British Birds In Your Garden

birds are beautiful and fascinating creatures a treasured addition to the British landscape that everyone can enjoy whether you live in the heart of the countryside or in a high-rise city flat birds are all around the species may vary but the joy of watching their antics at close quarters is irresistible this program has been designed to help you make the most of watching the birds that visit your garden throughout Britain there'll be variations and of course sightings will alter with the seasons but understanding the lifestyle and behavior of the most frequently seen species will definitely improve your chances of witnessing stunning wildlife from the comfort of your own home there are many things that can be done on a very simple level to increase the number of bird varieties that visit your garden some are complete opportunists like the house sparrows and starlings that will seemingly appear from nowhere then scoop up food scraps that you put out for them others you may need to gently encourage over a period of time with offerings of food for example numbers of Kult it's a remarkably shy member of the tip family have increased significantly with people feeding black sunflower seeds at their bird tables a bird table is a great focus for the garden bird watcher and although you can certainly feed and attract birds to your garden without one it's something that you will undoubtedly want to progress to and consistent feeding is the key as Birds will become used to a ready supply of food encouraging birds to nest in your garden is another great way of ensuring plenty of bird activity and there is nothing quite as fascinating as fledglings practicing flight across your garden in noisy boisterous fashion some birds will readily accept man-made nesting boxes members of the tip family are prime examples but they do have specific preferences so check can see the type most suited to the breed you would like to observe having provided food and suitable shelter hopefully that will exclude neighboring moggies you will also need to have a good water source for both drinking and bathing bathing is one of the most absorbing bird activities to watch so make sure that you place bird baths strategically so that you can observe the proceedings without causing a disturbance with nesting birds you'll see certain species in your garden all year round but keep an eye out for seasonal visitors as well the summer brings the beautiful swallows and Housemartins back to British Gardens from the southern hemisphere and if you're fortunate enough to have them nest they will often return to you year after year just one word of warning with all the sting birds each one has a distinctive alarm call that you will definitely hear if you get too close to their nests should this happen then back off you know that you mean no harm but you are distressing the burden necessarily there are 30 species included in this program some are fairly straightforward to identify like the black bird others are harder due to their shy personalities or close resemblance to other species even an experienced bird watcher might have to think twice about whether it's a green Finch she's watching or Siskin each bird is covered in detail with their coloring flight pattern song feeding and nesting habits with expert tips on how to identify the species as you progress then a more extensive bird identification book may be of help but for getting started you'll find everything you need in British Birds in your garden there is no bird more familiar in the British garden than the Robin instantly recognizable both male and female are identical with a bright orange-red breast and characteristically pin thin spindly legs young Robins can be difficult to identify as they lack the red breast and are uniformly brown with darker streaks and spots Robin's are strongly territorial and although their songs Pleasant it's mainly used as a keep out threat to rival birds the Robin will also puff out his red breast and react aggressively of other birds enter his domain nesting sites can be described as eccentric with old kettles cans and boots sometimes chosen in preference to more conventional locations such as holes among tree roots and vegetation if you put out an open fronted nesting box then a Robin will readily accept it and there can be three broods a year each producing three to five offspring the eggs hatch after 13 days and the young fly two weeks later the Robins intelligent friendly nature has made it a great favorite and of course at Christmas time the image of this crimson breasted bird in the snow adorns thousands of greeting cards a much-loved symbol of the festive season carrion crows tend to have a rather sinister reputation with their black plumage and powerful beaks their lifestyle does little to make them more endearing they will pick over the remains of wildlife casualties notably road deaths and they will also steal the eggs and sometimes even the nestlings of other birds should the opportunity arise as a species the crow is very resourceful and intelligent they will expertly clear the waste bins of supermarkets and open snail shells and nuts by dropping them from a height onto a hard surface both male and female are alike in appearance and as parents