Woodland Birds

Chaffinch

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:08:47 +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. The markings 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.

Crossbill

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:09:05 +0000

The Crossbill is also known as the Common Crossbill and is a member of the Finch family. It is also called the ‘parrot of the northern woods’ because it looks similar to a parrot. It has a top beak that hangs over its lower beak, just like a parrot. The Crossbill often feeds on cone seeds so it can often be found in coniferous trees in woodlands and forests mainly in the south east, south and south west of England.

The male Crossbill is a striking brick-red colour with dark streaks on its back and the female is a greeny yellow colour with brown streaks on the sides and back. Both the male and the female have dark brown wings. Crossbills have large heads and thickset necks.

Crossbills climb trees with their feet and beaks and often flutter from tree to tree just likes parrots do. They also tend to be quite thirsty birds because they often go to ponds, streams and puddles to drink water. They also eat buds, shoots and insects. Crossbills are ‘eruptive’ species of birds which means that they will fly further south if their food supply becomes low.

Goldcrest

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:09:59 +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. 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. 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.

Greenfinch

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:10:19 +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.

Hawfinch

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:10:46 +0000

The Hawfinch is a member of the Finch family and is the largest finch found in England. It is a shy and secretive bird that likes to spend most of its time hiding in the tops of trees. It can be seen in woodlands, orchards, cemeteries, parks and occasionally in very large gardens. It is classed as a song bird although its song is very rarely heard.

The Hawfinch is a heavy-looking finch that has a large, powerful, blue-grey beak which is cone-shaped. It has a large orange-brown coloured head and black feathers around its eyes. It also has black feathers under its beak which make it look like it is wearing a small black bib. It has a rich brown coloured back and a pinky brown breast. The wings are black with a white patch.

Hawfinches are quite sociable birds that can often be seen feeding in groups. They often take seeds from woodland trees such as the Wych Elm, the Beech and the Hornbeam, but they are also very fond of wild cherry seeds. They can easily crack open wild cherry stones with their strong beaks to get to their favourite seeds. In summer they eat insects which are sometimes caught in mid-air.

Jay

Debbie — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:02:32 +0000

The Jay is the most colourful member of the Crow family and can be found in woodlands throughout the country. The Jay is also known as the ‘screamer of the wood’ because it can be so loud. Although the Jay is loud, it is actually quite a secretive bird. It likes to live in large mature oak trees because these trees provide good cover for the Jay as well as lots of acorns.

The Jay can easily be recognised by its bright electric-blue and white wings, especially when it is in flight. It also has very pale eyes and a black stripe on either side of its face which makes it look like it has a long moustache. It has a black and white crest which it raises sometimes when excited.

Jays eat acorns and they are natural planters of acorns which help to ensure the future existence of oak trees. They also eat hazelnuts, beechnuts, insects, fruit and birds’ eggs. Jays are also known as hoarders because of their habit of hiding acorns and retrieving them later. The acorns are usually buried in the ground or hidden in tree crevices. A Jay can hide as many as three thousand acorns a month.

Linnet

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:11:19 +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 grey cone-shaped 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

Debbie — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:03:54 +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.

Thrush (Mistle)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:12:23 +0000

The Mistle Thrush is a large-sized member of the Thrush family and can be found throughout the country in woodlands, parks, meadows, heaths and moors. It is sometimes known as the Missel Thrush. Mistle Thrushes like to sing lots of different songs with pauses between their songs. They are also known as ‘Stormcocks’ because they will continue to sing out loud even if the weather is very bad and stormy.

The Mistle Thrush is a stocky-looking bird with a fat belly. It can easily be recognised by its cream coloured breast, tummy and sides that have dark brown spots all over. The spots don’t seem to have any set pattern. It also has grey-brown coloured feathers on the top and a pale grey-brown face. It has a relatively short black-brown beak and a long grey-brown tail.

Mistle Thrushes like to spend a lot of time on the ground looking for food such as beetles, worms, slugs and snails. When these birds are on the ground, they seem to hop for a short distance and then stop. They stop very straight and erect which makes them look very proud indeed. Mistle Thrushes also love to eat berries from hawthorn and holly trees.

