Birds

 The Mute Swan is a very large white waterbird. It has an S-shaped neck and an orange bill with a black base and a black bump. It flies with its neck outstretched, making regular, slow wingbeats.  

Fun fact:  Despite being called "mute" swans, they aren't completely silent. They make various sounds including grunts, hisses, and even trumpeting, but they're generally less vocal than other swan species. 

(Photo credit: FOWL.b)

Crows are highly intelligent and adaptable birds belonging to the corvid family. Known for their glossy black plumage, but if you look more closely you will see iridescent blue, green and purples on their feathers. Crows are known for their complex vocalisations, social behaviour, and problem-solving abilities, making them one of the most fascinating and successful bird species on the planet. 

Fun Fact: Research has shown that they can remember and distinguish between different human faces, even holding grudges against those they perceive as threats. This remarkable cognitive ability highlights their sophisticated social intelligence. 

(Photo credit: RSPB) 

 Moorhens are blackish with a red and yellow beak and green legs. Seen closer-up, they have a dark brown back and wings and a more bluish-black belly, with white stripes on the flanks. 

Fun fact:  Moorhens might look clumsy on land, but they're excellent swimmers, using their long toes to navigate through aquatic plants and even diving underwater when threatened 

(Photo credit: Grace Banks)

 The Green Finch is a small bird with green plumage, yellow patches on wings and tail, and a short, conical beak for cracking seeds. It's often found in flocks in diverse habitats, feeding primarily on seeds and emitting a repetitive, rapid "chew" or "chwee" song. 

Fun Fact:  Green Finches exhibit "anting" behaviour, rubbing ants on their feathers, possibly for parasite control or to use formic acid from the ants as a natural insect repellent. 

(Photo credit: Grace Banks)

The Tree Sparrow has a chestnut brown head and back of the neck (rather than grey) and white cheeks and collar with a contrasting black cheek spot. 

Fun fact:  Tree sparrows are social birds that often nest communally, sharing nesting sites with multiple pairs, which helps protect their nests and may improve foraging efficiency. 

(Photo credit: Grace Banks)

 The Mallard Duck is a medium-sized waterfowl with colourful plumage. Males have green heads, white neck rings, and chestnut-brown chests. Females are mottled brown. Both have yellow bills with a dark stripe and orange webbed feet. They're adaptable, found in wetlands and urban areas, and feed on plants and small creatures.  

Fun Fact:  Mallard Ducks quacks don't echo! This peculiar phenomenon has puzzled scientists for years, with various theories proposed to explain it. While the exact reason remains unclear, it's certainly an intriguing aspect of these ubiquitous waterfowl. 

(Photo credit: All about birds)

   The Goldfinch, a small bird with bright yellow plumage and black wings, is known for its slender build and pointed beak, perfect for extracting seeds from plants. Often found in flocks in open habitats like fields and gardens, their melodious song is a delightful addition to their presence.  

Fun Fact:   Goldfinches are famous for their acrobatic flight displays, characterized by swooping and looping patterns, particularly during courtship and territorial disputes 

(Photo credit: David Page)

 The Blackbird, with its glossy black plumage, is a familiar sight in many habitats. These medium-sized birds possess stout builds and long, pointed bills, ideal for foraging in soil and leaf litter for insects and other invertebrates.  

Fun Fact: In Scottish folklore, the blackbird holds significance as a symbol of transformation and renewal. It is believed that the appearance of a blackbird near the home brings blessings and prosperity.  

(Photo credit: David Page)

 The Reed Bunting is a small bird known for its distinctive appearance and habitat preference. Males feature a striking black head and white collar, while females exhibit more subdued brownish-gray plumage. Both genders sport mustache-like markings on their faces. With a stocky build and a short, stout bill, reed buntings are adept at foraging for seeds and insects in marshes and reedbeds. 

Fun Fact:     these birds are not strictly confined to reedbeds. They also inhabit other wetland habitats such as marshes, meadows, and riverbanks, showcasing their adaptability to various environments. 

(Photo credit: David Page)

 The Herring Gull, a large and familiar seabird, is easily recognizable by its robust build, grey-and-white plumage, and yellow bill with a red spot.  

Fun Fact: Herring gulls are highly intelligent birds known for their adept problem-solving skills, often seen using innovative tactics to obtain food, such as dropping hard-shelled prey to break them open. 

(Photo credit: David Page)

 The Bluetit, a small and vibrant bird, is easily recognizable by its striking blue, yellow, and white plumage, along with a distinctive black stripe down its chest. Blue tits are playful birds, often seen hanging upside down while feeding on insects and seeds.

Fun Fact: Blue tits are known to have a remarkable memory and spatial awareness. They can remember the locations of hundreds of individual food caches, even months after hiding them, demonstrating impressive cognitive abilities. 

(Photo credit: Owen Brand)

 Magpies are striking birds known for their black and white plumage, long tails, and iridescent blue or green sheen. Magpies are opportunistic feeders, consuming a wide range of food, from insects and small mammals to fruits and carrion. They are also notorious for their tendency to steal shiny objects, earning them a reputation for thievery in folklore and literature. 

