Ptarmigan of Britain

The Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta, is the smallest species of grouse in Britain and only found in the higher altitudes, or arctic-alpine zone, of the Scottish Highlands.

Ptarmigans prefer to live in the cold and harsh rocky terrain of mountains where there are snow and open ground. The Ptarmigan is also known as the Rock Ptarmigan.

Ornithologists believe the future of Ptarmigans is threatened by warmer weather due to climate change.

Ptarmigans have adapted to the mountainous lifestyle by moulting three times a year.

The male is barred with grey-brown and black in the summer. The underparts and wings are white. The patch above the eye becomes red during the breeding season.

The dark plumage of the male is replaced with grey in the autumn. Males turn completely snow-white in the winter except for a dark eye patch and tail.

Females are similar to males except for becoming browner during the summer and autumn. They lack the dark eye patch in winter (British Birds – pictures of male and female - https://britishbirds.co.uk/article/ptarmigan-english-lake-district/ ).

The feet and legs of Ptarmigans are covered in feathers which insulate them against freezing temperatures.

The breeding age of the Ptarmigan is six months. Their average lifespan is between three and four years

Ptarmigans live in the highest ground of mountains where there are snow and open areas of ground with little vegetation. They live and breed among the bare rocks and scattered boulders.

The camouflage of Ptarmigans makes them difficult to see and are more often heard on the mountainsides (Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/10/ptarmigan-in-camouflage-a-daunting-quest).

The call of the male is a series of clicks while the female makes a cooing sound.

Pairs of Ptarmigans are found in the summer and family parties during the autumn. Flocks are formed during the winter which disperse during the spring, or March.

The main diet of the Ptarmigan is vegetarian. They eat the leaves, buds, berries and seeds of a wide range of plants which includes heather, crowberry, bilberry, birch and dwarf willow. Chicks and young eat insects in the summer.

Ptarmigans are ground feeding birds who use their feathered feet to dig and scratch for food in the frozen ground.

The stronghold of the Ptarmigan is Scotland where they are widespread across the higher ground of the Scottish Highlands. They are also common on Skye, Mull, Jura and Arran.

The range of the Ptarmigan has contracted in Scotland as there are no records of these birds breeding in the south-west since the nineteenth century. The same pattern occurred on the islands of Rum, Harris and Roy during the twentieth century.

They are fairly tame birds around humans who crouch on the ground rather than fly away if alarmed.

Ptarmigans are tough birds who can withstand the coldest temperatures of the mountainous lifestyle. They normally roost in the snow during both the summer and winter.

Some move to the shelter on the edges of forests when the winter weather is severe.

Males defend a breeding territory and declare their ownership with a song-flight and clicking calls. Pairs are only formed during the breeding season, or April and May.

Most pairs are monogamous while some males pair with several females.

The nest is a scrape in the ground made by the male and female, usually under a tree, shrub or boulder. One of the scrapes is lined with small amounts of leaves, grass and other vegetation.

Five to eight eggs are laid by the females which hatch after 3 weeks. The chicks leave the nest almost immediately as they can feed themselves. 

Males leave before the eggs hatch and the young are cared for by the female.

The young learn to fly within 15 days and become independent after 10 and 12 weeks.

Ptarmigans in Scotland rarely move far from their breeding sites. 

The Ptarmigan is classified as Least Concern by IUCN.

Europe holds only 10% of the global population and is classified as a Near Threatened species of bird. The population decreased by “30% in 12.6 years” (Birdlife International).

The Ptarmigan is a green-listed species of bird in Britain.

Scottish Ptarmigans are very sensitive to changes in their environment such as disturbance by grazing cattle and sheep, tourists, unusual weather events and increases in crows and other predators.

The British Trust for Ornithology said rubbish left on mountains by tourists is becoming an important factor in the decline of the Ptarmigan. The rubbish attracts crows who also attack and eat the chicks of Ptarmigans.

The remote lifestyle of the Ptarmigan makes them difficult to study.

Project Ptarmigan was set up in 2005 by the British Trust for Ornithology and the Scottish Ornithologists' Club.

The results showed the highest numbers were found in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands.

The population is known to experience “highs and lows”. Studies of Scottish Ptarmigans suggested they have suffered a long term decline.

Ptarmigans rely on the specialised habitat provided by the Scottish Highlands. Their numbers could decline further in the future because of warmer weather due to climate change.

General threats to the Ptarmigan include loss of habitat due to overgrazing by sheep, mountain tourism such as the building of ski resorts and climate change.