they are extremely dedicated to their offspring they also pair and remain faithful for life in rural areas the crow is very common and also seen frequently in more urban environments their bulky nests are easy to see high up in trees or if resident near the coast then on cliff edges each brood will consist of three to five eggs which will hatch after 20 days the young usually leave the nest after about 5 weeks but may well remain with their parents until late summer and even into the autumn months the jackdaw with its distinctive call is easily distinguished from the crow and the rook it's much smaller with a pale gray nape which contrasts with an otherwise all black plumage jackdaws also have strikingly pale eyes which perhaps give them a shifty appearance in keeping with their dubious reputation jackdaws will steal almost anything being sleek smart artful and intelligent eggs chicks and other birds nests are targets anything bright and shiny will attract the jackdaws attention and they've even been known to pluck Hall from the backs of sheep which they will use to line their nests as a species the jackdaw is rapidly expanding its range throughout Britain and there are few districts without a population close by breeding takes place in colonies when nest sites are plentiful jackdaws build their nests in holes which can be natural such as in a tree or man-made church spires seem to have particular appeal 3 to 6 eggs will hatch after 18 days and the young will remain in the nest for over a month despite being one of the so-called baddies of the bird world Jack dolls are fascinating to watch indulging an exuberant flying displays which can be spectacular rooks and crows do tend to be misidentified even though it's usually easy to distinguish between them the rook has bare whitish skin on its face and the base of the bill young rooks are all black but they do have a distinctive higher forehead than the crow rocks also have what can only be described as a baggy trousers appearance created by loose feathers on the thighs the call of the rook is much harsher than the crows call in rural areas rocks still pursue a traditional lifestyle colony nesting with rookeries high up in the trees for groups of birds work the soil newly plowed fields are especially attractive providing wireworms leather jackets and other insects and larvae again contrasting with crows rocks are very sociable and individual pairs return to the same nest year after year in autumn spectacular flying displays seem unconnected to breeding behavior nests are conspicuous containing three to six eggs and the young rooks fledged about a month after hatching urban rocks are now quite successful finding scavenging a lucrative business although they rarely visit waste tips the province of aggressive gulls they are often seen around supermarket car parks where they have become proficient at investigating waste bins a male Bulfinch has stunningly beautiful coloring pink gray and white with a distinctive black cap and although similar the females coloring is far more muted they are shy secretive birds no doubt a learned response as the bull finches ability to decimate buds on fruit trees has done little to endear them to farmers and gardeners and they sometimes get treated as pests in truth you're more likely to hear the characteristic mellow fluting call of a bull Finch from a hedgerow than you are to actually see one but you never know many regular bird watchers have been rewarded with the sight of a flash of color disappearing into the nearest thicket bull finches pair for life producing two clutches of up to five eggs each year their nest consists of a platform of twigs supporting a neat cup of rootlets well hidden in the depths of a bush chicks hatch after two weeks with a young bull finches fledging about a fortnight later whereas many species of Finch are lively and busy often flocking together to head out to the countryside at certain times of the year the bull Finch is rather sedentary rarely moving beyond a few kilometers when it's not raising young green finches are popular visitors to many bird tables predominantly throughout winter and spring both sexes are green but the female is much duller and often mistaken for a house sparrow the conical bill is however quite distinctive and ideally suited for the peanuts and sunflower seeds which green finches so enjoy sometimes they appear in large numbers forming compatible but disorderly cues when food is on offer nesting tends to be rather untidy and bulky in shrubs trees and hedges there are usually two broods in a year but occasionally there will be three four to five eggs will hatch after 13 days with a young flying the nest just over two weeks later during the late summer and autumn flocks or family parties of green finches will move to the countryside in search of food but if humans regularly start garden tables this is one bird that will rarely stray far the green finches song is twittering and interspersed with a long wheezy note their flight pattern is undulating and often accompanied by the twittering call there are other garden birds that can sometimes be mistaken for green finches particularly since the increase in Siskin numbers both birds are of similar coloring but the green Finch is considerably larger