thrushes

Nightjar

Saltlane

The Nightjar is another bird that, like the Woodcock, is highly camouflaged, looking like a piece of bark. It is a night-time ninja, being most active at dawn and dusk, silently snatching moths from the air. They are summer visitors, arriving in May from Africa and leaving in the autumn. Nightjars are usually seen on the edge of woodland by open ground.

They are cuckoo-like birds with long wings and tails with grey and brown markings which create a bark-like appearance. Nightjars have huge black eyes and short legs. They have barred tail feathers and white stripes on their chin and white spots on their wing tips. The female looks like the male but with less bold markings. When flying, they look hawk-like in silhouette and fly slowly with long glides and few wingbeats. Their call is an unusual and distinctive, long mechanical churring sound.

Nightjars eat a variety of flying insects, including moths, beetles and dragonflies. They hunt their prey in flight, an impressive feat in low light. They are highly adapted with their large eyes on either side of their head (giving them all-round vision) and sensitive bristles around their mouths (helping them snatch insects out of the air). Their falcon-like shape allows them to make rapid twists and turns.

Nightjars nest on the ground in the heathland by woods. The male establishes and defends a territory and attracts a female with his churring call and 'butterfly' display flight. Mum does not build a nest, but lays her two camouflaged eggs directly on the ground. The eggs hatch after 21 days and mum and dad feed the youngsters on insects until they fledge 17 days later. They become independent after a month. Nesting on the ground, Nightjar eggs and the youngsters are especially vulnerable to hedgehogs, weasels, foxes and birds like Magpies, Jays, and Crows. If mum is threatened by a predator, she will feign injury to draw them away from the nest. Adult Nightjars may fall prey to Hen Harriers, Goshawks, and Peregrines.

Habitat destruction led to a major decline in the Nightjar numbers after the Second World War. Better management of forestry plantations and heathlands has enabled a steady rise in numbers. They are Amber Listed, with about 5,000 Nightjars breeding in Britain. Their average life expectancy is 4 years, though the oldest recorded Nightjar lived for 12.

Their Latin name is 'caprimulgus europaeus' where 'caprimulgus' is Latin for 'goatsucker' or 'bug eater' as they are often seen hunting around livestock. The 'europaeus' means 'from Europe'. The English name is believed to come from the Nightjar's nocturnal habits and 'jarring' call. They are also sometimes called 'Nighthawks'.

Ring Ouzel

Saltlane

The Ring Ouzel sounds like some sort of West Country scarecrow and it is indeed mainly black. 'Rock Ouzel', 'Tor Ouzel' or 'Moor Blackbird' are all old Devonshire names for the Ring Ouzel as it was once fairly common on Dartmoor. It is the Blackbird of mountain areas. A few breed in the Scottish Highlands and you are most likely to see them in spring, as they pass through from overwintering in southern Europe.

The Ring Ouzel is slightly smaller than a Blackbird and is predominantly black with a conspicuous white crescent across its breast. Females are browner and duller than males, and youngsters may lack the chest markings altogether. Their song is a desolate, repetitive, fluting "tri-rii, tri-rii, tri-rii".

Ring Ouzels are omnivores, eating invertebrates, particularly insects and earthworms, small vertebrates, and a wide range of fruit, including juniper berries. Most of their prey is caught on the ground.

The Ring Ouzel is a high-altitude bird, breeding in open mountain areas with a few trees or shrubs like heather, conifer, or juniper. Breeding begins in mid-April and continues through to mid-July. Mum builds a cup-shaped nest of leaves, grass and mud close to the ground, hidden in vegetation or a crevice. She incubates the 3-6 eggs, which hatch after 13 days. The youngsters fledge 14 days later and are dependent on mum and dad for a further 12 days. They will often have two broods. Mum and dad undergo a complete moult after breeding, from late June to early September, before starting their autumn migration.

About 7,000 pairs breed in Britain and the longest-lived Ring Ouzel ever, who was fondly titled 'super Ouzel', returned to its Aberdeenshire breeding place for ten consecutive years from 2008 to 2018. It reared over 50 chicks in the years it was monitored. Their average lifespan, though, is usually about two years.

Their Latin name is 'turdus torquatus' where 'turdus' means 'thrush' and 'torquatus' means 'adorned with a neck chain or collar' (from where we get the word 'torc' for a necklace). A perfect description. The English name goes back to the old Anglo-Saxon word 'osle' which translates as 'blackbird' and with its distinctive neck ring became Ring Ouzel.