Fun Fact:  Magpies are among the few non-mammal species that show evidence of self-awareness. In experiments, they have been observed recognizing themselves in mirrors, suggesting a level of cognitive complexity previously thought to be exclusive to primates and some other mammals. 

(Photo credit: David Page)

The Greylag Goose is a large waterfowl native to Europe and Asia. Identified by its grey-brown plumage, pinkish-orange bill, and white belly, it feeds primarily on grasses, grains, and agricultural crops. Nesting on the ground near water, it lays 4-6 eggs and rears its young with both parents. Known for its loud honking calls, it inhabits wetlands, lakes, and agricultural fields, with many populations migrating between breeding and wintering grounds. 

Fun Fact: Greylag Goose were revered by the ancient Egyptians as symbols of fertility and loyalty. 

(Photo credit: David Hedges)

The Canada Goose is a large waterfowl species native to North America. Known for its black head and neck with a distinctive white "chinstrap," it has a brownish-grey body and a honking call. These geese are adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, including lakes, rivers, parks, and urban areas. They primarily feed on grasses, aquatic plants, and grains. Canada geese are monogamous and often mate for life, nesting in a variety of locations, from marshes to rooftops. They are also known for their V-shaped flight formations during migration. Despite being a common sight, they are protected by law in some regions due to overhunting in the past.

Fun Fact: Canada geese are highly migratory birds, with some populations flying thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering grounds. One population, known as the "Atlantic Population," has been observed traveling from Canada to wintering areas along the Atlantic coast of the United States, a journey of up to 1,500 miles each way.

(Photo credit: David Hedges)

The Redwing is a small thrush found in Europe and Asia, recognized by its reddish flanks and underwings. It feeds on insects, berries, and fruits, and is known for its melodious song. Redwings breed in northern Europe and migrate south for winter, sometimes reaching North Africa. Highly social, they often gather in flocks during migration. 

 Fun Fact: Redwings are notable for their nomadic behaviour during the winter months. Instead of following a fixed migration route, they roam widely in search of food, often traveling in large flocks. This behaviour helps them take advantage of unpredictable food sources and adapt to changing environmental conditions. 

(Photo credit: RSPB)

The Starling is a medium-sized bird known for its iridescent plumage and chattering calls. It is an omnivore, feeding on insects, fruits, seeds, and human scraps. Highly adaptable, it thrives in diverse habitats, including urban areas. Starlings are famous for their synchronized flying displays called murmurations. Despite being admired for their beauty and adaptability, they can be considered pests in some areas due to their large numbers and aggressive competition for nesting sites.

Fun Fact: Starlings are remarkable mimics, capable of imitating the calls of other birds and various sounds from their environment, including human speech and car alarms.

(Photo credit: Owen Brand)

The Robin is a small European bird known for its distinctive orange-red breast. It has a melodious song and primarily feeds on insects, worms, and berries. Robins are territorial and build cup-shaped nests in various locations. They are bold birds and often approach humans for food. 

Fun Fact: The robin's red breast has made it a symbol of Christmas in the UK, with its image often appearing on Christmas cards and decorations. This association dates back to Victorian times when postmen, who wore red uniforms, were nicknamed "robins."

(Photo credit: David Page)

 The House Sparrow is a small bird native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa but introduced worldwide. It has a brownish-grey plumage with black markings and a grey crown on males. House sparrows primarily feed on seeds and grains, also scavenging human scraps. Highly adaptable, they thrive in urban areas, nesting in buildings. Social and known for their chirping, they've declined in some regions due to habitat loss.

Fun Fact: House Sparrows are closely associated with human habitats and have been introduced to many parts of the world by human activity. They're often regarded as symbols of urban life and are featured prominently in literature, art, and folklore.

(Photo credit: All about birds)

 The Song Thrush is a medium-sized European songbird known for its brown plumage with dark spots and its melodious flute-like song. It primarily feeds on earthworms, insects, and berries, and nests in trees or shrubs. 

Fun Fact:  Song Thrushes are skilled at using "anvils" to break open snail shells for food. They select specific spots, often stones, and repeatedly strike their prey against them to access the nutritious contents inside. This behaviour showcases their problem-solving skills and adaptability in foraging techniques. 

(Photo credit: David Page)

 The Wren is a small, brown bird known for its lively behaviour and melodious song. It darts among vegetation in search of insects and spiders and builds domed nests in shrubs or low vegetation. Despite its small size, the wren is fiercely territorial, defending its nesting sites vigorously.

Fun Fact: The Wren has one of the highest rates of song production among birds, with males sometimes singing more than 600 times per hour during the breeding season.

(Photo credit: Lorne Kidd)

 The Snipe is a medium-sized wading bird known for its long, slender bill and cryptic plumage, blending well with its marshland habitat. It performs a distinctive aerial display called "winnowing" during courtship. Nocturnal by nature, it forages for insects and small invertebrates in wetlands worldwide. Despite its widespread distribution, snipes are elusive and difficult to spot due to their secretive behaviour and excellent camouflage.

Fun Fact: The term "sniper" originated from the challenging hunting of Snipes, requiring precise aim and patience. It later evolved to describe skilled marksmen known for their accurate and stealthy shooting, especially in military contexts.

(Photo credit: David Hedges)