the Siskin is a relatively recent addition to British bird tables having at one time only been found in Scotland and Ireland its main stronghold is still the Scottish Highlands but with the nationwide increase in conifer plantations the species has become far more widespread the male Siskin has bright green and yellow plumage with the addition of a black cap which the females lack as well as being somewhat duller they could be mistaken for a green Finch but systems are considerably smaller and will characteristically feed at a nut holder with their heads hanging down the sistine seems to be particularly attracted by red coloured peanut holders possibly because their favorite natural food source is the red older cone conifer plantations are the siskins preferred nesting site but gardens planted with junipers and cypresses have occasionally been selected the nest itself is small tidy and usually found high up on a branch there are two broods per year each containing three to five eggs which hatch after 12 days and young siskins will fly the nest after about 15 days this bird is definitely an added bonus for the garden watcher they are fascinatingly assertive feeders that will appear all year round the chaffinch is one of the most common British birds with a male in particular also being one of the most attractive visitors to the garden bird table with a blue-gray crown pink breast and chestnut back he is conspicuous in early spring using his cheerful rollicking song to call for a mate and marking his territory although the female is duller she has the same white shoulder patch in wing bar particularly noticeable in flight unlike the majority of finches the chaffinch walks rather than hops which can be another helpful point of identification nests tend to be built into the fork of a tree or bush and are well camouflaged neat constructions decorated with lichens moss and feathers chaffinches lay between three and five eggs with only one brood each year and they will hatch after 14 days and the chicks leave the nest after 2 weeks Gardens in spring and summer will attract large numbers of chaffinches however in the autumn they will gather in flocks and heard off to the countryside often with other small finches the wisdom population of chaffinches has been estimated at up to 7 million birds with winter numbers sometimes quadrupling with an influx of migrating treffen cheese from the continent the beautiful coloring and clear tinkling song of the Goldfinch almost proved to be its downfall in the 19th century it was a popular caged bird and trapping reduced the British population of this lovely French to dangerously low levels fortunately protection of the species has since ensured a full recovery colourful face markings make both the male and female distinctive but juveniles sometimes known as grey Kate's lack these however they do sport the lovely black and gold wings gold finches feed regularly on weed seeds including knapweed thistle and dandelion the familiar sight of them feeding together on the ripened heads of thistles is particularly striking to encourage gold finches into your garden black sunflower seeds are useful addition to your bird table but in urban areas they do tend to be rare visitors bushes and low trees are preferred for nesting with orchards and gardens proven quite popular Goldfinch nests are neat cup shaped structures beautifully lined with thistledown there are up to three broods produced each year with as many as five young incubation takes 14 days and the fledglings leaves the nest two weeks later many gold finches head for France or Spain in winter with remaining birds often gathering together in sociable groups there was a time and not so long ago that the House Sparrow was the third most abundant bird in Britain urban populations seem to be the most in decline suggesting that pollution particularly vehicle emissions may well be to blame originally a eurasian species the sparrow is both adaptable and streetwise enjoying the good living and close association with man however it remains constantly wary and uncertain as the relationship sparrows can be seen all year round and they're noisy unmusical song can be heard frequently and even more loudly than usual when a male is attempting to impress a prospective mate this can be found in close proximity to the sparrows human neighbors under eaves in rooms and hedges a prolific species it produces three or more broods in a year with as many as five eggs laid each time the chicks hatch after twelve to fourteen days with the young flying the nest were near two weeks old despite declining numbers the fact that the sparrows reproduce at such a frequent rate should ensure their survival but this is not a species that the garden watcher can take for granted anymore which will perhaps make everyone more appreciative of this delightful little bird the missile flush is the largest resident British thrush with white underparts and bold black spotting well down along the flanks and belly in flight it reveals white wing linings and the tail shows white tipped outer feathers it's greater than the song thrush and rather more wary even so if their nests are threatened it can be very aggressive attacking intruders of any size in rural communities the missile thrush has earned