Redstart

Saltlane

The Redstart is slimmer than a Robin with a flicking red tail, hence its name ('start' is an old word for 'tail'). It is a summer migrant from central Africa and is often found in the towns or uplands of the north and west. The best place to look for Redstarts is feeding among the branches of woodland or heathland, as they rarely spend time on the ground.

Redstarts have a bright red rump, a red tail with a black centre, reddish underparts, a blue-grey back, a black face and a white forehead. The female is paler and browner but also has a red tail. The youngsters are mottled brown, similar to a young Robin. They sing from a prominent perch, starting with confidence but losing their way, like a Chaffinch that has run out of steam. It is a sweet "hooveet" song with a mechanical jingle at the end.

They catch insects like flies, beetles, ants and spiders by flying from a perch or hovering. They will also eat worms and fruit (pudding after all that protein). When perched, they have an upright stance like a Robin, while tail flicking and body bobbing.

Redstarts arrive in April and mum soon gets around to building a nest from grass or moss in a tree hole or nest box. She lays 5-7 light blue eggs, which hatch after 12 days. Both parents feed the youngsters, who can fly after 2 weeks and are fully independent 2 weeks later. Mum and dad will often have two broods. The whole family heads back to Africa in late August or early September.

Sadly, Redstart numbers declined in the 1970s, mainly from droughts in Africa, and they are Amber Listed. Numbers are slowly recovering and there are now about 100,000. Woodland nest box schemes, particularly in Wales, are helping their breeding success and recovery. The oldest ringed bird lived for 9 years, though their usual life span is shorter.

Their Latin name is 'phoenicurus phoenicurus' where 'phoenicurus' is from the Ancient Greek 'phoinix' for 'red' and 'ouros' for 'tailed'. They were originally classified as a member of the thrush family (a 'turdus'), but are now, to their relief, placed in the flycatcher family ('muscicapidae'). Another local name for the Redstart is the 'Fire Tail'.

Their closely related cousin, the Black Redstart, is something of a city slicker and can often be seen hunting insects among London's rooftops.

Whinchat

Saltlane

The Whinchat is a summer visitor, closely related to the Stonechat (which stays here all the time). The wimpy Whinchat prefers to spend its winter in tropical Africa rather than chilly Britain. It is mainly found in the uplands of England and Scotland, though might be spotted anywhere as it migrates. The Whinchat likes open country like grasslands, meadows, and railway verges, often being seen perching upright on posts, flicking its tail and wings.

The male Whinchat looks similar to a Stonechat but is lighter in colour and has a distinctive pale eye-stripe. Smaller than a Robin, they have a mottled brown head and back, dark cheeks, white patches on their wings, and an orange-brown breast. The female is paler and less well marked. Whinchats look cross-shaped when flying with pointed wings, white side patches to their tails and a white shoulder bar. Their call is a soft clicking "tac, tac".

Whinchats perch in high places, ready to pounce on insects and other small invertebrates as they wander by. They mainly like to eat mayflies, moths, beetles, caterpillars, and spiders, though will also eat seeds, berries and worms.

Once arrived here, they settle down to nest in May or June. Mum builds a cup-shaped nest on the ground in dense vegetation from grass, leaves and moss. The 4-7 eggs hatch after 12 days and the youngsters are fed by both mum and dad. They leave the nest 12 days later, while still too young to fly, and fledge after another week. They remain dependent on mum and dad for 2 more weeks before finally leaving home. Mum and dad will often have two broods then do their moult in August, ready to head back to sub-Saharan Africa to live it up in places like Ghana or Nigeria.

About 50,000 pairs come to Britain though numbers have more than halved since 1995. The cause is unknown, though likely due to the loss of habitat. Nests are vulnerable to predators which include Weasels, Stoats, Crows, Magpies and small raptors like Merlin and, to top it all, are sometimes parasitised by the dastardly Cuckoo. The poor Whinchats have a tough time and, unsurprisingly, are on the Red List. They are short-lived birds, typically only surviving for 2 years. The oldest recorded Whinchat lived for just over 5 years.

Their Latin name 'saxicola ruberta' means 'small rock dweller' from the Latin 'saxum' for 'rock' and 'incola' for 'dwelling' and 'ruberta' for a 'small bird'. The English name comes from 'whin', an old name for gorse, which is often found where they breed, and 'chat' from the noise of their calls.

