero at 60 inches tall The ability to kink the neck into an ‘s’ shape is due to a modified shape in the 6th vertebrae The Grey Heron Aka Ardea cinerea Appearance: With a plumage predominately of grey: a head and neck mainly of white, with two two long black plumes protruding from the back of the head. Bills are a strong yellow. Smaller than white stork at 90 to 96cm in length. Habitat: Living by watersides with shallow banks for fishing, as well as within wet meadows to catch rodents. Found throughout Europe except for Iceland and the North, seen in Southern Europe only in the Winter periods. Breeding: Single brooded (March to June), three to five pale blue-green eggs. Nests are constructed from huge sticks within high trees. Food: They live on a diet of fish, small mammals such as voles and moles, frogs, reptiles and large insects. Info: The Grey Heron will stand motionless at the edge of reed beds on the lookout for prey. Culturally: In ancient Egypt the deity Bennu, associated with the sun, creation and rebirth had the appearance of a heron. In ancient Rome the heron was a bird of divination seen as a sign of a coming event with its call, a similar belief to the
The Anatidae family
consists of birds such as geese, ducks and swans. The family is of cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all of the world’s continents. These birds are biologically adapted for swimming, floating and in some cases diving in shallow water. The family contains one-hundred-and-forty-six species within forty genera, the genus Cygnus includes swans. Anatidae birds are generally herbivorous as well as monogamous breeders (one partner for life). Some are known to annually migrate whilst others are domesticated for agriculture; many are hunted for food and recreational reasons. Five species have been made extinct since 1600, and many more are threatened to go extinct. Males are known as Cobs, females as Pens Swans are also known as Jenbirds They are known to mate for life There are seven species of swan Name: The Mute Swan Appearance: Pure white feathers, orange-red bill with black tip, males have black basal knob which is biggest in the spring. Larger than the domestic goose at 145 to 160 cm in length. Young are grey and brown feathered with lead grey bills lacking the basal knob, some young however can be white within their first plumage. Habitat: Lowland lakes and rivers, seen within many park lakes, even within busy cities. Found in the British Isles, southern Scandinavia as well as central and eastern Europe. Breeding: Single brooded (April to June) can be five to seven eggs at first greyish green in colour and later becoming brown. Both partners help build large nest piles made usually of reeds at the water’s edge. Food: Mainly submerged plants, using their long necks to reach them and serrated beaks to help chew. Park swans are usually seen eating stale bread; this however can lead to water pollution. They’re also able to eat molluscs, small fish, frogs and worms. Info: The heaviest of waterbirds, males generally being larger, they are recognisable by the gentle S-shape of their necks. Female swans often carry their young on their back. In flight their wings produce a whistling sound. During winter swans will often gather in large flocks. Swans are known to be aggressive and in springtime they are known to fight for territory as a large space is needed for breeding, they will go as far as attacking humans if they feel their nests are threatened Culturally: • Swans are often a symbol of love and fidelity • In Greek myth Zeus would disguise himself as a swan • In classic literature it’s mentioned that upon death the mute swan would sing finally, hence the phrase swan song • The Irish legend of the Children of Lir is a tale of a stepmother who transforms her children into swans for nine hundred years.
