Birds

Unlike the Mute Swan (which doesn’t make a sound), the Whooper Swan lets rip with a low, usually three-note, “wup wup wup” bugle call in flight, hence its name. Despite their size, they are powerful fliers and can be found on flooded fields near water. They arrive here in the autumn from much further north. Where a Mute Swan has an orange bill, the Whooper’s is bright yellow, making them easy to tell apart.

The Whooper Swan is mainly white with sometimes rusty marks on its neck. It has a black bill with a big yellow wedge extending beyond its nostrils. It holds its neck upright when alert. Their tail is square and particularly visible when they upend to feed.

Whooper Swans are veggies,  eating mainly plants found in fields and water, often forming large flocks where there is plenty of food. It is not uncommon to see twenty or more together.

Whooper Swans don’t start breeding until they are 4-5 years old. They pair for life and sing trumpeting duets when courting with lots of head bobbing. Their breeding grounds are mainly in Iceland and northern Europe, though some occasionally nest in Scotland. The nest is built from a mound of reeds on boggy ground near pools or lakes. The 3-5 eggs hatch after 35 days and the youngsters can fly 80 days later. Both parents tend the young and the family group stays and feeds together for their first winter. Like many birds, mum and dad are flightless for several weeks during their moult after breeding.

About three-quarters of the Icelandic Whooper Swans overwinter here with 15,000 staying between November and March. In the spring, they then fly non-stop from Scotland back to Iceland. During this migration, they can travel at very high altitudes. A pilot flying at 8,000 feet once reported seeing a flock of swans that were thought to be Whoopers! Whooper Swans require large areas of water to live in, especially when they are still growing because their legs can not support their body weight for a long time. The main threats to them are collisions with overhead power lines and poisoning from lead shot. 

Their Latin name is ’cygnus cygnus’ where ’cygnus’ means ‘swan’. A double swan to remind you how big they are. Another swan, the Bewick Swan, looks similar to a Whooper in that it also has a yellow beak. However, in the Bewick’s, the yellow only comes halfway down and, overall, it is smaller than the big Whooper.

The Goosander is a relative newcomer that first bred in Britain in 1871. This handsome diving duck is a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. Its long streamlined body is perfectly shaped for swimming. They are gregarious birds, forming flocks of thousands in some parts of Europe. Over winter, they are mainly seen on lakes and reservoirs. 

The male Goosander has a white body with a green head and black back. The female has a grey body with a reddish head, well-defined white throat and grey neck. Both have thin red hook-tipped sawbills, bright legs and dark eyes. They often fly close to the water and look long-bodied with white wing patches and black wing tips. To rise from the water, they flap along the surface for many yards. Once airborne, their flight is strong and rapid. Goosanders are mainly silent, only growling when disturbed or uttering a soft whistle during courtship. 

The Goosander is mainly a freshwater bird. They swim low in the water, repeatedly dipping their heads underwater searching for food. They will feed in a group forming a semi-circle to drive the fish into shallow water where they dive to catch them, using the tooth-like serrations on their sawbill for grip. Their main food is fish like young salmon, trout and eels, though they will also eat small mammals and insects. 

Goosanders breed on northern upland or hilly wooded areas close to rivers and lakes. Courting starts in winter with lots of bowing and stretching. Mum and dad then build a nest made of duck down in a hole in a tree or amongst rocks. Mum lays 8-11 eggs which hatch after 30 days and one day later, the ducklings jump from the nest, which can be as high as 18m! Once on the ground, the youngsters can feed themselves. Mum keeps an eye on them and will carry the kids on her back if there is any danger. The family may join up with other family groups for greater safety. The youngsters can finally fly after 60 days. In late summer, mum and dad are flightless while they do their 4-week moult.

About 3,500 pairs breed here, mainly in northern Britain, though they are slowly spreading south. British breeding birds stay here all year and the numbers swell to 12,000 in winter as they are joined by Goosanders from northern Europe. Their love of salmon and trout has brought them into conflict with grumpy fishermen. Overall, the Goosander is not threatened, though illegal persecution is a problem in some areas. A Goosander can live for 9 years or more.

