Birds have a number of adaptations which give visual acuity superior to that of other vertebrate groups a pigeon has been described as 'two eyes with wings'. Vision is the most important sense for birds, since good eyesight is essential for safe flight. The song is shriller than that of the robin.Senses for birds With forward-facing eyes, the bald eagle has a wide field of binocular vision. Its habit of family support is again a bush tit trait. This is because unlike all other tits in the world it builds a nest instead of using a tree hole. Although called a long tailed tit it has been separated from the rest of the tit family and been put into the american bush tit family. This bird is unique in Britain in that the young from the previous brood can stay to help with the next one. Great tits make many calls, but the most distinctive is a two note 'Tea - cher'.Ĭoal tits are also common but the call is more melodic than that of the great tit.įamily flocks of long tailed tits are often seen in the woodland, giving their scolding buzzy call interspersed with a high pitched sharp tzee, tzee tzee. In contrast in India the parakeets are in severe decline due to nest robbing and trapping for the pet trade.įamiliar from gardens, but here it may be hidden so that you only hear its liquid clear song. Although these birds can damage crops and it was thought that they might displace other hole nesting birds there is a lack of evidence that native bird populations are suffering because of parakeets. Now these birds are in Harrow and have spread north into Hertfordshire. Wild flocks fly several miles to forage in farmlands and orchards causing extensive damage. They feed on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries and seeds. One around London where the main distribution was in the south west of the city and the other in Surrey and Berkshire. The UK population has been estimated at around 9000 birds in 2 main populations. Other populations live in mountain areas which have cold conditions, indicating that parakeets have a genetic ability to adapt to the cold. They can withstand habitat change and are highly adaptable, often living in urban areas. The natural home of this bird is arid tropical areas across a wide swathe of Africa and Asia. In winter, in the open ground of Bluebell Heath, listen for the buzzing twitter of this tiny finch that feeds on conifer seeds. The best way to distinguish stock doves from feral pigeons is in the black banding on the wings which is complete in feral pigeons (and rock doves) and broken in stock doves. Rock doves and their feral decendents, the common town pigeon. The UK population is stable and the UK holds an internationally important population, with over half the European population living here. Stock doves are specialised woodland birds, nesting in tree holes. However wood pigeons are not the only members of the pigeon family on the reserve. Is familiar from our gardens and is sometimes rendered as the (politically incorrect) 'Tak two coos, Taffy, tak two coos, Taffy, tak two coos, Taffy, tak'. It is the acorn burying of Jays that spreads oak trees across the woods. These beige-pink members of the crow family warn all the other woodland dwellers of danger with their harsh blunt screams. The reason for the pressure on territories is the fact that Woodpecker food largely consists of wood boring insect larvae, often in dead rotten timber and these are sparsely distributed so a woodpecker needs a fairly large territory to keep alive. Woodpeckers will fight fiercely if an intruder does not back down. In spring both males and females drum rapidly on dead wood to tell others this is their patch. Throughout the year you will hear the sharp 'pik' call of the great spotted woodpecker.

These days mild winters are encouraging these tiny birds to save flying the 2000 miles back to their regular wintering grounds in West Africa. At nightĬhiffchaff This common warbler which sings its name 'Chiff - chaff' and signs off with a little “cough” before it begins again. Which pursues other birds low through the trees. All year around you will still see here the increasingly rareĪnother falcon with its distinctive hovering flight and In summer you may see alsoĪ dark streaked falcon that is so fast and acrobatic it can catch swifts and swallows. Listen for the mewing call like a cat and look up you should see it soaring above on its huge broad wings.Īre even larger, with a distinctive long forked tail. Follow the links to the RSPB site for images and sound recordings.īuzzard breed just north of Stanmore Common. Here are some you are likely to see or hear. Over sixty species of birds have been recorded on Stanmore Common.

Red kite bird song