the name storm cop because it will sing out its strident song from the treetops in appalling weather it also has a very distinctive alarm call that sounds just like a football supporters rattle listing is early sometimes starting as soon as February large cup shaped and often embellished with bits of old rubbish such as baling twine the missile thrush's nest can be found high up in trees there are often two broods of between 3 & 5 youngsters that will Fletch after about a fortnight when breeding is complete missile thrushes are a familiar sight particularly in the countryside as autumn brings a plentiful berry crop family groups will gather to make the most of the seasonal food supplied at other times of the year they prefer larvae and in vertebrates there was a time when the Starling was considered to be the most common bird in British gardens with huge flocks of them seen on a regular basis however in recent times their numbers have been quite drastically reduced and researched his ongoing as to why occasionally starlings foraging on a lawn can be mistaken for the female blackbird but on closer inspection they are very different creatures the Starling has an iridescent plumage with purple green and blue reflections and in winter months its feathers are tipped with white or buff giving a speckled appearance starlings roost in large flocks often making a spectacular display at dusk congregating in woods or thickets in the countryside or on buildings in more urban environments they are fascinating to watch noisy and busy before settling it's hard to say whether it's the native British Starling population that has diminished or the influx of migrating visitors from northern and eastern europe there can often be two broods of four to seven young produced each year eggs hatch after 13 days and the nest will be empty some three weeks later nesting sites are diverse with holes roofs boxes wall cavities and a variety of other locations proving to be surprisingly suitable the willow Warbler is one of Britain's communist summer visitors and as one of the first returning migrants sometimes as early as mid-march is a welcomed Herald of spring this is not an easy bird to identify as it's remarkably similar to its close relatives the chief chaff in appearance it's mainly green olive buff with lighter under parts and although it's said to have paler flesh colored legs when compared to the chief chaff this isn't reliable the only sure way to tell is when you hear their song a willow Warbler delivers a sweet descending cliffnotes whereas the chief calf simply repeats its own name over and over again once returned to Britain this woodland species is a popular garden visitor and as some don't migrate can occasionally appear at winter bird tables nesting will begin by the end of April as beautiful domed structures of grass lined with feathers are carefully concealed at ground level up to 7 eggs are laid at a time hatching after 13 days young Willow Warblers will fly the nest when they're about two weeks old migrating birds will depart as latest mid-october heading for the warmer temperatures of Africa south of the Sahara Desert the blue teat is one of the best known and undoubtedly most popular species of garden bird with delightful blue and yellow plumage it's easily recognizable also having a distinct small compact shape it's a veritable feathered gymnast capable of exploring all possible food sources using considerable intelligence to exploit every opportunity blue teats will feed happily at garden bird tables with peanuts proven to be a particular favorite when it comes to organic gardening the blue tit is an absolute must scooping up a feeds caterpillars and grubs to feed their young you can encourage them into your gardens with nesting boxes of the whole front variety they produce one brood each year but laying up to 15 eggs of which as many as 10 will hatch makes them quite prolific after an incubation of 15 days the clicks will fly the nest before they are three weeks old and the noisy parties of juvenile blue tits emerging throughout the summer months can be delightful during the winter blue tipz will often form small roving bands on the lookout for food with other like sized Birds although the blue tit is widespread it will avoid inner-city areas where sightings are much less frequent despite its name the marsh tilt is not associated with marshland it much prefers a woodland habitat although often close to bogs and other damp areas this delightful little bird about the same size as a blue tit can be rather tricky to identify not unlike the colt it it's remarkably similar in appearance to the willow tit the only difference is the marsh tits glossy black cap in contrast to the willow tits dull and black cap to make certain though you'll need to hear the song the marsh State has a soft peh-chu call and bubbling kick a bit cheek a bit song as opposed to the willow teats buzzing rising notes natural tree holes are the preferred nesting site of the marsh tit with up to 8 eggs laid on a bed of moss there can be two broods in a year hatching after a fortnight with a young flying the nest when they are little more than two weeks old if you have a garden close to woodland you may well spot a marsh tit and they have been known to occupy a standard