Garden Song Birds

Blackbird

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:30:17 +0000

The Blackbird is also known as the Common Blackbird and can be seen throughout England. The male Blackbird is black, like the name suggests, but the female is brown with dark brown markings on the chest. The male can easily be recognised by an orange-yellow ring around each eye and its orange-yellow beak. The female has a dark brown beak. The song of the Blackbird can be heard between March and July.

Blackbirds can be seen in gardens, fields, meadows, farmlands and woodlands. They can also be seen in open fields alongside sheep and cattle that are grazing, although they generally prefer to look for food near the cover of dense hedgerows, bushes and shrubs. Blackbirds eat a variety of food such as beetles, insects, berries and fruit.

Many of the Blackbirds seen in England are resident and are not seen in flocks. However, flocks of migrating Blackbirds can be seen in autumn. Migrating Blackbirds can fly long distances, whereas resident Blackbirds can only fly short distances. Blackbirds are very vocal and loud birds, especially when they roost together at dusk.

Bullfinch

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:30:43 +0000

The Bullfinch is also known as the Eurasian Bullfinch and is a member of the Finch family. It is often regarded as a garden bird, although it actually very rarely visits gardens. The Bullfinch can be seen all year round in places such as woodlands, farmlands, hedgerows and orchards. Its squeaky warbling song is very quiet and not very often heard.

The Bullfinch is a small plump bird with a large head and a short, fat-looking black beak. The male is recognised by its rosy pink breast and cheeks. The female has a pinkish grey coloured breast and also pink-grey cheeks. Both the male and the female have black faces and wide black stripes on the tops of their heads.

Bullfinches are very shy birds that like to stay close to cover whenever possible. These birds are not often seen on the ground feeding because they often take their food directly from plants and trees. Bullfinches eat buds from oak and hawthorn trees as well as dandelion and buttercup seeds. In winter large groups of Bullfinches can be seen in feeding areas where food is in abundance.

Chaffinch

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:31:11 +0000

The Chaffinch is the most colourful member of the Finch family and can be found throughout England in woodlands, parks and gardens. When a Chaffinch visits a garden, it likes to spend more time under a bird table looking for food than actually on it.

The Chaffinch is a small bird that has distinct white markings on its black wings which are more noticeable when the bird is in flight. The male Chaffinch has a blue-grey head and pinky brown cheeks and chest, whereas the female has a brown head and a yellowy brown chest. Both the male and the female have grey-blue beaks that turn to a pale brown colour in winter.

Chaffinches sing very loud songs and are usually heard before they are seen. They like to stay near to cover and take most of their food such as seeds from chickweed, goosefoot and grasses from the ground, but in summer they will also eat caterpillars and insects from trees and bushes. Flocks of males and flocks of females can be seen flying around in winter.

Dunnock

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:31:37 +0000

The Dunnock is also known as the Hedge Sparrow, although it is not a member of the Sparrow family. It can be found throughout England in woodlands, on farmlands, in parks and in gardens. The Dunnock doesn’t tend to take food directly from bird tables or use bird feeders, but usually picks up any food that may have been dropped on the ground by other birds. The short and fast warbling songs of these birds can be heard between January and July.

The Dunnock is a rich brown coloured bird that has dark streaks on its back. It has a reddish brown crest and a patch of reddish brown feathers under each eye. It has a grey-blue coloured face and chest and a thin pointed beak which is black-brown. Both the male and the female are similar in appearance.

Dunnocks spend a lot of time on the ground shuffling through vegetation in search of insects, snails, worms and seeds. They look quite nervous on the ground because as they move they often flick their wings and bend their bodies as though they are crouching. Dunnocks are generally solitary birds, but sometimes they will feed along side other birds if food is plentiful.

Goldcrest

Debbie — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:53:00 +0000

The Goldcrest is the smallest bird in England and can be found throughout the country in parks, orchards and on the edges of woodlands. It can also be seen in gardens all year round, but it usually only takes food from bird tables when food is very scarce in winter. The high-pitched song of this bird can be heard from February to late autumn.

The Goldcrest is a round-looking bird that has olive-green coloured feathers on top and off-white feathers below. The male Goldcrest has a yellow-orange crest which is bordered with black feathers and the female has a yellow crest which is also bordered with black feathers. Both the male and the female have large round eyes and thin, black pointed beaks.

Goldcrests are very active birds that seem to spend most of their time scuffling around in trees. They also hover under leaves to snatch insects from them. Their diet mainly consists of insects and spiders, but they will also eat small seeds. Goldcrests join flocks of other small birds from the Tit family in winter when they want to go looking for food.

