Twite of Britain and Ireland

Photo credit: Maris Pukitis on VisualHunt.com/CC BY-NC-SA

The Twite, Linaria flavirostris, is a small brown finch which resembles a Linnet. They inhabit open moorland, grassland and sea cliffs. Most of the British population breed in Scotland with smaller numbers in the South Pennines of Northern England. Small numbers breed in two areas in Wales.

The population in England has fallen dramatically while there are fears Twites are facing extinction in Ireland.

Adults are a tawny colour with heavy dark brown streaks and white underparts. Males have a pink rump in the summer while those of females are brown. 

Birdguides provided a video of Twites in their natural habitat: https://www.birdguides.com/species-guide/ioc/linaria-flavirostris/

Twites are sociable birds who live and breed on the edges of moors, open grassland, hay meadows, arable land, sea cliffs and marshes near the coast.

The diet of Twites is seeds, grain and buds. They forage on the ground for the seeds of dandelion, thistle, annual meadow grass, common sorrel, chickweed and sea plantain. Chicks also feed on seeds in the summer. The adults sometimes eat insects.

Twites are resident birds which either stay near their breeding grounds throughout the year or fly long distances to the coast for the winter.

Scotland holds most of the breeding population of Twites in Britain. Birdlife charities estimate there are13,800 pairs breeding in Scotland. Twites are common breeding birds in northern and western Scotland.

There only a small population in Northern England which is confined to the moorland of the South Pennines..

Twites are “now found only in the Nant Ffrancon and Ogwen valleys of northern Snowdonia, where just 30 pairs remain” [RSPB - http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/Images/Englishtwite1_tcm9-133266.pdf ).

Most Scottish and Welsh Twites leave their breeding sites and fly to the coasts of Scotland in the winter. Twites on the Inner Herbredies winter in Northern England [RSPB Handbook of Scottish Birds).

Some Scandinavian Twites winter in Scotland while the rest of the population travel to the Baltic.

A small number of Twites from Scotland fly to Ireland for the winter. Wintering birds congregate around coastal marshes and ploughed fields in Antrim, Down and Louth in the north and east of Ireland. The wintering population is thought to be between 600 and 1000 birds.

Twites used to breed along all Irish coasts. There are less than100 pairs currently breeding on the coastal bogs of Counties Mayo and Donegal.

The British Trust for Ornithology provided a map of the breeding population of Twites in Britain and Ireland: https://app.bto.org/mapstore/StoreServlet?id=474

Pairs return to the breeding grounds in March. They make their nests on the ground in heather, bracken and other tall vegetation. Nest sites are usually found on the edges of moorland, farmland and sea cliffs on higher ground. The breeding season takes places between April and August.

Four or five eggs are laid in April or May which take between 12 and 13 days to hatch. The young leave the nest after 15 or 16 days. Their parents continue to feed the young for another 2 weeks. Some pairs raise a second brood in places where there is an abundance of seeds. The Twite is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

Europe holds 10% of the global population of Twites. “In Europe, the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25% in 12.6 years” according to Birdlife International.

Map of the population of Twites in Britain, Ireland and Europe: http://s1.sovon.nl/ebcc/eoa/?species1=16620

The Twite is a red-listed species of bird in Britain and Ireland.

The range of British Twites has been “retreating” northwards. “UK numbers were fairly stable between 1970 and 1990, but have undergone a dramatic decline in northern England since then. The population in the southern Pennines is estimated to have decreased by 80 per cent between 1990 and 2000” [RSPB - https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/farming/advice/helping-species/twite/ ).

The number of Twites in Ireland has fallen dramatically since the twentieth century. Birdwatch reported the population of Twites is declining on the north and west coast of the Republic of Ireland. There are fears Twites will become extinct as a breeding species in the near future.

The reasons for the decline are “loss of flower and herb-rich hay meadows, the abandonment of fodder crops which also contained weeds and more intensive grazing may affect nests” [RSPB Handbook of Scottish Birds).

