Saturday 25 January 2020

Ring OuzeL: A Declining Breeding Bird in Britain and Ireland



Photo credit: Langham Birder on VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Ring Ouzels are summer visitors who breed in the rough, open terrain of mountains in Britain and Ireland. They arrive from their wintering grounds in the Mediterranean and North Africa in the spring and return in the autumn.
Very few Ring Ouzels visit Northern and the Republic of Ireland where they are considered a rare bird.
There are concerns about the future of Ring Ouzels in Britain as nearly two-thirds of the population has been lost in the last 25 years. Ornithologists in Ireland believe Ring Ouzels will become extinct in the near future.
The Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus, belongs to the Thrush family of birds and is smaller and slimmer than a Blackbird.
Males have black plumage with a pale crescent on the chest and panel on the wing. Females are brown and have a duller chest band.
Ring Ouzels are shy and elusive birds who live and breed the rough, inhospitable terrain of mountains. They are generally found from sea level up to 1200 metres, or 0.75 miles, high.
Pairs make their nests in open places high in the mountains. Nests are made on the steep sides of valleys, crags, ledges of mountains and among the heather of moorland.
The main diet of the Ring Ouzel includes insects such as flies, beetles and leatherjacks, spiders, invertebrates and earthworms,
Fruit and berries are eaten in the autumn and winter. The berries of elders, bilberry, blackberry, hawthorns and rowans are particularly favoured.
“A mosaic of heather patches, as cover and open areas to forage, appears to be important’ for the species” (Irish Examiner – please see below).
Ring Ouzels arrive in Britain from their wintering grounds in the Mediterranean and North Africa between late March and April. Some of those who breed in Scandinavia also stop for a short time along the coast.
Ring Ouzels were not a common or widespread bird in Britain during the twentieth century. Sadly, a recent long term decline in the population has led to a contraction of their range in Britain.
They no longer breed in southern and central England as well as parts of Scotland and Wales. For example, their numbers declined by 70% in some areas of the Scottish Highlands between 1999 and 2007.
Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands remains one of the strongholds of the Ring Ouzel in Britain.
A map of the breeding distribution of Ring Ouzels in Britain and Ireland has been provided by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO - https://app.bto.org/mapstore/StoreServlet?id=370 ).
The main breeding sites of Ring Ouzels are Counties Kerry and Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.
Ring Ouzels once bred in every county of Northern Ireland. Sadly, the population has declined with only 14 reports of breeding since 1974. The Mourne Mountains are the main nesting sites of Red Ouzels.
The areas inhabited by Ring Ouzels include open hillsides where there is heather, grassy knolls and some scrub. Small number of passage migrants are found on areas of short grass along the coast and the sides of steep grassy hills.
The breeding season is between mid-April until mid-July with the first clutches laid in late April or May.
Pairs breed either singly or in loose colonies and aggressively defend their nests. Nest are often found near water.
Nests are made on or near the ground among heather and other vegetation in crags, gullies, ledges and the other rocky places of mountains. Other suitable breeding areas are around hill farms, the edges of forests and old quarries.
Three to five eggs are laid which take 2 weeks to hatch. The young learn to fly after another 2 weeks. Both parents care for the young and often raise 2 broods a year.
Adults moult between July and September before migrating to their wintering grounds.
Most of the population leave Britain and Ireland by late September. Ring Ouzels are seen either singly or in small groups before migration.
Ring Ouzels arrive on their wintering quarters by mid-October onwards. Their wintering grounds are in the Mediterranean and the Atlas Mountains in the North African countries of Algeria and Morocco.
The Ring Ouzel is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.
Europe holds 95% of the global breeding population of Ring Ouzels. The trend in Europe between 1998 and 2013 was described as stable.
The population in Scandinavia and southern Europe are reported to be stable.
The Ring Ouzel is a red-listed species of bird in both Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
The status of the Ring Ouzel is red in Britain because of a dramatic decline in the breeding population over the last 25 years. Research has shown the decline is ongoing.
The British Trust for Ornithology said the Ring Ouzel population declined by over half, or 58%,, between 1988 and 1991 and 1999. Their numbers declined by another 29% between 1999 and 2012.
The charity stated the reasons for the decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain remain unknown.
(BTO – Species - https://app.bto.org/birdtrends/species.jsp?year=2019&s=rinou ).
The RSPB reported the “UK range contracted by 27 per cent between 1970 and 1990, and the population is thought to have decreased in number, by about 60 per cent, between 1990 and 1999”.
“Possible causes of this decline include afforestation, changes in ...grazing regimes, and grassland improvement.”
(RSPB - https://www.rspb.org.uk/…/advice/helping-species/ring-ouzel/ ).
Research has shown that Scottish Ring Ouzels have recently moved away from breeding near conifer forests to the steeper areas of mountains.
The danger of predators using forests as cover together with a lack of heather on moorland nearest conifer forests may explain the decline of Ring Ouzels in Scotland
(The Decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain – see below).
The Ring Ouzel has also suffered declines in the Republic of Ireland where there are fears they are facing extinction.
“Ouzels still breed in Kerry and Donegal, but in pitifully small numbers. Alan Mee found just 11 ‘apparently occupied’ sites in the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks during a survey he conducted in 2008. By 2011, there were only four” (Irish Examiner - https://www.irishexaminer.com/…/marginal-ring-ouzel-could-b… ).
Possible reasons given for the decline in Britain and Ireland include competition with blackbirds and thrushes, disturbance by walkers and agricultural changes.
Birdlife International cited a reduction in juniper trees in their wintering grounds may be a factor in the decline in Britain. Juniper berries are one of the main sources of winter food for Ring Ouzels.
The Ring Ouzel was included in priority Bio-diversity Action Plan in the UK in 2002.
The main threats to Ring Ouzels in Europe include human disturbance, development in mountains for the leisure industry, hunting, climate change affecting winter survival, increased number of predators, burning and cutting of moorland, summer floods, afforestation and loss of habitat due to overgrazing,
For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit,
http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/index.html
References
The Decline of the Red Ouzel in Britain: https://www.researchgate.net/…/229068728_The_decline_of_the…
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Saturday 18 January 2020