Wheatear

Saltlane

The Wheatear is a long distant migrant travelling from Africa to Europe, reaching as far as Greenland! A distance of 30,000 km. They arrive here in early spring and are usually seen in ones and twos. They are easy to spot from their distinctive quick scurry followed by stopping and standing to attention, often flicking their tails.

In summer, the bandit-masked male Wheatears have white rumps, short black tails, black cheeks, sandy breasts, blue-grey backs, white underparts, and a white stripe over their eye and forehead. In winter, they are less well marked. The female and juvenile are a washed out, buff brown version of the male Their white rump is visible against their black tail when flying. They sing a warbling song in short bursts, often given in fluttering song flights.

Wheatears feed mainly on insects, often jumping up to catch them. They will also eat worms, snails and berries.

Mum builds the rough cup of grass nest and lines it with moss. It is made within a hole or crevice in open countryside like a rocky mountain slope, moor or dune. An abandoned rabbit burrow, a hole in a wall or even a bit of drainage pipe will do. Dad perches nearby and sings to her. She lays 4-7 pale blue eggs which hatch after 13 days. The youngsters are fed by both mum and dad and can fly 15 days later, becoming fully independent after a further 15 days. They do their moult before heading back to Africa in October, many doing a 4,000km non-stop hop before resting in Morocco. Young Wheatears can breed after one year.

Sadly, Wheatear numbers have declined in the last fifty years and they are Amber listed. The drop is thought to be due to the ploughing of old grasslands and droughts in Africa. About 200,000 pairs come to Britain and can be found mainly in northern and western regions. The oldest ringed Wheatear lived to 7.

Their Latin name is 'oenanthe oenanthe' and is derived from the Greek 'oenos' for 'wine' and 'anthos' for 'flower', refering to their return to Greece in the spring just as the grapevines blossom. The English name Wheatear is not derived from 'wheat' or any sense of 'ear,' but is derived from the Anglo Saxon 'ear' for 'arse' and 'hwit' for 'white' because of its white rump. The name for an earwig comes from the same source and means 'wiggly arse'. Wheatears have many local nicknames which reflect their calls or behaviour. These include; 'chick-chack', 'fallow chat', 'coney chuck', 'stone chucker', 'white tail' and 'clod hopper'.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Wheatears were considered a delicacy in England, called 'the English ortolan' and Sussex shepherds would supplement their income by selling birds they trapped.

Stonechat

Saltlane

The Stonechat loves having his picture taken. He will happily pose upright on a post while you get a photo of his good side, flicking his wings impatiently. Stonechats need grassy areas for feeding, dense cover for nesting and the all-important posing post for singing. They can be found on heaths in the summer and along the coast in winter.

Stonechats are small and dumpy, a little smaller than a Robin, with a big head and short tail. The male has a black head, white on his neck, an orange breast and a dark brown back. The female has a brown head and a less obvious white neck. She is altogether browner. The youngsters look like mum. They have a white shoulder patch that is visible when flying on their whirring wings, looking a bit like giant bumble bees. Their call is a harsh "tac tac" like two stones being tapped together and hence their Stonechat name. 

Stonechats drop to the ground to feed. They are mainly insectivorous, feeding on caterpillars, moths, ants, spiders and flies, though they will also take worms and snails, and feed on seeds and berries in the autumn and winter. 

They breed on lowland heaths and sites with plenty of gorse bushes, like railway embankments. Stonechats first breed when they are one year old. They are monogamous during the breeding season but do not pair for life. Mum builds an untidy cup of leaves close to the ground under a bush which she lines with hair, wool, and feathers. She incubates the 4-6 greenish-blue speckled eggs with little help from dad, who is too busy posing. The eggs hatch after 13 days. Both parents feed the young, who can fly 13 days later. The quick turnaround gives time for 2-3 broods and often while dad feeds the first brood, mum gets on with a second. They do their moult once all the kids have left home and then move down to the coast for winter.

Stonechats are partial migrants. While many stay here, some migrate to southern Europe. There are 60,000 breeding pairs in Britain though numbers have fallen because of heaths being turned into farmland and pesticides killing the insects they need to feed. Stonechats can also suffer in severe winters.

Their Latin name is 'saxicola rubicola' where 'saxicola' means 'rock dweller' from the Latin 'saxum' for 'rock' and 'incola' for 'dwelling in'. The 'rubicola' is a combination of 'rubus' for 'bramble' and 'incola' again, giving a 'rock and bramble dweller' which is pretty close. Another local name is the 'gorse chat'.