Goldfinch

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:32:04 +0000

The Goldfinch is also known as the European Goldfinch and is a member of the Finch family. It used to be a common cage bird in the nineteenth century because of its beautiful colours and sweet melodious songs. Nowadays it can be seen flying around in gardens taking food from bird feeders and also in orchards, parks and on the edges of woodlands.

The Goldfinch is a small colourful bird with a large head and quite a thin, pale coloured beak. It has a bright red face, white cheeks and a black crown. It also has black patches between its eyes and beak. Its wings have a bright yellow stripe between two black stripes and its body is a sandy brown colour. It has a white belly.

Goldfinches can often be seen feeding with other finches on roadside edges where there are low-growing plants or where there are scattered bushes and trees. They prefer to feed near or on the ground where they use their long thin beaks to take seeds from thistles, dandelions and ragworts. Sometimes they take seeds from garden plants such as asters, pansies and forget-me-nots. In summer they eat insects too.

Greenfinch

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:32:50 +0000

The Greenfinch is also known as the European Greenfich and is a member of the Finch family. It can be seen throughout England in woods, orchards, gardens and also close to farmlands. The Greenfinch can often be seen taking food from garden tables and it can also be seen perching on hanging feeders in gardens. Its sharp trill-like songs can be heard between March and July.

The Greenfinch is a small plump-looking bird with a large head and a short, ivory coloured beak which is cone-shaped. The male is an olive-green colour with a yellow-green breast and the female is a grey-brown colour with a yellowy brown breast. Both the male and the female have yellow feathers on their outer wings.

Greenfinches take food from the ground and from trees. They eat a variety of food such as dandelion seeds, chickweed seeds, sunflower seeds, buds, berries and grain from cereal crops. They are quite sociable birds that often join other finch flocks, especially in winter. Greenfinches also roost communally in large groups in winter.

Linnet

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:33:17 +0000

The Linnet is a member of the Finch Family and was once a very popular cage bird in the nineteenth century because of its melodious songs. Nowadays it can be found throughout England on gorse-covered commons, heathlands, rough grounds, coastal marshes, saltmarshes, farmland hedges and rural gardens.

The Linnet is a small slim bird with a long tail and a cone-looking grey beak. The male is easily recognised by a crimson patch on its forehead and on either side of its breast. It also has a grey head and an unmarked chestnut-brown back. The female has a reddish-brown back with dark streaky markings. Both the male and female have greyish coloured faces and large black eyes.

Linnets are very nervous birds that quickly fly away when approached. They feed mainly on the ground and in low bushes and occasionally they feed from trees. Linnets eat chickweed seeds, dandelion seeds and in summer they may eat insects. They form flocks and sometimes they roost together in the evenings.

Nuthatch

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:34:14 +0000

The Nuthatch is also known as the ‘upside down bird’ because it can climb down trees head first. It can be found throughout the country in deciduous woods, parklands and mature gardens. No other bird in England can move down a tree upside down.

The Nuthatch is quite a small plump-looking bird with a relatively large head and a short neck. It can be recognised by its blue-grey feathers on the top part of its body and the orange-brown coloured feathers on the sides of its body. It has a white chin and neck with an orange-brown coloured chest and belly. The Nuthatch also has a long black stripe on either side of its face which seems to run through each eye. Its beak is black, long and quite pointed.

Nuthatches are also known as ‘scatter hoarders’ because they hide and store their food items one at a time. Food such as hazelnuts and acorns are often stored in tree crevices and in the roots of trees to be retrieved at a later date. However, they mainly eat beetles and spiders in the summer and nuts, seeds and acorns in the winter. Nuthatches sing loud and varied songs with lots of different whistle-sounding notes.

Robin

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:35:14 +0000

The Robin is also known as the European Robin and can be seen throughout England in gardens, parks and woods that have plenty of undergrowth. It is also called the Redbreast Robin and the Red Robin because it has a distinctive red face, neck and chest. It can often be seen on the front of Christmas cards. It has a melodious song which can be heard throughout the year.

The Robin is a small plump-looking bird that has olive-brown coloured feathers on its head and on the top of its body. The under part of the Robin is a striking white. It has large prominent black eyes and a short thin black beak. Robins sing very sweet-sounding songs and they often sing very early in the morning to mark their territories.

Robins often follow gardeners around, especially when the gardeners are digging up soil because they hope to find some dug-up worms. They also eat spiders, beetles, flies, seeds and fruit, but their favourite food is mealworms which grow in flour and other grain products. Robins hop very quickly on the ground and when they stand still, they flutter their wings and tails which make them look quite nervous.