Anatidae family continued The Mallard Aka Anas platyrhynchos, Wild Duck Appearance: males in winter have bottle green heads, yellow bills and pale grey underparts, their tails are also black with curly feathers, in the eclipse plumage females are similar in appearance but lack the black on the bill and altogether are a darker shade. Usually females
are predominantly brown with bills of orange. The birds are a large stocky build at 55 to 60cm in length. Habitat: found on all types of waters; from small ponds through to large lakes as well as slow running rivers rich in vegetation. Commonly seen within parks and even in gardens, they are distributed throughout the whole of Europe except for high mountain regions. Breeding: Single brooded (March to June), seven to twelve greenish or yellow eggs. The nests are neatly constructed out of stems and other surrounding vegetation, lined with down (fine feathers), usually well hidden within reeds, bushes or willow pollards close to the water’s edge, some may also live within built nesting boxes and baskets. Food: They eat the seeds of aquatic and land plants, insects, worms, snails, crustaceans as well as thrown bread and kitchen scraps. Info: The Mallard is the cultural ancestor of most domestic ducks; it is not only the largest dabbling duck but also the most common to be found in Europe. From autumn to spring, communal displays happen between the drakes, these include head flicks, upward-shakes and nod-swimming; this is watched over by the females. Culturally:
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In 2002 psychologists at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, concluded that out of all the animals ducks attract the most humour. There are many ducks in fiction, Walt Disney’s Donald Duck and Warner Bros’s Daffy Duck just being two famous examples. The term ‘sitting duck’ meaning an easy target comes from the hunting of ducks, as squatting ducks are unable to move quickly or fly. The Madarin duck (shown below) in China is a symbol for conjugal affection as unlike other ducks it’s believed to remain a lifelong partner, it’s often seen represented at Chinese weddings to help wish bliss on the newly weds.
The Laridae family hosts the suborder of Lari consisting of the Gulls. In close relation to the Terns from the Sternidae family, as well as auks, skimmers and distantly the waders. Before the 21st century most gulls were place in the genus Larus but has since been divided into multiple genera. An old name for gulls is mew, a term still used in certain regional dialects. Gulls are typically medium to large sized birds, often grey or white with black markings on the head or wings, with longish bills and webbed feet. Gulls have unhinging jaws allowing them to consume large prey. Black-headed Gull Aka Larus ridibundus Appearance: During spring it has a chocolate brown head and a dark red bill: for the rest of the year it’s head appears white like the rest of it’s body appear for some faded dark marks around it’s ear coverts, the bill also becomes a pale reddish. It’s of similar size of that of a Feral pigeon at 38 to 41cm long. Habitat: they nest in colonies on lake shores as well as small islands, in winter they can be found on rubbish tips as well as sewerage works, piers and jetties. Found across Europe except for Scandinavia; seen as a winter visitor to the Iberian Peninsula and southern Europe. Breeding: single brooded (April to July) three brownish olive eggs, blotched with dark spotting. Nests are constructed of stalks and stems. Food: living on a diet of aquatic insects, fish, worms, crustaceans and carrion. The birds are also known for attacking people to gain scraps of food such as bread and chips. Info: Black-headed Gulls are known for their loud screeching and quarrelling. Seen within towns during the winter as well as on bridges and park lakes. The larger Herring Gull and Lesser Black-headed Gull frequently live amongst rubbish tips and playing fields as these seem to be the best source of food.
Culturally: The eggs of the black-headed gulls are seen as a delicacy in some parts of the UK, eaten hard-boiled.
Phasianidae family continued The Peacock Aka Appearance: The male Indian peacock has iridescent colouring of blue and greens on it’s head, neck and breast. The peacocks tail, known as a train consists of over two-‐hundred quill feathers, each decorated with an eyespot pattern. The Female Peahens are generally brown in colour with white Breeding: Five to Nine Food: Peafowl are omnivores eating mostly plant parts; flower petals, seeds as well as insects, reptiles and amphibians. Domesticated Peafowl can eat bread, grain, cheese, oats, fruits and even cat food. Appearance • Peacocks were used as an Ostentatious display on the dinner table of Medieval wealthy Gentry • In Hindu culture the peacock is the mount of the Lord Kartikeya, God of war • Ancient Greeks believed that the flesh of a peafowl did not decay after death, so it became a symbol of immortality. This symbolism carried onto early Christianity, and so many early Christian paintings and Mosaics depict peacocks. The eyes of the peacock’s tail were also said to represent an all seeing God • The Peacock can also be seen as a symbol of the Cosmos if the eyes are viewed as star’s suns and moons. • The peacock was seen as a Guardian of royalty • The Peacock has also come symbolise pride and vanity, due to it’s nature to show off it’s plumage.