Redwing

Saltlane

If you listen carefully on a chilly autumn night, you might hear the "tseee" call of migrating Redwings passing overhead. They use this flight call to keep together. The Redwing, like the Fieldfare, is a winter visitor and is the UK's smallest true thrush, arriving in October and leaving in April. They roam across the countryside, feeding in fields and hedgerows and are often seen with Fieldfares. You will only get them in gardens in the coldest weather, when snow covers the fields.

The Redwing is smaller than a blackbird. It has dark upper parts, a yellow buff breast with lines of dark spots that look more streaked, a bold head pattern with a strong cream stripe over the eye, and rust red flanks (hence the name). The rust red underwing is clearly visible in flight.

Redwings roost in thick hedges, especially if there are lots of berries. They eat fallen fruit, worms, snails, slugs, and berries - especially hawthorn.

They nest in a tree or low bush. The female builds a cup-shaped nest of grass, twigs, and moss. She incubates the 4-6 eggs for 12 days. Once hatched, the young are fed by both parents and leave the nest after 15 days. The parents continue to feed the youngsters for a further 2 weeks. Dad often takes over the feeding of the first brood while mum gets on with a second.

About 1 million Redwing visit us in winter, arriving from two different places - Redwing from Scandinavia and slightly larger Redwing from Iceland. The Icelandic birds are mainly found in Scotland and the Scandinavian ones in England. Redwing are very nomadic and will winter in different areas in different years. Similar to the Fieldfare, about 10 pairs a year stay and breed in Northern Scotland.

Their Latin name is 'turdus iliacus' from 'turdus' for 'thrush' and 'ile' meaning 'flank'.

Fieldfare

Saltlane

Fieldfares are nomadic winter visitors that come over to here from Scandinavia, like a Viking raiding party, to pillage our berries. They arrive in late October and stay for the whole winter before leaving again in April. A tiny number stay behind and breed in Scotland.

They are a large thrush of the woodlands and countryside with a chestnut back, dark tail, grey rump, and a grey head with dark streaks on the crown. Bold spots cover their yellowish breast and they have a yellow bill with a dark tip. They have a visible white underwing when flying, which they do with bursts of wing beats followed by a glide. They stand upright when on the ground, usually in groups and often with Redwings, moving about with purposeful hops. Their call is a "chack chack", which is given in flight, so if you hear it they have already dashed off to another tree.

Fieldfares eat insects, berries, and fallen fruit. They love a good windfall apple. Cider is the drink of marauders.

Fieldfares start nesting once they have returned to Scandinavia in May. They nest in trees, making a cup-shaped nest from twigs lined with mud and soft grass. The 6 eggs hatch after 10 days and the youngsters can fly 12 days later though depend on mum and dad for a further month. Fieldfares usually have two broods. They have a neat trick of shooting their poo to deter predators who approach the nest. Just as well they don't nest here then.

The breeding population in Britain is tiny, with only 2-3 pairs - yes that few! However, up to 1 million come here in the winter. The oldest recorded Fieldfare lived to be 18 years old.

Their Latin name is 'turdus pilaris' where both 'turdus' and 'pilaris' are Latin words for 'thrush'. The English name dates back to at least the eleventh century and is from an Old English word 'feldefare' which is 'traveller through the fields'. Much more romantic than double thrush.

Mistle Thrush

Saltlane

If Song Thrushes are operatic tenors and Blackbirds are folk singers, then the Mistle Thrush sings the blues. The Mistle Thrush got its name from being such a greedy pig for mistletoe berries. The Mistle Thrush is also called a 'storm cock' for singing his melancholy song in the rain. A great stage name for a blues singer.

The Mistle Thrush is larger and greyer than the Song Thrush, standing more upright and bold with a pot belly. It has grey brown upper parts, a small head, a long squared tail, and big wings. The breast is pale with large spots which are different from the Song Thrush's by being more round, less arrow shaped, and going all the way down to the legs, with clumps of spots forming blotches on the upper breast sides. These spots do not form lines on the flank, but may form a necklace pattern around the throat. There is a pale, vertical cheek spot. In flight, the under wing and tail edges are a distinctive white. The Mistle Thrush has a fast, almost leisurely flight.