nest box but this is a very shy species and other birds can often chase them away the great it is the largest British ticked and was often the culprit responsible for many a picked open milk bottle top the size is the main point of identification with a large black cap black band and a belly and white outer tail feathers also proving to be notable features this popular garden bird is fairly common and its cheery ringing song is a familiar sound in springtime if the female is disturbed she will sit perfectly still and hissed at any intruder they will happily use nesting boxes provided that they have a whole aperture rather than a part open front as well as being lovely to watch the great tit is a valuable pest controller feeding the young on the caterpillars that might otherwise damage garden plants primarily the great Tate is a woodland bird that has discovered the value of Gardens for food in winter there is only one brood raised each year and although the garden nesting sites are perfectly adequate the clutch size tends to be smaller than in their native environment 6 to 8 eggs are laid hatching after 14 days with the fledglings leaving the nest about three weeks later Cole tits are smaller than the blue ticked and they have a distinctive black cap prominent white nape patch and two white wind bars it can be more difficult to distinguish the colt it from Martian Willow Tate's however they don't have the white nape and they lack the wing bars the availability of black sunflower seeds for garden birds has increased cultic numbers in Britain dramatically the volume of seeds which disappear from food dispensers is staggering and although no one knows for sure it seems that these delightful little birds store up to sixty percent of what they take in secret caches when it comes to nesting the colt it is much more cautious than other tips they will occasionally use nest boxes but much prefer holes quite often at ground level with old rodent holes proven popular usually only a single brood is really clear producing between seven and eleven offspring in a natural environment the colt it is best suited to coniferous woodland where they're fine bills are extremely dexterous when it comes to extracting insects from amongst pine needles they are gradually becoming more frequent visitors to garden bird tables so don't forget the black sunflower seeds the longtail tit is a tiny fragile bird that if it were not for its very long tail would be pretty sucky smallest bird with beautiful pink black and white plumage this bird is unmistakable and in flight has a tendency to resemble a bulbous headed pipe cleaner with wings this delightful little bird is a regular visitor to Gardens in winter tending to head for the countryside prior to the breeding season they returned to Gardens in late June early July often bringing their offspring with them throughout the years severe winters have had catastrophic effects on his vulnerable species but fortunately numbers recover remarkably quickly in milder weather they feed almost exclusively on tiny insects and larvae which is why freezing conditions cause them such problems but they have developed a taste for cleanups a ready supply of garden food is always helpful of all nests the long tail tips is an engineering masterpiece domed and lined with thousands of tiny feathers it can even expand as up to a dozen nestlings grow before fledgling at just two weeks old during winter months long tail tips join together a small mixed flocks usually with blue cold marsh and willow tips and often tree creepers the striking black and white plumage and long constantly wagging tail make the pied white tells name self-explanatory although the yellow tinge juveniles can be a little bit puzzling the close proximity of adult birds will clear up any confusion this bird was once an insect feeder but modern agricultural techniques who reduced the availability of small flying insects and the species that had to adapt to survive insects are still their preferred food but they have even been known to take bread from winter bird tables in harsh conditions officially the Pied wagtail is a British resident communist around Waterside habitats but it's also seen on farmland and in town parks and gardens however many will choose to migrate to warmer Mediterranean climes when winter sets in nesting is usually of a substantial nature with a cup of glass lined with feathers placed in some kind of cavity holes and wall crevices are popular locations whether natural or man-made five to six eggs will hatch after two weeks with the chicks flying the nest two weeks later occasionally there will be three broods in a year but two is more usual during winter months Pied wagtail will gather in roasts of up to a thousand birds the house Martin like its swallow relative is a welcome sight each spring returning after migration from as far afield as Africa India and Southeast Asia it can be quite easily distinguished from the swallow by its conspicuous white rump particularly in flight and it's much shorter forked tail originally the species was a cliff Lester but over time it is developed to nest under the eaves of houses hence it's very descriptive name another difference to the swallow is the fact that the house Martin always attaches its nest