Hunting was not a factor in the decline of the European or British populations. Sadly, Ptarmigans can still be legally shot in the UK.

For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit

http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/index.html

Interesting Articles

BTO – Survey In Scotland - https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/shared_documents/publications/research-reports/2007/rr473.pdf

References

RSPB Handbook of Scottish Birds by Peter Holden, and Stuart Housden

Grey Wagtail: a Declining Bird of Britain and Ireland

The Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea, is a colourful, slender bird with grey and yellow plumage which is easily distinguished from its cousin, the Pied Wagtail.

The breeding habitat of Grey Wagtails is along fast-flowing rivers and streams. They move from higher ground in the autumn and winter to areas such as farmland and gardens in towns in the lowlands of England.

Ornithologists are concerned about the decline of Grey Wagtails in Britain and Ireland. The number of Grey Wagtails fell over a third in Britain over the last thirty years.

Grey Wagtails are "river specialists" who breed along clear, fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams on higher ground during the summer. They are also a common bird around weirs and locks in canals.

The autumn and winter is the time of year when Grey Wagtails move to lower ground. They spend the winter around sewerage works, slurry pits, wet ditches, flooded stubble fields on farmland, coastal marshes, the edges of lakes, small streams, canals, parks, gardens in towns and cities.

Grey Wagtails are common and widespread resident birds in Britain and Ireland. They are more plentiful in northern and western Britain in the summer. Fewer Grey Wagtails are found in central and eastern England during the breeding season.

The range of Grey Wagtails has expanded over the last 150 years in Britain. Grey Wagtails were once restricted to fast-flowing rivers on higher ground. They were able to move to the lowlands of England because of the improved quality of water in rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs.

Territories on higher ground are deserted between October and March. A few pairs stay on their breeding territories for the winter while others fly further to lowland areas.

Most Scottish Grey Wagtails move to the lowlands of England in the autumn. Wintering birds tend to return to the same site yearly and some defend a winter territory.

Grey Wagtails are attracted to small areas of water in the winter in a wide variety of habitat. They live around ponds in gardens in towns, puddles on farmyards, wet ditches on farmland, sewerage works and pools in roof-top gardens of buildings in cities.

The natural surroundings of shores of lakes, the banks of small lowland rivers and streams and locks in canals are also favoured by Grey Wagtails in the winter.

The Grey Wagtail is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

The population of Grey Wagtails in not Vulnerable due to the wide range of these birds (Europe, Asia, North Africa). The global trend is described as stable.

Europe holds 20% of the global population and the trend is described as stable between 1980 and 2013.

The population of Grey Wagtails in Britain reached a "high point" in 1974. Their numbers began to decline between the late 1970s and early 1980s. There was "some increases" during the 1990s and then there was a "steep drop" in 2010.

The British Trust for Ornithology reported the recent steep decline began in 2002, particularly in Scotland.

"The trends for Grey Wagtail are very similar to those for Pied Wagtail, suggesting that similar factors may be affecting these two species".

The charity said the Grey Wagtail population in Europe remained "broadly stable since the 1980s" (BTO - trends).

The Grey Wagtail is a red-listed species of bird in Britain. Grey Wagtails were moved from the green list to the amber list in 2002 and then, sadly, to the red list in 2015.

- declined by 31% between 1995 and 2011 (RSPB)
- increased by 1% between 2012/13 (BBS - page 17)
- increased by 50% between 2013/14 (BBS - page 13)
- declined by 13% between 2014/15 (BBS - page 13)
- declined by 4% between 2015/16 (BBS - page 15)
- increased by 29% between 2016/17 (BBS - page 15)
- declined by 25% between 2017/18 (BBS - page 15)

The British Trust for Ornithology said Grey Wagtails showed a long-term decline of 32% between 1995 and 2015. Grey Wagtails and Pied Wagtails both showed "a rapid decline...along rivers and canals" ( BTO - Wagtails).

The exact reason for drop in their numbers is unknown. The fluctuations in the Grey Wagtail population suggests prolonged cold winter weather may be responsible for the decline.

Grey Wagtails are among the wildlife in Britain and Ireland which depend on rivers and streams for their food. Pollution by chemicals and plastic in more recent times is of concern to conservationists.

Greenpeace found "high concentrations of plastics", including microplastics in a survey of 13 British rivers in June 2019. Plastic straws, bottletops and microbeads were found in the rivers Exe, Thames, Severn, Great Ouse, Trent, Mersey, Aire, Derwent, Wear, Conwy, Wye, Clyde, and Lagan.