Their Latin name is ’mergus merganser’ where ’mergus’ was used by Pliny and other Roman authors to refer to an unspecified waterbird, and ’merganser’ is a combination of ’mergus’ and ’anser’ , the Latin for ‘goose’. A goose-like waterbird. The English name Goosander is a combination of goose and ’ander’ from ’bergander’ an old name for a Shelduck. Why the obsession with a goose when it is smaller than a Shelduck and doesn’t really look like a goose is a mystery.

The Goldeneye is a scuba diving duck that can hold its breath for a heck of a long time. It is mainly a winter visitor arriving in late August and leaving again in March, although a few now stay over the summer and nest in Scotland. During the winter, small groups of Goldeneyes are mainly found on the coast, on large inland lakes and reservoirs. They get their name from their beautiful golden eyes, which are really hard to see. 

The male Goldeneye has a white body with a dark green head, a black back and black and white stripes along his sides. He has a big white spot on his cheek, which is much easier to notice than his golden eye. The female is grey with a brown head, white collar and white marks on her wings. Young males resemble mum but with the white spot on their cheeks. They all have dark bills. When flying, Goldeneyes have an inner white wing patch and black wing tips. They are fast fliers and their wings ‘whistle’ as they fly. Goldeneyes are mainly silent, only growling during courtship.

They often forage in flocks, diving simultaneously to find molluscs, crustaceans and insect larvae, by turning stones underwater. They will also eat plants like pondweed. 

Goldeneyes are aggressive, territorial ducks with an elaborate courtship display. When females are nearby, the males frequently display by stretching their heads backwards against their backs to expose their white breasts, then popping their heads forward and growling a loud, double whistle sound that can be heard up to a kilometre away! The ladies like a good growler, and pairs get together within the winter flocks. By April, the happy couples have moved north to nest in conifer forests beside lakes and rivers. Their nest is usually a hole in a tree, though they will also use nest boxes. Initially, dad will defend his territory for a week or so then he abandons mum to do the incubation all on her own. The 8-11 pale green-blue eggs hatch after 29 days. A day later, the young chicks jump from the nest and mum takes them to a rearing area where they can swim and dive. The youngsters feed themselves and can fly at 57 days, soon becoming fully independent.  

About 200 Goldeneye pairs nest in northern Britain with 30,000 more coming here to overwinter. Goldeneyes first nested in Speyside, Scotland as recently as 1970. 

Their Latin name is ’bucephala clangula’ where ’bucephala’ means ‘bull-headed’ from the Ancient Greek ’boukephalos’ derived from ’bous’ for ‘bull’ and ’kephale’ for’ head’, and refers to its strange head shape. The ’clangula’ is from the Latin  ’clangere’ ‘to resound’ as the Goldeneye’s call is so loud.

The Pintail is an elegant long-necked duck that has, as its name suggests, a pointed 'pin' tail. It is quite a shy duck of wild places and is mainly a winter visitor from Iceland. It can be seen posing on estuaries, inland wetlands and shallow reservoirs.

The male has a grey body, a long pointed black tail, white breast and brown head with a white stripe running down his neck. The female is a more Mallard-like mottled brown. Both their bills are grey. In flight, they show their long neck and tail with a white trailing edge to their wings. The male's call is a soft, whistling "proop-proop", similar to that of the Teal, whereas the female has a nagging "quack".

Like all dabbling ducks, Pintails feed at the surface rather than diving for their food. They eat a variety of plants when dabbling, picking from the surface or the bottom of deeper water by up-ending. Their long neck can reach food other dabbling ducks can't. During the breeding season, they will add insects and molluscs to their diet.

Both sexes reach sexual maturity after one year. It is rare for Pintails to breed in Britain with fewer than 30 pairs recorded in northern Scotland. The male courts the female by swimming close to her with his head lowered and tail raised, continually whistling. If there are a group of males, they will chase the female in flight until only one is left. The pair make their nest, a hollow lined with leaves, grass and down, close to open water amongst tall grass or rushes. Mum lays 7-9 eggs from April which hatch after 22 days. Soon after hatching, the young can swim and feed themselves. They can fly 40 days later. Dad leaves mum to do all the parenting and flies off to a traditional moulting area. Mum joins him once the kids have fledged. They are both flightless while they do their 4-week moult between July and September before moving south. At best, only a third of the kids will live long enough to breed themselves as the young chicks are vulnerable to predators such as foxes, crows, magpies and birds of prey.