to the exterior of the house rather than the swallows interior constructions if you have one pair of house Martin's you'll invariably find you have more they are gregarious birds living in colonies breeding prolifically each pair can produce three birds a year usually containing four to five eggs which incubate within fifteen days the young house Martin's fly by the time they are three weeks old a house Martin colony will appear intensely active with lots of sweeping from swarms of key looking birds quite often the offspring of an earlier brood will help in the feeding of subsequent nestlings unfortunately house Martin numbers are in decline but thanks to prolific breeding they remain fairly widespread swallows leave Britain each autumn migrating as far as South Africa it means that by the time this little bird returns in the spring it will have completed a 12,000 mile round journey the navigation skills are also highly developed as adults invariably return annually to the same nesting site their sculpted appearance is geared to flight with the swallows long streamlined tail distinguishing it from the shorter tailed house Martin a species that it is sometimes confused with swallows are even able to feed on the wing caulking for insects up to the size of butterflies sadly swallow numbers have declined in recent years probably due to increased hygiene on farms which has resulted in a substantial reduction of insects the swallow builds its nest inside a building often on a beam in an open bar shed or sometimes a gouge four to six eggs will hatch after about a fortnight and the young swallows will fly the nest three weeks later there are up to three broods produced each year but really late October nestlings are sometimes abandoned as the urge to migrate overtakes the parents there's no of the bird species quite so closely associated with a British summer as the graceful swooping swallow the familiar and unmistakable pied plumage of the magpie with its harsh chattering call is not always a welcome visitor to the garden bird table it has become regarded by many as being responsible for the depletion of the British songbird population a problem that is sadly escalating magpie numbers have steadily increased as this resourceful and unquestionably intelligent bird has adapted to flush equally as successfully in suburban habitats as it does in rural ones the magpie is a nest robber by trade taking both the eggs and nestlings of smaller birds its own nest is pretty much impregnable defying any predator covered by a dome of thorns preferably located on a thorny bush or tree 47 eggs are laid in just one brooded here hatching after 21 days Magpies both male and female look identical make protective and attentive parents with the fledglings departing the nest at about four weeks old this is one bird that you'll have no difficulty attracting to your garden but for those who have noisy gatherings of roosting Magpies or concerns about smaller bird visitors the question of how to discourage them might be somewhat more pertinent there are some birds that are still a rare treat for the garden bird watcher and happily in recent years the exotic looking jay is one of them this is a very shy and secretive species but it's now increasingly frequent visitor to garden bird tables but beware it's still very wary and the slightest noise or movement will see it rapidly take flight male and female joes are very similar with pinky brown plumage and luminescent blue barred wings a flash of blue through garden trees or out on the woodland walk can often indicate a departing Jay although the Jay is an effective lifts predator taking eggs and nestlings during spring and summer the mainstay of their diet is acorns insects and larvae the Jay rarely flies far from its territory but if a corn crops fail it has been known to venture off on long journeys in search of acorns to bury for the long winter months nests are usually placed high up in a tree fork or in creepers such as honeysuckle the eggs resemble those of the Blackbird and one brood of between five and six is raised each year the young fly after about three weeks the melodious sounds of the song thrush can be heard pretty much all year round and the distinctive repetition of musical phrases will instantly identify this wonderful bird although similar in appearance to the missel thrush the song thrush is smaller with the spotting on the under parts being less dense unfortunately this species in Britain is in decline and many are concerned that changes in farming practice is causing the problem however it may lie much closer to home some thrushes have a definite taste for snails often using a convenient stone as an anvil to crack open their prey unfortunately the use of mollusk killing pellets containing metaldehyde could be also poisoning the song thrush just one step further up the food chain many nests will fall to predators such as the much villainized magpie but there are often as many as three broods raised each year 3 to 6 eggs are laid in mud lined cup-shaped nests usually located low down in a tree or a hedge two weeks after hatching the chicks will leave the nest the decline of the song thrush is worrying on an environmental scale and the loss of its beautiful song would be catastrophic of all