Tips for Helping birds in the Garden
Life for the birds of Britain is becoming increasingly difficult, with the loss of countryside to road and settlement construction this has harshly effected the number of animal species drastically. The importance for forestry and agriculture is made all the more necessary as one of the few places safe for bird life to go. Parks and your very own garden are now needed to help give a substitute home for birds to live within. Hedges and shrubs provide shelter and protection for birds. Planting berry shrubs and letting areas of grass grow out with planted wildflowers can help provide a food source as well as an environment birds are happy to live within. Overgrown climbing plants on house walls can create a nesting site for a number of birds, wall plants are also beneficial in protecting walls from rain, as well as retaining heat for the home. Piles of brushwood made up of twigs can be adopted as a perfect nesting site for birds such as wrens and robins. Leaving fallen leaves on the grass during autumn can also help protect the ground in the following winter period, this keeps the ground fresh for worms and insects, and so provides another food source for birds such as thrushes and blackbirds. Compost heaps in themselves provide food with the vegetable matter and insects within them. Birdbaths are key to giving birds a place to both bathe and drink from, no expense is necessary with a wide enough empty carton or a large plate being perfectly suitable for makeshift use. The bath is best placed up high; as predators will take advantage of birds made vulnerable by their busy cleaning, avoid this especially by not putting the bath near tall grass. Homes for hole-nesting birds can be difficult to find in built-up areas and so nest-boxes can help provide a solution. Nest-boxes can be homemade from wood materials, or purchased from garden centers. There are choices in both wood and concrete, plastic ones however should be avoided as they over heat in summer. Nest-boxes are best secured onto trees, predators such as cats and weasels should be deterred away by wire netting being lopped around the trunk beneath the box. Boxes are best facing east away from the direction of most bad weather and sheltered both from the sun and rain. The size of hole to the nest-boxes entry will determine the type of bird that will live inside: 26-28mm wide holes- small tits Ovals 45mm high and 30mm wide- redstarts 50mm holes- starlings Open fronted boxes- flycatchers and wagtails Side open boxes- treecreepers
In autumn when the young have flown and the nest is left empty, it's best to remove the old nest from the box to reduce the chances of parasites such as the bird flea multiplying. It's best to clean the nest-box thoroughly with out the use of chemicals and then return it back quickly as the box can provide shelter for birds in Winter as well. Helping baby lost birds Within the spring and summer months when garden birds are rearing their young the chances are you will come across a seemingly abandoned baby bird. Often identifiable by their short tails, remaining fluffy down on their heads and backs and their sharp little begging calls for food.
Do not immediately rush to help, first it must be assessed if the bird is truly 'orphaned', as young birds will often leave the nest before they can fly, and will wait within safe cover for their parents to bring them food. And so it is best to keep an eye on the bird for a while from a distance to determine if it's really lost. (If bird is out in the open, place back within cover and watch to see if parents return) If the bird turns out to be abandoned after a number of hours, this is usually an uncommon event, then you can begin to act, keep in mind however that there are bird protection laws about keeping wild birds. Place the bird within a flowerpot lined with warm material i.e. flannel and hay and place it within a quiet dark place. Every 1-2 hours the fledging should be fed, using blunt tweezers, a pellet of low-fat curd cheese, soft food containing varied insects, hard boiled egg and finely chopped raw heart. Between these feeds the bird should have a woolen cover placed carefully overhead, water should also be provided especially during hot weather. After this initial help it's best to quickly take the bird to an expert at a bird hospital, as rearing young birds requires training and experience. For the sake of most young birds they should never be taken home, fledglings have a better chance of survival in the wild.
Blurb Showing a wide selection of birds commonly seen within Britain (and Europe) listing individual descriptions on appearance, habitat, breeding, food, interesting facts and notes on the birds cultural significance. Each bird is illustrated carefully to best represent the nature and look of the birds. Tips are also provided on how to make your Garden a bird-friendly environment.