Golden Pheasant - A Declining Rare Bird in Britain

“Deep in the forests of Norfolk lives the golden pheasant, a bird so beautiful it has been suggested as the origin of the phoenix legend” 
The Golden Pheasant,Chrysolophus pictus, is a rare, non-native species of bird which was first introduced to Britain in the late nineteenth century. Some escaped into the wild and established a small, although scattered, breeding population. 
Sadly, wild Golden Pheasant in Britain are disappearing from their old haunts with only a thousand birds remaining. Experts believe the dwindling population is a sign that the Golden Pheasant will be extinct in Britain in the future.
Golden Pheasants are sometimes known as “Chinese pheasants” because they are native to the mountainous regions of China.
Adults are smaller than native pheasants with males displaying brightly coloured plumage and very long tails. Males have a yellow crown tipped with red which extends from their heads to their necks. Females are smaller and duller with brown plumage.
Golden Pheasants are shy and elusive birds who live and breed in dense woodland and forestry plantations. They are usually found s among conifer trees, particularly young conifer plantations. 
The main diet of the Golden Pheasant includes insects, spiders, invertebrates, seeds and the leaves and buds of woodland plants.
Foraging normally takes place at dawn or dush when they walk along the floor of woods and forests searching for food. Golden Pheasants rarely fly in the air and roosting at night takes place high in the branches of trees.
The weary nature of these pheasants together with their ability to move quickly through the undergrowth makes Golden Pheasants difficult to see despite their bright plumage.
Golden Pheasants were first introduced to Norfolk in England as exotic birds in private collections during the 1870s. Some escaped into the wild and established breeding populations in the woods and forests of  England, Scotland and Wales.
Golden Pheasants remain near the areas they were hatched and rarely move more than 500 metres or 0.3 miles
The population of Golden Pheasants has declined in recent years.
“The declining pheasant numbers are now believed to be down to no more than 1,000 pairs of golden” pheasants (Independent - https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/country-garden-golden-and-nearly-gone-1183309.html ).
The strongholds of wild Golden Pheasants are Norfolk and Suffolk. Smaller numbers are also scattered widely over the lowland areas of Britain. 
Wild Golden Pheasants can be seen all year round in Anglesey in Wales, Galloway, Scotland, and the South Downs in England.
A map of the areas where wild Golden Pheasants are found in Britain has been provided by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO - http://s1.sovon.nl/ebcc/eoa/?species1=3960 ). 
The small population of Golden Pheasants in Weyland Woods in the Brecklands in Norfolk disappeared during the early 1990s. Disturbance was given as the reason for their decline. Some are still seen in nearby areas although some of these sightings may be recently escaped captive birds (The Breckland Birder - http://brecklandbirder.blogspot.com/2016/02/golden-beauty-at-thompson-norfolk.html ).
A small breeding population was established in Kirroughtree Forest in Scotland. Their numbers declined between the 1970s and 80s from a high of from 250 birds.
Golden Pheasants can also be found in Tresco on the Isles of Scilly, although most are thought to be new releases (Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/93372558@N00/1562563220 ).
Golden Pheasants sometimes breed with Lady Amherst’s Pheasants both in captivity and in the wild. Hybrids of the two species have been spotted in Britain over the centuries.
Very little is known about the breeding habits of wild Golden Pheasants in Britain as their shy nature makes them difficult to study.
Five to twelve eggs are laid on the ground which hatch after three weeks. The young learn to fly after another 2 weeks.
The Golden Pheasant is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.
The global trend for the Golden Pheasant is described as declining with the felling of trees, illegal cage bird industry and hunting cited as the reasons for the decline by Birdlife International.
The status of the Golden Pheasant has not been assessed in Britain. The decline of the population in recent years has led experts to the opinion that wild Golden Pheasants are facing extinction in Britain.
“It has long been recognised that Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, although still present in small numbers in Bedfordshire, is no longer maintaining a self-sustaining population, and the same fate may await Golden Pheasant as no records of confirmed breeding of this species were submitted ” (Birdguides - https://www.birdguides.com/news/lady-a-and-golden-pheasant-nearly-gone-from-britain/ ).
The reasons for the decline are unknown although loss of habitat and an increase in their natural predators such as foxes may be responsible for the fall in their numbers.
For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit,
Interesting Articles 
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Sunday 12 January 2020