garden birds the black bird is one of the most easily recognizable with jet black plumage and distinctive yellow bill the male of the species is a familiar sight in gardens all over Britain and although the female is browner with a dark build she too is easy to spot affluent songster the black bird is a melodious contributor to the dawn chorus but is perhaps better known for its loud alarm call black birds will seem very busy right through the summer months often raising as many as three broods of young their cup-shaped nests are usually camouflaged a few feet up in hedges the eggs hatch after 13 days with an average of three to four fledglings flying the nest some two weeks later the only time is the year that you are unlikely to see black birds in your garden is between mid August and late September as the summer wears on they become rather tired looking and more than a little thread air eventually disappearing from view to molt the restored black birds with pristine new feathers emerge for the autumn and throughout the winter months there will be an increase in black bird numbers as migrants from northern Europe swell the population there's something very appealing about collared doves flitting into feed at a garden bird table but surprisingly they are a relatively new addition to the British landscape there was a spectacular spread of the species across Europe during the 1930s and the first pair to arrive in Britain did so in 1955 although the rate of expansion has now slowed down they are well distributed nationwide usually associated with humans occurring in towns gardens parks and farmland in appearance the collared dove is the size of a small pigeon with a warm grey coloring the major point of identification is the narrow black half collar on the neck in flight the tail appears square ended with the base black and the remainder white as opposed to the Turtledove small rounded tail the song of the collared dove is a distinctive repetition of three curves with the emphasis always being upon the second nests are flimsy built of twigs grass and roots located in conifer or evergreen hedges there can be up to five broods and pairs can breed almost any time between February and November both parents incubate the eggs which takes about 14 days and the young doves will fly eighteen days later it's a commonly held belief that the Ren is Britain's smallest bird but in fact the gold crest holds that honor just a quarter of an inch shorter an explosive bursts of song from a garden shrub may well Herald the appearance of the nonetheless tiny when which has an amazingly loud voice with a distinctive upward pointing tail and barred brown plumage the Wren is an attractive sight and although not a regular bird at garden tables an offering of tiny mealworms on the ground may well entice them in the Wren has a feisty character and when disturbed even much larger creatures will be scolded with sharp ticking notes in a torrent of abuse particularly when their nests and young seem under threat populations of wrens are actually healthier than people expect but harsh winters will badly deplete numbers nesting is usually concealed in a recess in a tree trunk or Bank but a variety of bizarre sights around buildings and gardens have been known the Wren also builds additional nests but only one will be lined with feathers for use there are two broods of five to six offspring produced each year and it takes about two weeks for the fledglings to fly the nest there are few people fortunate enough to see the greater spotted woodpecker in their gardens but if you live in an area with plenty of trees nearby you never know it's a possibility this bird relies on old trees for food and nesting sites equally at home in both coniferous and broadleaf plantations the first sign that a greater spotted woodpecker is around can often be a vibrating echoing drumming sound produced by rapidly repeated blows of the bill against a tree trunk the sound is very distinctive and can be heard over a considerable distance males and females are very similar but only the male has the stunning flash of crimson at the nape of the neck although these birds are visible all year round it's much easier to see them in winter when the trees are bare a great spotted woodpecker is capable of drilling holes in telegraph poles but for nesting it prefers soft or decaying trees they only produce a single brood each year but this can mean up to seven chicks the eggs hatch after 16 days with a young birds leaving the nest when they are three weeks old you if you are lucky enough to see a green woodpecker at close range you'll know exactly why it's so named male and females have the distinctive green coloring but the male has a red mustache streaked with a female sporting a black one it may seem an unlikely visitor to Gardens but it has been known particularly if you live close to Woodlands the green woodpecker has an old country name yaffle which aptly describes the loud series of notes resembling wild laughter that is the call of this bird trees are the prime attraction for the green woodpecker with insects under the bark providing a tasty meal also they nest in deep chambers in the trunk excavated by both the male and female providing a safe haven for five to six eggs at a time incubation