References Handbook of Scottish Birds by Peter Holden and Stuart Housden

Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana) of Britain and Ireland

Spotted Crakes are colourful wetland birds who arrive from Africa and southern Europe between March and May. Pairs breed in fenlands, open marshes and wet meadows. They return to their wintering grounds between August and November.

There is only a small population of Spotted Crakes in Britain and Ireland compared to the rest of Europe. The population declined after 2001 although counting birds is difficult due to the secretive nature of Spotted Crakes.

Males and females resemble a Water rail and are slightly smaller than a starling.

Adults have a green-brown back with dark streaks and white flecks. The face and neck are blue-grey. The breast is olive-brown with white spots.

An image of Spotted Crakes pairs on Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/File:Spotted_Crake_from_the…

Spotted Crakes are secretive birds who live and breed in the dense vegetation of wetland habitats of marshes, fenlands, wet meadows and swamps, They are most active between dawn and dusk.

The diet is small aquatic invertebrates such as beetles, snails, small fish and worms. They also eat the seeds, roots and stems of aquatic plants in the shallow parts of fens and wetlands.

They walk low on the ground with frequent flicks of the tail. They find food on the muddy margins of reedbeds and the shallow waters of wetlands

Spotted Crakes arrive in Britain from their wintering ground in Africa and southern Europe between March and May. They leave for their wintering quarters between mid-July and November.

Some Spotted Crakes from Scandinavia briefly visit Britain during the late summer while on their way to East Africa and southern Europe.

Spotted Crakes are scattered widely over Britain and Ireland during the breeding season. Pairs are limited to suitable wetland habitats.

Birdlife charities agree between 30 and 80 singing males were recorded annually in Britain and Ireland. The RSPB stated around 10 to 30 pairs nest annually in Britain.

The results of the Spotted Crake Survey in 2012 found “28 singing males were recorded at 11 sites in Scotland and England; none was reported from Wales and Northern Ireland” [British Birds: https://britishbirds.co.uk/…/the-spotted-crake-in-the-uk-r…/ ).

RSPB nature reserves hold most of the British breeding population. The stronghold of Spotted Crakes In Britain is the Insh Marshes in Inverness-shire, Scotland.

There were records of pairs nesting in northern Scotland and the Hebrides. Southern and eastern England also attract breeding pairs.

The Lower Derwent Valley in Yorkshire and the Ouse Wash in Cambridgeshire are famed for breeding Spotted Crakes. Pairs also nest along the River Nene in Northamptonshire.

Plans by the RSPB to manage and create fenland habitats may benefit Spotted Crakes and other species of birds in the future.

The research for Spotted Crakes in Ireland was fairly obscure. “It remains a reason why a number of other species which breed regularly in Britain (wigeon, pintail, garganey, spotted crake, black-tailed godwit, bearded tit) fail to gain a permanent foothold here” [Irish Times – https://www.irishtimes.com/…/re-introducing-bird-species-1.…).

Males make their loud “whit” song throughout the night. The call of a male can be heard up to 2 kilometres, or 1.25 miles.

Pairs make their nest on the ground among reeds and other thick vegetation in large open marshes, fens and wetlands.

The female lays between 10 and 12 eggs which take 18 days to hatch. The chicks leave the nest after a few days and can feed themselves. The young learn to fly after 43 and 58 days. Both parents care for the young and sometimes raise 2 broods a year.

The Spotted Crake is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

The European breeding population is estimated as between 50,000 and 180,000 pairs. Birdlife International stated the trend for Europe is unknown.

The Spotted Crake is an amber-listed species of bird in Britain.

“Following major declines in the nineteenth century, it appears to have increased in the latter decades of the twentieth century, though there is evidence of a recent decline in numbers after 2001”.

“However, recording standards and data flows are poor and an intensive collation of published and unpublished information showed that in most years more than twice the number of pairs were breeding” [Rare Birds Committee: http://www.rbbp.org.uk/d…/species_webpages/spotted_crake.pdf ).

There were annual reports of between 30 and 80 singing males in Britain during the last decade.