The male has a loud, far-carrying song which he delivers from the highest treetop. He can sing for long periods at a time, especially when feeling a bit down. The song is like a simple Blackbird song with just three to six flutey notes. The verses are repeated with small variations similar to the rhyming lines of a blues dirge and with each verse only lasting about a second. The Mistle Thrush sings from mid-winter but by May quietens down as it is harder to be depressed when the weather is fine. The alarm call is different to a Song Thrush's and sounds like a clockwork soldier unwinding rapidly.

The Mistle Thrush feeds in the open, away from cover, on insects like beetles, worms, slugs, and snails (you would sing the blues after having slugs for lunch). They also eat berries with rowan, mistletoe, yew, and holly being particular favourites. In winter, once the Mistle Thrush has found a berry-laden tree, it will guard it from any would-be thieves and in turn, helps the tree to thrive by accidentally 'planting' its seeds while wiping its bill or dispersing the seeds in its poo.

The Mistle Thrush nests as early as February. The female builds a cup-shaped nest of grass roots and leaves held together with a bit of mud, in a tree and lines it with finer grasses. The 3-5 eggs hatch after 12 days and the youngsters can fly 12 days later. The parents look after the youngsters for a further 14 days while they are being home schooled in slide-guitar. They usually have 2 broods. The parents will fearlessly defend their nest against potential predators, including humans and cats.

Mistle Thrushes are normally found as individuals or in pairs for much of the year, although whole families may forage together in late summer, and groups may merge to travel round in large chattering flocks, stripping ripe berries from trees and bushes in gardens, parks, or woods - anywhere there are good berries to be found. These flocks are recognisable as they often fly in a line.

About 200,000 pairs of Mistle Thrush can be found thinly spread throughout Britain. They are mostly locally resident, though the ones further north can be a bit nomadic in winter, wandering to the warmer south for a jamming session. The Latin name is 'turdus viscivorus', where 'turdus' is the Latin for thrush (not berry poo), and 'viscivorus' means mistletoe eater.

Robin

Saltlane

The iconic sweet looking little fellow that appears on Christmas cards. Robins are far from sweet and nice. They are bold, ferocious warriors of the hedgerow, fiercely defending their territories, attacking other males and any competitors that stray too close. They can even get the hump for no reason and attack other small birds without provocation. There are instances of robins even attacking their own reflections. These guys are hard. The Vikings held them to be a storm-cloud bird sacred to Thor, the god of thunder. They curtsey, flick their wings and tail to give you a chance to back off before laying into you. Folklore has it that a Robin should never be harmed, which is not surprising if you know what's good for you.

The Robin is a plump bird (though don't dare call him fat) with a short neck, brown body, red breast and face, and white belly. Their eyes are large and prominent for giving you the hard stare. They have a fluty, wistful song which is slower and sadder in autumn and winter as there is nobody around to beat up. It consists of many short variable verses. They can be heard singing at night near streetlamps - when they have had a few down the pub. The best distinguishing feature is that their song often sounds as if they are singing two notes at once. They have a short break from singing in July while moulting, as who wants to draw attention to themselves when not looking as hard as nails. Their alarm call is a high pitched 'Tseee'.

The Robin normally hunts from a perch looking for movement or by hopping on the ground. They mostly eat insects and worms with some fruit and seeds in winter to help keep their strength up. The male and female have separate territories in winter, calling a spring truce for love. Their red breast is used in courtship (the redder the better for the girls) and to deter rivals (only a warrior wears red clothes).

A Robin's nest is made by the female and consists of grasses and leaves. It is built among tree roots, crevices, and any other useable gap such as a good Robin nest box (the ones without holes as holes are for sissies). They lay about six eggs in April, which hatch after 13 days. The young fly after 13 days and are cared for by both parents for 24 days before leaving. There are usually two broods. The young birds have no red breast and are spotted with golden brown. They delay getting their redbreasts so they are not beaten up by mum or dad.

Robins are abundant and widespread, with over 6.5 million breeding pairs. Most Robins stay local, though there is a little migration south-westwards in the autumn. Robins suffer in severe winter weather, so remember to put Robin food in the feeder and give them a warm nest box to use. The Robin was formerly classified as a member of the thrush family (a turdus), which was not at all cool, but are now considered to be in the flycatcher family which sounds much more fierce. The Latin name is 'erithacus rubecula' which means 'robin' as hard men don't have complicated names - Knuckles does just fine.