"During this campaign we witnessed voles eating plastic, swans using it to build their nests, and caddisfly larvae using it to make their protective casings” (Independent).

The Grey Wagtail is a red-listed species of bird in the Republic of Ireland.

Birdwatch reported a large decline in the population of Grey Wagtails between 1998 and 2010 in Ireland (Birdwatch - page 6 and 7).

The cold winter of 2009/10 is thought be the main reason for the decline in Ireland. The population was also reported as declining in Ireland in 2013 (Southern Star).

Purple Herons in Britain

The Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea, is a large, attractive heron who is closely related to the Grey Heron and Bittern in Britain. A few Purple Herons fly to southern and eastern England in the spring and summer. 

A pair of Purple Herons successfully bred for the first time in Kent in 2010. Ornithologists believe Purple Herons may become a new resident breeding species in Britain in the future.

Purple Herons are smaller and slimmer than Grey Herons and described as having a snake-like appearance.

Males and females are alike with a ginger head and neck. The crown is black and there are black lines on the face and along the neck. 

The chest and flanks are light brown with long plumes on the chest. The back is grey which sometimes appears as purple.

Adults are large birds who reach a height of 90 centimetres, or nearly 3 feet. The wingspan is up to 1.5 metres or 5 feet

Purple Herons are solitary birds who are most active at dusk and dawn. They are generally silent except for the breeding season when they make a loud croaking sound.

“Widespread in continental Europe and across Asia, purple herons migrate every autumn to spend the winter in Africa south of the Sahara (Independent - https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/european-herons-relocate-to-kent-as-temperatures-rise-1976458.html ). 

Purple Herons are rare visitors in Britain as some adults are seen in southern and eastern England between April and May. They visit reedbeds, marshes, riverbanks, estuaries and sometimes sea coasts.

Juveniles in Europe are nomadic. A few reach the shores of Britain after the breeding season. They spend the rest of the summer in Britain before migrating to their wintering grounds in Africa.

Purple Herons sulk in reedbeds and marshes where they forage for fish such as perch, carp and sticklebacks as well as eels, insects (dragonflies, water beetles) and amphibians. Small mammals (shrews and water voles) are sometimes eaten.

They are often seen with their necks coiled or stretched over the water while hunting for their prey.

Pairs return to their breeding areas between March and May. Breeding takes place in colonies in Europe. 

The nest is made on the ground among vegetation or in a tree in wetlands.

The Purple Heron is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

The trend for the global and European population is described as decreasing.

Purple Herons “increased its population and expanded its range in north Europe during the last century, especially into Germany and the Netherlands". 

"However, a downward numerical trend occurred since the 1970’s across west and east Europe, with a few countries as exceptions..The Dutch population is now isolated. In Russia the expansion of in the 1970’s proved short term”

“The Spanish population in the Ebro Delta dropped from 1,000 pairs in the 1970’s to about 60 in early 1970’s recovering to 400 by the 1990’s..The recovery in Spain was continuing into the 1990’s”. 

“In Mediterranean France, a decline from the early 1980’s was reversing in the mid 1990’s”

(Heron Conservation – Status – https://www.heronconservation.org/herons-of-the-world/list-of-herons/purple-heron).

A pair of Purple Herons caused a stir among ornithologists in England when they successfully bred for the first time in Britain in 2010. The male and female chose a nest site in the Dungeness peninsula in Kent. 

There have been reports of Purple Herons in Britain although none were breeding birds.

A juvenile Purple Heron visited Ruan Lanihorne in Cornwall in 2017. An adult was seen at Leighton Moss Nature Reserve in Lancashire also in 2017.

Avalon Marshes in Somerset played host to an adult Purple Heron in July 2018. Another adult was seen in Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve in Somerset in May 2018.

An adult Purple Heron was spotted in Blacktoft Sands Nature Reserve in Yorkshire in June 2019. The last sighting of a Purple Heron on the Reseve was 30 years ago.

Experts believe the warmer weather due to climate change will cause Purple Herons and other species of bird to regularly breed in Britain, particularly southern England.

The main threat to Purple Herons is loss of reedbeds because of agricultural changes and harvesting of reeds.

For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit,

http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/index.html

Interesting Articles

Birdguides: https://www.birdguides.com/news/purple-heron-breeding-success-a-uk-first/