Tit (Blue)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:12:52 +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)

Debbie — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:05:05 +0000

The Coal Tit the smallest member of the Tit family. Other members include the Blue, Great, Long-tailed and the 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)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:13:18 +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 'teacher-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)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:13:42 +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)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:14:11 +0000

The Marsh Tit is a member of the Tit family. Other members include the Blue, Coal, Great and the Long-tailed Tit. The name ‘Marsh Tit’ suggests that this tit can only be found in marshy places, but this is not true as it 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.

Treecreeper

admin — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:09:04 +0000

The Treecreeper is a small active bird with a long down-curved beak and a long stiff tail. It can be found throughout England in woods, parks and gardens with mature trees. It climbs up trees by pressing its stiff tail against the trunk of a tree for support and uses its curved beak to try and find any insects hiding in the bark. The Treecreeper always climbs up trees, but never climbs down them. When it reaches the top of a tree, it flies to the next tree and climbs up that one.

The Treecreeper is a brown bird with darker and lighter brown stripes and markings on its body. It has a brown face with darker markings and a white stripe over each eye. The underside of this bird is white and its long tail is a rich orange-brown colour. Its wings look long and rounded when the Treecreeper is in flight.

Treecreepers seem to be on the move all the time and can be seen sometimes with flocks of tits, especially in winter. Although they are generally solitary birds, they do tend to roost in groups at night in tree crevices to keep warm. Treecreepers also make oval-shaped holes in redwood trees because they particularly like to roost in these trees at night.

Woodpecker (Great Spotted)

admin — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:19:42 +0000

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is a member of the Woodpecker family, like the Green and the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. It can be found throughout England in woods and sometimes in parks and in urban gardens which have mature trees. It spends most of its time clinging onto trunks of trees and when it feels it is in danger, it literally freezes on the tree trunk so not to be noticed.

The Great Spotted Woodpecker has a black back, white and black sides and oval-shaped white markings on its black wings. The male can be recognised because it has crimson-red feathers on the back of its head. Both the male and the female have crimson-red patches under their tail and an off-white throat and belly. The Great Spotted Woodpecker has a slate-black beak which is strong and powerful enough to hammer through wood when this woodpecker wants to make a cavity for its nest.

Greater Spotted Woodpeckers wedge large nuts in the crevices of trees and then hack at them with their beaks to break the nuts open. They also use their beaks to break dead wood to find insects and once the insects have been spotted they use their very long tongues to catch the insects. Sometimes Great Spotted Woodpeckers visit bird tables in urban gardens and they can even be seen hanging from bird feeders in winter.

Woodpecker (Green)

admin — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:20:23 +0000

The Green Woodpecker is the largest member of the Woodpecker family, like the Great and the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. It can be found throughout England in deciduous woods, farmlands, orchards, heathlands and sometimes in conifer woods. Although it is called the ‘Green Woodpecker’, it actually looks more of a yellowy green colour on first sight.

The Green Woodpecker has quite a stocky-looking body and a long, powerful, slate-black beak. It has an olive-green back and a yellow-green rump. It can be recognised because it has crimson-red feathers on the top of its head and black feathers around its eyes. The male also has crimson-red feathers on both sides of its beak which makes it look like it has a red moustache.

Green Woodpeckers spend a lot of time foraging the ground for ants, but they can still be seen climbing trees looking for food. If it feels it is being watched, it will often move to the other side of the tree trunk to be out of sight. Green Woodpeckers often visit ants’ nests on the ground and they eat the ants by sticking their long sticky tongues into the nests. They also eat insects, beetles, caterpillars and flies and when they look for food on the ground, they seem to hop in a hunched-back position, but when they are alarmed, they stand very erect.

Woodpecker (Lesser Spotted)

admin — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:21:04 +0000

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is the smallest member of the Woodpecker family, like the Great Spotted and the Green Woodpecker. It can be found throughout England in deciduous woodlands, orchards, grasslands which have clusters of trees and shrubs and urban gardens with mature trees.

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has a black back with white stripes running across it. Its throat, breast and tummy are an off-white colour with dark brown streaky stripes. The male can be recognised because it has a crimson-red patch on the top of its head. The female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has an off-white patch on the top of her head. Both the male and the female have an off-white coloured face with a black stripe above and below each eye. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has a slate-black beak which is strong enough to make a hole in a tree for its nest.

Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers very rarely feed on the ground. They spend most of their time on branches and twigs high up in trees looking for insects. They also use their strong beaks to break wood to find insects and once the insects have been spotted they use their very long tongues to catch them. They also eat ants, flies, moths and sometimes pears.