Lesser Whitethroat of Britain


Photo credit:gilgit2 on VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SA
The Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca, is a grey warbler who is smaller than a Great Tit. Lesser Whitethroats are a common breeding bird with an estimated 74,0000 pairs visiting Britain every year. They are considered a scarce summer visitor in the Ireland with only a handful of breeding records.
Lesser Whitethroats are unique among the birdlife which visit Britain as most of the population fly along the eastern Mediterrean (northern Italy)  to their wintering grounds in Africa rather than flying through Gibraltar.
The back of adult is grey-brown with a grey mask on the head and the underparts are off-white.
Lesser Whitethroats are secretive and elusive birds who sulk in the dense foliage of trees and hedges. Pairs establish a breeding territory after arriving in the spring. Their favoured trees and shrubs are hawthorn and blackthorns.
They can often be heard making a distinctive call of “tac-tac” from in dense vegetation between late April and June.
The diet of the Lesser Whitethroat during the spring and summer is a wide range of insects. Ants, flies, beetles and caterpillars are some of common items of food consumed.
Berries and fruit are eaten in the autumn before returning to their African wintering.
Lesser Whitethroats are summer visitors who arrive in late spring, or between April and May. They fly long distances from Africa as they migrate cross the Sahara Desert, Israel, Turkey and Crete before reaching Britain.
Breeding takes place on lower ground in England, Wales and southern Scotland. Most are found in southern and central England with fewer in northern and extreme west of Britain.
Towns and mountainous regions are normally avoided although some venture into parks and gardens in the late summer.
A map of the breeding distribution of Lesser Whitethroats in Britain and Ireland has been provided by the British Trust for Ornithology (
Flocks of up to 20 birds migrate together to their wintering grounds in Africa between mid July and mid October. Lesser Whitethroats fly across the eastern Meditterea through northern Italy. They make the long journey across the Sahara Desert to winter in the Sudan, Ethopia and Chad.
Pairs breed among the dense foliage of small trees and bushes in hedgerows along farmland, thickets, woodland, overgrown railway embankments, disused industrial sites, scrub and coastal heaths. The breeding season begins in late April and ends in July.
The male makes one or two nests and then sings to attract a female. The nest is a deep cup of grass and roots.
Four or five eggs are laid around mid-May which take between 11 and 12 days to hatch. The young learn to fly after 2 weeks. Both parents care for the young and can raise 2 broods a year.
The Lesser Whitethroat is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.
Europe holds 45% of the global population of Lesser Whitethroats. The European population was reported as stable between 1980 and 2013.
The Lesser Whitethroat is a green-listed species of bird in Britain.
“Lesser Whitethroat abundance was roughly stable..from the 1960s until the late 1980s” but suffered a “subsequent moderate decline that lasted into the late 1990s”.
The RSPB estimated a third of the population of Lesser Whitethroats was lost during the 1980s and 1990s (RSPB Handbook of British Birds).
The population has shown a “significant sharp upturn” but there were also reports of a “continued decrease”. “A northward redistribution of the UK breeding population…may go some way to explaining inconsistencies”
The factors in the decline of Lesser Whtiethroats are problems experienced during migration and cold winter weather,
The population in Europe has remained “broadly stable” since the 1980s (BTO – species:https://app.bto.org/birdtrends/species.jsp?year=2019&s=leswh ).
Lesser Whitethroats began extending their breeding north and westwards in Britain during the 1960s.  Pairs were reported as regularly breeding in Northumberland, Devon, Cornwall and Scotland between the 1970s and 1990s.
There has also been a range expansion in domr countries in Europe such as Norway where Lesser Whitethroats are also moving north and westwards (to breed Paisley Natural History Society -
The main threats to Lesser Whitethroats is loss of habitat due to agricultural intensification, problems during migration and winter weather.
For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit,
Interesting Articles
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Saturday 4 January 2020