The small breeding population and significant 30,000 overwintering population make them Amber Listed. Their preferred habitat of shallow water is naturally susceptible to problems such as drought and might be increasingly threatened by climate change. In addition, the draining of wetlands for farming has impacted their breeding areas and the sowing of spring crops means nests are often accidentally destroyed. The oldest Pintail lived to be 27, though normally they only live for about 3 years.

Their Latin name is 'anas acuta' from the Latin 'anas' meaning 'duck' and 'acuta' from the verb 'acuere' 'to sharpen' which, like the English name, refers to its pointy tail.

Living up to its name the Shoveler has a large and distinctive shovel-like bill which it uses to feed at the surface of the water. It breeds in small numbers in Britain but is more widespread in winter.

The Shoveler is slightly smaller than a Mallard. It has a flat-looking head and swims low in the water with its large broad shovel-like bill held at an angle, giving it a distinctive profile. The male has a green head, white breast and chestnut sides, with a white patch before its black under-tail. The female is a similar mottled brown to a female Mallard but with her distinctive shovel bill. They both have bright orange legs. In flight, the wings appear set far back and there is a light blue patch on the forewings. Despite their stout appearance, Shovelers are nimble fliers. They are generally quiet, but the male has a hoarse, "took took" call when chasing off rival males.

They use their broad bill to filter small creatures and seeds from water and mud by sweeping them from side to side. Inside the bill are rows of tiny spines (called 'lamellae') that trap small animals and plant remains. Groups of Shovelers may feed together by swimming in circles, stirring up the water and bring food to the surface. Typical food includes water snails, insects, seeds, bits of plant, and larvae.

About 1,000 Shovelers breed in Britain, mainly in southern and eastern England, especially around the Ouse Washes, the Humber and the North Kent Marshes. The male establishes a small territory, which he defends vigorously in the early stages of nesting. To attract a mate, he performs elaborate courtship behaviours both on the water and in the air. A dozen or more males may pursue a single female. Once paired, the happy couple build their nest in a grassy area away from open water. The nest is a shallow depression on the ground, lined with plant material and down. Mum lays 9-11 eggs in April which hatch after 22 days. The young chicks can feed themselves and are looked after by mum. Like many ducks, dad leaves mum to do all the childcare and goes off to do his flightless four-week moult. The youngsters can fly 40 days later and become independent.

In winter, British breeding birds move south and are replaced by an influx of continental birds from further north. By October, most of the British birds have migrated to France and Spain and as many as 18,000 north and northeastern European Shovelers have arrived to overwinter here. Sadly, Shoveler numbers have been declining as lowland wet grassland has been drained for agriculture. The best breeding sites are now protected and managed and their numbers are expected to increase with the creation of more new wetlands. The oldest ringed Shoveler survived 20 years.

Their Latin name (since 2009) is 'spatula clypeata' where 'spatula' is Latin for a spoon and 'clypeata' means 'shield-bearing' from 'clypeus' a 'shield'. A shield-bearing spoon, referring to its broad bill, I suppose. A common name for the Shoveler is 'shovel bill' which fits it perfectly. 

The male Teal is a snazzy bird with a harlequin head. It is our smallest duck and is easy to spot in winter on reservoirs, gravel pits, and flooded meadows. Numbers increase in winter as more birds arrive from Iceland, the Baltic and Siberia, and the UK becomes home to a significant percentage of the northwest European Teal population. Collectively, a group of Teal is known as a 'spring' because of the way this very agile duck can take off suddenly and vertically as if they have jumped straight off the ground!

