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Colourful birds in the UK. When we think of colourful birds, we imagine tropical rainforests and exotic islands, but the UK is home to its own collection of bright and beautiful birds. Here are five of Britain’s most colourful birds. Kingfisher With their iridescent blue and orange plumage, the kingfisher is a strikingly beautiful bird. Kingfisher’s nest in dug out tunnels hidden away in riverbanks along slow moving waterways. They seem to prefer to nest near low hanging willows. Though rel …

Yellow Birds found in the UK Yellow birds in the UK. There is nothing more cheering than noticing the first bright splashes of colour appearing in our gardens after a long dark winter. From the first bulbs peeping through to the first blossom blooming on the boughs the view from our windows is always made more lovely by the addition of colour. Spring flowers are not the only source of colour to be found however. The British Isles is home to some of the most colourfully birds. Most birds a …

Britain’s Top Largest Wild Birds Largest birds in the UK. The UK is home to birds of all shapes and sizes. The UK’s smallest bird is the tiny Goldcrest, weighing in at only 5.5 grams which is about the same weight as a sugar lump and has a wingspan of only 14.5cm. In contrast, the UK’s largest bird, the Common Crane stands a mighty 130cm tall, about the height of a nine year old child and weighs in at 6.1 kg with a wingspan stretching up to 2.4 metres! The Common Crane The Common Crane wasn’t …

Are you taking part in the RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch? Big garden bird watch 2020. If you love watching the birds that visit your garden why not join in with the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch 2020. By doing so you will be helping the RSPB’s crucial work of monitoring bird’s numbers across Britain. The Big Garden Birdwatch has been running for 40 years and in that time approximately 127 million birds have been spotted and their numbers recorded. The results from nationwide surveys such as …

Wading Birds What are Wading birds? Waders are birds that wade in and feed on shorelines. Some birds wade in shallow water, while others feed on rocky shores. Waders generally have long legs and bills which enable them to forage for food in deep, moving waters. They also usually have long toes that help them balance steadily in silt, sand and mud. Some waders, such as Herons have powerful neck muscles which they use to spear fish. Where to spot Waders? Waders are best spotted along coastal sh …

Birds of Prey  Birds of prey. Public opinion has often been divided over Raptors, otherwise known as Birds of Prey. Over the centuries they’ve been the companions of Aristocracy and their presence encouraged to rid Medieval Streets of vermin. They’ve also been treated as vermin themselves with many species becoming endangered due to intensive farming practices, including the destruction of nesting sites and the use of pesticides which poison and kill their prey. Due to conservation efforts by …

Pet Birds If you already provide feeding stations, bird baths and nest boxes in your garden you know how enjoyable it can be watching birds in their natural environment. Keeping pet birds can be a natural step on from caring for wild birds. Keeping birds can be an incredibly rewarding experience. It is also a big commitment that will involve both time and costs. These should be fully considered as some birds can live very long lives. What to consider when choosing a pet bird? Here are some thi …

Common seabirds UK. Did you know that the British Isles is home to 25 species of seabird? Located along British and Irish coastlines, these birds by the sea come in all different shapes and sizes. In this British seabirds identification guide, we will go through the most common types of seaside birds in the UK, and when (and where) is the best time for you to spot them.  Puffin  Nicknamed as ‘sea parrots’, or even sometimes as ‘clowns of the sea’, puffins are small seabirds that measure around 2 …

It’s that time of year when our feathered friends are migrating to and from our beautiful little island. To celebrate our migrating birds, we’ve put together this Great British Bird Quiz to put your bird knowledge to the test!  Let’s get started… See if you can guess the bird from the image and description. The answers will be revealed at the end of this page - so no cheating! Pen and paper at the ready. 1. You’ll find it in an 18th-century nursery rhyme Let’s start with an easy one. This common …

How do birds fly ? It’s one of the dearest miracles of the natural world, but it’s also one that we generally take for granted. Have you ever stopped to think: how do birds fly? Or, how do birds take off?  Whenever we’re on an aeroplane, we marvel at the mere idea that we’re flying. Why not attach that same curiosity to the natural world? In this article we’re going to cover the science behind how birds fly. Here goes! Let’s start simple  Before we get into the scientific explanations for bird …