Monitoring Spotted Crakes is not an easy task. Some males are not counted because they do not sing during the breeding season.

The population is also prone to fluctuations. Some of the reasons given for the fluctuations are weather conditions during migration, wet summers and flooding on wetland sites.

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

References

Birdguids – Focus On: Spotted Crake - https://www.birdguides.com/…/species…/focus-on-spotted-crake

RSPB Handbook of Scottish Birds by Peter Holden and Stuart Housden

Rare Albino Birds Spotted in Britain

White, or albino, birds are some of the rarest wildlife found in Britain. Their unusual colour has made them popular birds among the general public. Some recent reports of albino birds are listed below.

An albino Robin from in in Bridford Devon “has been forced to lead a solitary life without a mate for the last four years as males do not recognise her without the iconic red breast.”.

Other white Robins were reported nearby. “There were two about a mile apart on the Tarka Trail, and there was another in Lelant, Cornwall” (Daily Mail - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/Rare-albino-bird-unable-mate-…).

“A super-rare white blackbird has been spotted at Waitrose in Dorset, with experts warning that its appearance makes it stand out to predators”.

“White blackbirds often live short lives because the white skin makes them susceptible to being killed by predators”

“It comes after last month a dog walker was left bamboozled this festive season after he captured footage of a rare Albino Pheasant strolling around a British garden”.

“The bird was brazenly looking round the woodland area while Brian Cave was taking his dog for a walk in Newquay, Cornwall”.

“The British Trust for Ornithology...said the sighting was extremely rare...It is thought that they are a prime target for hunters due to their colour, but the registered charity said most 'die soon after fledging, primarily as a consequence of their poor eyesight, and albino birds are not thought to progress to adulthood in the wild'.

(Daily Mail - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/Super-rare-WHITE-blackbird-sp…).

“A rare white-coloured kite has been spotted in Powys” in Wales. “However, it is unclear whether it is a leucist (white red kite), of which there are only about six in Wales, or a kite with albinism”(BBC – bbc.com/news/uk-wales-47554846).

A white house Sparrow was spotted the village of Westonzoyland in Somerset in 2018.

An “albino Peacock, called Bertie “ keeps spooking the locals as he wanders the tiny village of Handcross in West Sussex on the hunt for a girlfriend”.

“Every year, during peacock mating season, Bertie makes the mile-long pilgrimage from his home to a neighbouring village - where he goes from house-to-house in a bid to find love”. “Bertie hopes to attract a mate by fanning his beautiful white feathers and dancing, despite there being no peahens within several miles of Handcross” (Daily Mail - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/The-one-million-bird-Rare-alb…).

A rare white Jackdaw was seen in at Aberglasney Gardens in Carmarthenshire, South Wales (Daily Mail - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/Rare-albino-jackdaw-sends-bir…).

Sadly, the white jackdaw was “killed by other black-feathered jackdaws...Apparently, it is quite common for other birds to turn on albinos like this” (ITV - https://www.itv.com/…/rare-albino-jackdaw-killed-by-other-…/).

A “sighting of a leucistic mallard hen, Monday, near Lasalle Park Pier Monday was a rare one"

"The female mallard is commonly brown with black spotting whereas this leucistic hen is predominantly white with brown spots. Her bill is also devoid of its normal yellow pigment and her feet are much less orange than others”..

“Leucistic mallards are not common, are Tÿs Theijmeijer, Head of Natural Lands at the RBG said. "I have never seen one like this and I have observed 10,000 plus mallard ducks over the years” (Inside Hamilton - https://www.insidehalton.com/…/9808163-rare-leucistic-mall…/).

Some reports of strange coloured birds have another explanation for their appearance. Vinny the seagull was brought to Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital “completely covered in curry”.

“Locals had found and rescued a flightless orange bird and brought it to the clinic, where workers soon realized that it was just a seagull in desperate need of a bath. "He had somehow gotten himself covered in curry or turmeric!" (Vice - https://www.vice.com/…/a-rare-bird-seen-in-england-was-a-se…

).

Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) of Britain

Photo credit: The Wasp Factory on VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Honey Buzzards are rare birds of prey who breed Britain. They arrive from their wintering grounds in tropical and southern Africa in mid-May and return in September. Pairs make their nests in open woodland and feed their young on wasps and bees. 

Honey Buzzards are not true buzzards although they belong to the family of birds which includes hawks, kites and eagles. They spend more time feeding on the ground than any other bird of prey.

Adults are large raptors with greyish-brown upperparts, whitish underparts, broad wings and a long tail.

Honey Buzzards live a solitary lifestyle in open woodland and on the edges of forests.

“The main food both in summer and winter quarters is nests, larvae, pupae and adults of social Hymenoptera, including wasps, bees, bumblebees and hornets”.

“Food is located by following flying insects to the nest and, once located, the bird will start to dig the nest out with its feet. The bird can dig as deep as 40cm, and consumes adult insects, larvae, pupae and parts of the nest itself as it excavates. It also hunts on foot to catch ground insects and small vertebrates”.

“In the spring when the main prey is scarce, honey buzzards will resort to a variety of other food, including other insects, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, nestlings and eggs of birds, worms, fruit and berries” (RSPB – Feeding: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/honey-buzzard/feeding/ ).

Honey Buzzards arrive from their wintering ground in tropical and southern Africa in mid-May. They return to their wintering quarters in Africa between mid-August and September.

The arrival of Honey Buzzards in mid-May coincides with an abundance of “wasp larvae, which is the principal food of nestlings”.

The RSPB estimated 41 pairs breed in southern and eastern England, Wales, northern England and northern Scotland. Their nest sites are kept secret to protect pairs from egg collectors.

The range of Honey Buzzards is between 10 and 40 kilometres, or between 6 and 25 miles. Pairs breed in pine or mixed woodland in lowland areas and the wooded hills of higher ground. They prefer open woodland with open countryside nearby.

A pair make their nest in the topmost branches of a large tree. They either make a new nest or reuse the old nest of a crow and other birds of prey such as a Common Buzzard.

The nest is a large construction of twigs and green leaves with more vegetation added during the breeding season. The female is mostly responsible for building the nest over 10 to 15 days.

“A clutch of two white eggs, heavily marked with deep purple-red blotches are laid...in May. Incubation...takes up to 37 days - 30-35 days per egg...but unlike in most birds of prey there is no aggression between the siblings, and there is usually little competition for food”.

“From 18 days the young are able to feed themselves from food in the nest...The young fledge at 40-44 days and return to the nest for food until about 55 days old. They are independent from 75-100 days. Only one brood a year is raised” (RSPB – Breeding: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/honey-buzzard/breeding/ ).

The European Honey Buzzard is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

The Honey Buzzard “is a widespread summer visitor to Europe, which constitutes 75% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is large (>110,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970–1990”.

“Although there were declines in countries such as Finland and Sweden during 1990–2000, key populations in Russia, Belarus and France were stable, and the species remained stable overall. Consequently, it is provisionally evaluated as Secure” (Birdlife International - http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/BirdsInEuropeII/BiE2004Sp3334.pdf ).

The Honey Buzzard is an amber-listed species of bird in Britain. The shy and secretive nature of these birds of prey makes them difficult to study.

The RSPB said the number of Honey Buzzards is increasing in Britain possibly as a result of a proliferation of maturing conifer forests. The boost in the population of wasps due to climate change may also be responsible for the rise in their numbers.

A new source of food may be provided by the invasive species of Asian Hornets in Britain. Asian Hornets are “wasps, which can kill with a single sting, pose a threat to Britain's honeybees and may soon have a devastating impact on their populations” (Daily Mail - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8203829/Invasion-Asian-hornets-cause-7-6million-environmental-damage-year-study-finds.html ).

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 – Sad Demise of a Honey Buzzard: http://btoringing.blogspot.com/2013/07/sad-demise-of-pioneering-honey-buzzard.html

BBC - Honey Buzzard takes plane flight to The Gambia: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-15533903