The male has a buff and green patched head, a white stripe along a grey-looking body and a mustard yellow triangle on his black tail. The bill and legs are black. The female is a mottled brown with a white streak near the tail. Both have a bright green speculum. In flight, the Teal can resemble a wader with its twisting, turning and rapid flapping flight. Their call is a high-pitched peeping "crree".

They feed mainly at night, eating a wide variety of food that is found mostly in shallow water like pondweed, rushes, water snails, and water beetles. They also eat seeds, buttercups, grasses and worms.

Teals pair up during winter and stay together for the breeding season. Nesting begins in April and the nest is a hollow lined with grass, leaves and down, built in dense vegetation close to the water's edge on wet moorland bogs or marshes. Dad deserts mum as soon as she lays the 8-11 eggs which hatch after 21 days. He goes off to join other males where they do their moult into eclipse plumage and are flightless for four weeks. Dad won't see the kids again until they reach their winter quarters. Once hatched, the young chicks can feed themselves while mum looks after them. They become fully independent 30 days later. Outside the breeding season, Teals are highly gregarious ducks and can form large flocks. By the following year, the young Teals can breed themselves.

Only about 2,000 Teals breed here, mainly in Scotland. Numbers swell to 220,000 between October and March, with birds arriving from Iceland and northern Europe. Teal numbers have declined since the 1970s. This is thought to be due to forests being planted on their traditional breeding grounds. The oldest ringed Teal lived to be 25 years old, which is ancient for such a small bird.

Their Latin name is 'anas crecca' where 'anas' is Latin for 'duck' and 'crecca' is derived from 'kricka' the Swedish name for a Teal which refers to the male's "crree" call. Similar onomatopoeic names are found in Danish 'krikand' and German 'kirckente'. The Teal gives its name to the blue-green colour 'teal'.

Wing commander Wigeon, with his yellow head stripe, is a winter visitor to our coastal marshes and inland lakes, arriving in October and leaving in March. Wigeons are social ducks and are often seen in large squadrons grazing on grass.

It is a dabbling duck that is smaller than a Mallard. The male has a chestnut head, yellow crown stripe, grey body, pale pink breast, a black pointed tail, and white wing patches which are obvious in flight or at rest. Its bill and legs are grey. The female is more mottled brown. In flight, they both show a white belly, pointed tails and narrow-looking wings. Their call is a loud whistling "whee-oo!" from which the Wigeon gets its 'whistler' nickname.

Wigeons are big veggies and very good at cropping grass with their short bills like duck-powered lawnmowers. Their favourite meal is eelgrass, but they will also eat leaves, seeds and algae. They sometimes follow other birds like swans and coots to pick up their waste food, letting them do all the hard work.

They breed in the northernmost areas of Europe and Russia between April and June. A tiny number breed in Britain (300-500) in places like the Pennines and Scotland. Wigeons are monogamous and form seasonal pairs. The nest is built on the ground on the tundra or in woodland and usually near water such as lakes, rivers, or wooded shores. It is a depression hidden under vegetation and lined with grass and a thick layer of mum's down. Mum incubates the 6-12 eggs hatch which after 24 days. The young can feed themselves, though mum keeps an eye on them while they are small chicks. They can fly at 40 days and soon become fully independent. There is usually only one brood.

Most of the 450,000 Wigeons we see here are from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia. Between 50–60% of the UK's wintering population is found at ten or fewer sites. As the UK holds 20–30% of the total European wintering population, it is considered to be of international importance. For these reasons, the Wigeon is Amber Listed. The oldest ringed Wigeon lived to be 33 years old, though the normal lifespan is not much more than 3 years.

Their Latin name is 'anas penelope' where 'anas' is the Latin for 'duck' and 'penelope' refers to a duck that was supposed to have rescued Penelope when she was thrown into the sea. Her name is derived from Ancient Greek 'pene' for 'braid' and 'ops' for 'appearance'. She made herself unattractive with braids to deter suitors while her husband Ulysses was away fighting.

A close relative to our Wigeon is the American Wigeon, also known as the 'baldpate'. Like all yanks, it is a bit flashier with a mask of green feathers around its eyes and a cream-coloured cap running from the crown of its head to its bill, giving it that bald-headed look.