Yellow-browed Warbler of Britain and Ireland

Photo credit: Langham Birder on Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND
The Yellow-browed Warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus, is a small green warbler who about the size of a Goldcrest. Most of the population of Yellow-browed Warblers leave their breeding grounds in Russia and fly to Asia. However, an increasing number of these warblers fly across Europe during the autumn.
Ornithologists in Britain and Ireland have noticed a significant number of Yellow-browed Warblers have been arriving along the southern and eastern coasts in the last decade. Most return to Europe and continue their journey to Iberia. 
The reason for the surge of Yellow-browed Warblers flying to Britain and Ireland is a mystery although some believe the autumn and winter migration pattern of these warblers has been changing over the last ten years.
Males and females are alike with grey-green plumage above and pale grey below. There is a prominent yellow stripe above the eye.
Yellow-browed Warblers are sociable and active birds who live in open forests, woodland and scrubland.
The main diet of the Yellow-browed Warbler is a wide range of insects and invertebrates which are found high in the canopy of trees. 
“Yellow-browed Warblers breed across Russia, extending east from the Urals as far as Kamchatka and south to Afghanistan, northern India and the Sea of Japan”.
“In autumn most of the breeding population probably migrates through north-eastern China, filtering down to the species’ winter quarters, which extend from central Nepal south to the Malay Peninsula” (Birdguides – see below).
A small although increasing number of Yellow-browed Warblers fly through Europe and reach the shores of Britain and Ireland between September and November.
Over a thousand wintering Yellow-browed Warblers now visit the southern and eastern coasts of Britain and Ireland each year. 
“Records in England are mostly along the east coast south to Norfolk and along the south coast from Kent to Scilly. A few birds are recorded inland or from western counties”
“In Scotland, the Northern Isles and east coast sites get most of the records, but the species also reaches the Outer Hebrides in most years. 
In Wales, most records come from Bardsey Island, and the highest numbers usually coincide with major arrivals on the east coast.
In Ireland, most Yellow-broweds are seen in the counties of Cork, Waterford and Wexford, with Cape Clear, Co Cork, recording the largest influxes, with at least 50 in 1985”
The majority of Yellow-browed Warblers who are seen in Brtiain and Ireland between September and November are birds of passage from Russia.
A small number stay for the winter in Britain and return to their breeding grounds between late March and early April.
Yellow-browed Warblers join flocks of Goldcrests and tits as they roam around woodland searching for food.
The Yellow-browed Warbler is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.
Europe holds less than 5% of the global population of Yellow-browed Warblers. The European trend is unknown although the global population is regarded as stable.
The Yellow-browed Warbler has not been assessed in Britain. The Yellow-browed Warbler is a green-listed species of bird in the Republic of Ireland.
“After first being recorded in Britain in Northumberland in 1838, numbers rose slowly each year to the 1960s when it was no longer regarded as an official rarity, having clocked up 300 sightings” ( Daily Express - https://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/stuart-winter/716544/Winters-tails-beautiful-yellow-browed-warbler-returns-Britain-birds ).
The RSPB reported in 2016 that “Formerly a rare migrant to Britain, numbers of these tiny, brightly-marked warblers have been increasing here in recent years (RSPB - https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/scotland/posts/record-breaking-yellow-browed-warbler-influx ).
Birdwatch has reported the number of Yellow-browed Warblers has “ increased significantly in the last decade” in the Republic of Ireland. 
Birdlife charities believe Yellow-browed Warblers have recently changed their migratory habits. 
“Instead of heading south-east towards Nepal, China or Malaysia, they were travelling south-west, to a new winter home… Once these birds have passed through Britain in late autumn, scientists think they may be overwintering in Spain or Portugal, or even somewhere in West Africa. 
But with such mild weather, it’s hardly surprising that some, like this one, are now choosing to stay over in Britain for the whole of the winter” (Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/17/bird-migration-warbler-asia-somerset ).
For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit,
Interesting Articles 
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