Sparrow (House)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:35:42 +0000

The House Sparrow is one of the most well-known birds in England as it is often associated with houses and humans. It can be quite tame at times and will hop onto garden tables with humans nearby to take scraps of food left out. House Sparrows will also take peanuts from bird feeders as well as rummage through dustbins to look for titbits. Its song is quite monotonous because it repeats the same chirp over and over again.

The House Sparrow is a small plump-looking bird that has a small cone-shaped bill. The male House Sparrow can be recognised by its grey head, grey chest and its black bib-like patch on the front of its chest. The female has a yellow-cream throat, chest and belly without a black patch. Both the male and female have brown backs with black markings.

House Sparrows spend a lot of their time foraging for food on the ground looking for seeds and scraps of food, but sometimes they chase and catch insects in mid-air. They can often be seen near houses, in towns and cities, on farmlands, in parks and in gardens. House Sparrows are very sociable birds that often feed in flocks and they also roost communally in winter.

Sparrow (Tree)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:36:08 +0000

The Tree Sparrow is a very common bird that can be seen throughout England in woodlands, farmlands, orchards and parks. It is not a frequent visitor to gardens like the House Sparrow, but it will visit large gardens where it will sometimes take seeds from bird tables. It has a cheerful-sounding 'chip-chip-chip' song.

The Tree Sparrow is a small bird with a round head and a thick black cone-shaped bill. Its head is a rich chocolate-brown colour on top and its cheeks are white with a black patch. It has a black throat and a cream-coloured chest. The upper part of its body is a reddish brown colour. The male and the female look very similar in appearance.

Tree Sparrows are quite shy birds that take food from the ground and from trees. Their diet mainly consists of seeds from different types of grass and cereal crops such as barley and wheat. They also eat insects and caterpillars. Tree Sparrows are sociable birds which will join flocks of House Sparrows in winter.

Starling

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:36:39 +0000

The Starling is also known as the European Starling and is widespread throughout England. It can be seen on open grassland, on farm fields, in parks and in large gardens. It sometimes can be seen on rubbish tips. Sometimes this bird can be confused with the Blackbird because of its yellow beak and black feathers, although its black feathers have a definite strong blue-green tinge to them and the Blackbird's feathers don't.

The Starling is a medium-sized bird that doesn’t always have black feathers and a yellow beak. In summer its feathers are speckled all over with white spot-like markings and in winter its beak changes to a dark grey-brown colour. Its feet and legs also change colour. In winter they are a brown and in spring they change to a pinky colour.

Starlings are quite sociable birds that often feed in groups during the day. They feed on insects, spiders, larvae, seeds, fruit and sometimes they catch flying ants in the air. Starlings are very vocal birds that can make a lot of sounds. They can also imitate the songs of other birds.

Thrush (Song)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:37:38 +0000

The Song Thrush is a medium-sized member of the Thrush family and is sometimes known as the Throstle. It can be found throughout the country in woodlands, parks, meadows, farmlands and gardens. The Song Thrush likes to sing the same song about three times before singing the next song three times. It sings for most of the day.

The Song Thrush is a stocky-looking bird with a fat belly. It can easily be recognised by its cream coloured breast, tummy and sides which have dark brown spots all over. The spots look like they are in little neat rows. It has medium-brown coloured feathers and a medium-brown coloured face. It has a relatively short brown beak and a brown tail.

The Song Thrush likes to spend a lot of time on the ground looking for food such as earthworms, caterpillars, beetles and other insects. In winter it tends to eat snails. It breaks a snail's shell by holding the snail in its beak and by hitting it against a stone or another hard object to break the shell. Song Thrushes run and hop for a short distance when they are on the ground and then they tilt their heads to one side as though they are listening out for something. Song Thrushes always seem to be on alert.

Tit (Blue)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:38:05 +0000

The Blue Tit is a member of the Tit family along with the Coal, Great, Long-tailed and Marsh Tit. It can be found throughout England in woodlands, orchards, parks and gardens. It is often the first bird to be seen in the garden hanging upside down from a bird feeder and in winter it can be seen pecking through a milk-bottle top to get cream. Its trill-like song can be heard any time of the year.

The Blue Tit is a small colourful bird that has a blue coloured crest and a white face which has a black stripe running through each eye. Its back is an olive green colour and its breast and belly are yellow. It has a short and relatively thin beak. The male and female are very similar in appearance, but the male tends to have brighter colours.

Blue Tits are quite acrobatic birds that have no problem hanging upside down on twigs and branches to find food. They like to eat insects and spiders, but they will also eat peanuts on bird tables and scraps of food left out by humans.