takes 20 days with the young birds leaving the nest three weeks later the flight pattern of the green woodpecker is very undulating as is the case with all woodpeckers but the long head and neck will distinguish the green variety should one swoop down on your lawn it will be in search of ants a favorite delicacy which the green woodpecker will extract with an extraordinarily long tongue you the pheasant was possibly brought to Britain by the Romans but the Normans are usually accredited with its introduction in the 11th century originally from Asia the pheasants great popularity was due to its tasty meat which particularly at Christmas time is still much in demand today as a game bird thousands are reared artificially but there are also well-established wild populations the resplendent male pheasant is unmistakable with his bright colorful plumage although the female is very dull by comparison perfect for camouflage while sitting on the nest her long tail will distinguish her from other species early in spring male pheasants will fight fiercely with one another and in the countryside the loud crowing all that accompanies these mating rituals will frequently be heard you will often see one male with up to half a dozen females incubating and rearing eggs around a territory at the same time clutches of up to 20 eggs are laid in a grass lined depression known as a scrape which is well hidden by vegetation the eggs hatch after about 25 days with the chicks becoming quickly mobile learn to fly within two weeks which unlike many species of birds is long before they have finished growing one of the greatest joys of watching British birds in the garden or anywhere else for that matter is the immense variety of species that can be seen to pick 30 birds to feature in this programme has perhaps excluded a few favorites but the aim has been to provide a guide that will help you to be realistic about what you might actually see there are also things that can be done to improve the chances of seeing certain species and helpful information has been included throughout to point you in the right direction but be warned bird-watching is delightfully addictive and in modern times with Ozone's disintegrating and global warming an ominous threat humans can be so busy considering wildlife on a worldwide scale it's possible to sometimes miss the wealth of feathered creatures that live literally on our very own doorsteps country folk and town dwellers alike are all surrounded by beautiful birds and once you start to look a little more closely at the wonderful wildlife supported in your own particular environment your interest will grow and this will become a fascinating preoccupation which can and variably does last a lifetime there is a bird watchers code and although there's no need to get bogged down with rules and regulations it's worth being aware of important issues firstly the welfare of the birds is paramount secondly their habitat must be protected thirdly keep disturbance to birds in their habitat to a minimum for when you find a rare bird think carefully about whom you should tell five do not harass rare migrants six abide by the bird Protection Act at all times seven respect the rights of landowners eight respect the rights of other people in the countryside 9 make your records available to the local bird recorder so that they may help to build up a picture of bird movements and lastly behave out and about as you would when bird watching at home it really is a case of thinking from the birds point of view the trouble is as our interest grows we want to know more and more which can be intrusive if we get carried away one of the nicest things that will come out of developing a relationship with the birds in your garden is the fact that you will also become an important part of the birds ecosystem thousands of like-minded individuals the length and breadth of the nation are quietly helping to encourage and support what can in certain cases be bird species under threat it's sometimes difficult to accept that every day birds such as the Starling and the sparrow are now going into a decline they have been a part of the British garden landscape for as long as anyone can remember endangered no longer necessarily means rare and thanks to garden bird tables and the keen following of watches everywhere there is a good chance that things can be improved not only are you guaranteed to get great pleasure out of watching the birds in your garden you'll also be helping towards nature conservation creating a safe haven in which all species can survive and flourish you you you

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Keywords: WILDLIFE, NATURE, ANIMALS, Birds, Garden, VTD94388, Blue Tit, Jay, Woodpecker, garden birds, Ornithology (Field Of Study), British, seeds, Crow (Animal), Bird (Animal), British Birds (Magazine), United Kingdom (Country), Jackdaw, Magpie (Animal), Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Rook, Chaffinch, House Sparrow (Animal), Mistle Thrush, Willow Warbler, Marsh Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail, Housemartin, Swallow, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Wren, Pheasant

Id: kVAG2EitHfA

Length: 54min 42sec (3282 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 21 2014