Tit (Coal)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:38:28 +0000

The Coal Tit the smallest member of the Tit family which include the Blue, Great, Long-tailed and Marsh Tit. It can be found throughout England in woodlands, orchards, parks and gardens. This bird likes taking peanuts from hanging bird feeders and likes to hide the peanuts in different places. It has a loud song which has repeated double notes and its song can be heard for most of the year.

The Coal Tit has a black head and throat and striking white cheeks. It also has a white stripe at the back of its head. The feathers on its back are a dull blue-grey colour and its breast and tummy are a creamy yellow colour. It has a short, pointed black beak. The male and female are almost identical in appearance.

Coal Tits are very active and nimble birds that can often be seen high up in trees looking for food. They can hang upside down on twigs and branches and can also hover under leaves to get food. They mainly eat larvae from insects as well as caterpillars, but they will also eat seeds, especially conifer seeds.

Tit (Great)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:38:55 +0000

The Great Tit is the largest member of the Tit family. Other members include the Blue, Coal, Long-tailed and the Marsh Tit. It can be found throughout England in woodlands, farmlands, cemeteries, parks and gardens. If this bird visits a bird table, it will vigorously chase away any other smaller tits or birds. It has a squeaky high-pitched song which sounds like 'teache-teacher- teacher'.

The Great Tit is a striking-looking bird with a black head and throat. It also has a long black stripe running all the way down to its belly and striking white patches on each side of its face. It has olive-green feathers on its back and bright yellow feathers on its underside. The male and female are similar in appearance, but the male has a broader black stripe running down its body and it tends to have brighter colours.

Great Tits, like Blue Tits, peck through milk-bottle tops to get cream, but they mainly eat insects and caterpillars from leaves. They also eat fruit, seeds, nuts and peanuts found in garden feeders. They will also take scraps of food left out by humans.

Tit (Long-tailed)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:39:23 +0000

The Long-tailed Tit is a small bird with a very long tail and is not a member of the Tit family like its name suggests. It is a member of the ‘Aegithalidae’ family which include birds with medium-long to long tails. It can be found throughout England in deciduous woodlands and farmlands with lots of hedgerows. It is not a regular visitor to gardens, but it will visit gardens that have lots of bushes and trees. It has a loud twittering trill-like song which is very rarely heard.

The Long-tailed Tit is a very small round-looking bird with a long black-grey tail which has white outer feathers. It has pinky coloured shoulders and belly and a white chest. The top part of its head is white which is bordered on either side by a black stripe. It has a very short black bill and two black eyes with red eye rings.

Long-tailed Tits are very active birds that seem to move constantly in trees and bushes searching for food. Like other tits, they can also hang upside down to take food from under leaves. They mainly eat insects, larvae, seeds and they also take food from bird tables every now and again.

Tit (Marsh)

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:39:52 +0000

The Marsh Tit is a member of the Tit family which include the Blue, Coal, Great and Long-tailed Tit. The name ‘Marsh Tit’ suggests that this tit can only be found in marshy places, but this is not true as this bird can also be found in woodlands, parks, near farmlands and also in mature gardens, although it is not a common garden bird. It has a rich 'yu-yu-yu' song which is very rarely heard.

The Marsh Tit is quite a small brown-looking bird that has a jet black head and nape. It has white-cream coloured cheeks and a black patch just under its short black beak. Its throat, chest and tummy are a creamy brown colour and the top of its back is an olive- brown colour. The male and the female are almost identical in appearance.

Marsh Tits always seem to be on the move in shrubs and low vegetation. They spend less time in trees, unlike other birds from the Tit family. They mainly feed on insects, but they also eat berries, seeds and small nuts. Marsh Tits also hide food such as nuts and seeds in crevices and behind tree barks if food is in good supply.

Wren

livelinkadmin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:40:54 +0000

The Wren is also known as ‘Jenny Wren’ and is a song bird with a big voice. It is also the second smallest bird in England after the Goldcrest. It is so small that it could be mistaken for a small brown ball. It can be seen throughout the country in gardens, woodlands, fields, moors and marshes where it can be heard singing long songs with lot of different melodious notes.

The Wren has reddish brown feathers on top and light brown feathers below. It can easily be recognised by its small tail that is always cocked up in the air. It has a long cream stripe above each eye which makes it look like it has cream-coloured eyebrows. The Wren can be heard throughout the year from sunrise to sunset. It can sing over a hundred notes and as it sings its whole body trembles.

Wrens are very energetic birds that fly very fast and close to the ground. They also seem to be constantly on the move as they quickly flit from bush to bush looking for food. They eat a variety of insects such as ants, beetles, spiders, flies, caterpillars and insect larvae. On cold winter nights Wrens roost communally in crevices to keep warm.