Bird songs (more European)

Coal Tit

The coal tit is a tiny tit with a white nape patch: it lives mainly in conifer forests.

💡 Did you know? The small coal tit prefers conifer forests.

Marsh Tit

The marsh tit has a glossy black cap and is hard to tell from the willow tit.

💡 Did you know? Marsh tit and willow tit are very hard to tell apart.

Crested Tit

The crested tit stands out with its pointed, black-and-white patterned crest.

💡 Did you know? The crested tit sports a small pointed crest.

Long-tailed Tit

The long-tailed tit looks like a small ball of fluff with an overlong tail: often in roving flocks.

💡 Did you know? The long-tailed tit looks like a ball of cotton wool with a long tail.

Goldcrest

The goldcrest, at around five grams, shares with the firecrest the title of Europe's smallest bird, with a yellow-orange crown stripe.

💡 Did you know? The goldcrest, at about 5 grams, shares with the firecrest the title of Europe's smallest bird.

Short-toed Treecreeper

The short-toed treecreeper is a small, bark-coloured bird that climbs tree trunks in a spiral.

💡 Did you know? The short-toed treecreeper spirals up tree trunks.

Common Nightingale

The nightingale is a plain brown bird: famous not for its looks but for its powerful, varied song.

💡 Did you know? The nightingale sings at night too: hence its name.

Black Redstart

The black redstart is a dark little bird with a rust-red tail that it constantly quivers. It likes to nest on buildings and sings from first light.

💡 Did you know? The black redstart was originally a bird of rocky cliffs and now readily nests on buildings.

Common Redstart

The common redstart has a rusty-red tail it quivers conspicuously; the male has a black throat.

💡 Did you know? The common redstart conspicuously quivers its rusty-red tail.

Spotted Flycatcher

The spotted flycatcher is a drab grey-brown: it sits upright on perches and snaps insects in flight.

💡 Did you know? The spotted flycatcher catches insects in flight and returns to the same perch.

European Pied Flycatcher

In the pied flycatcher the male is boldly black-and-white, while the female is a drab brown.

💡 Did you know? The male is black-and-white, the female a plain brown.

Eurasian Skylark

The skylark is a brown-streaked ground bird of open fields: famous for its minutes-long song flight high in the sky.

💡 Did you know? The skylark often sings for minutes while hovering high in the air.

Fieldfare

The fieldfare is a large, boldly patterned thrush. In winter it roams in large flocks and strips berry bushes bare.

💡 Did you know? Fieldfares often breed in colonies and defend their nests together against predators.

Mistle Thrush

The mistle thrush is the largest native thrush: it likes to sing from high treetops, even in a storm.

💡 Did you know? The mistle thrush sings even in stormy weather: the 'stormcock'.

Eurasian Bullfinch

The bullfinch stands out with the male's bright rose-red breast and black cap.

💡 Did you know? The male bullfinch stands out with its bright red breast.

Hawfinch

The hawfinch is the largest native finch, with a strikingly thick, powerful bill. With it, it cracks even hard fruit stones with ease.

💡 Did you know? The hawfinch's powerful bill can crack even hard cherry stones.

European Serin

The serin is Europe's smallest finch: yellowish, with a hurried, jangling song.

💡 Did you know? The serin is the smallest European finch.

Common Linnet

The linnet is a finch of open country: the male has a red forehead and breast in the breeding season.

💡 Did you know? In the breeding season the male sports a red forehead and breast.

Eurasian Siskin

The siskin is a small, yellow-green finch that acrobatically works alder and birch cones.

💡 Did you know? Siskins love alder and birch seeds in winter.

Western Jackdaw

The jackdaw is the smallest native crow: known by its grey nape and pale eyes.

💡 Did you know? The jackdaw is the smallest native crow, with pale blue eyes.

Northern Raven

The raven is the largest songbird in the world: jet-black, highly intelligent, with a deep, rolling call.

💡 Did you know? The raven is the largest songbird in the world.

Eurasian Golden Oriole

The golden oriole, despite the male's bright yellow-and-black, is hard to see: it stays hidden in high foliage.

💡 Did you know? The bright yellow male often stays hidden in the foliage despite its colour.

Red-backed Shrike

The red-backed shrike has a reddish back and a black eye-mask: it stores prey impaled on thorns.

💡 Did you know? The red-backed shrike impales prey on thorns as a larder.

Tawny Owl

The tawny owl is a medium-sized, round-headed owl: the source of the classic nocturnal „hoo-hoo“ call.

💡 Did you know? The familiar 'hoo-hoo' call in the woods is usually the tawny owl.

Common Kestrel

The kestrel is a small raptor that can hover on the spot over fields.

💡 Did you know? The kestrel can hover on the spot in its 'windhover' flight.

Black Woodpecker

The black woodpecker, the size of a crow, is Europe's largest woodpecker: jet-black with a red cap.

💡 Did you know? The black woodpecker, crow-sized, is Europe's largest woodpecker.

Mallard

The mallard is the commonest and best-known wild duck. The drake has a glossy green head, while the female is plain brown for camouflage.

💡 Did you know? The mallard is the ancestor of almost all domestic ducks.

Grey Heron

The grey heron is a large grey wading bird with a long neck and dagger-like bill. It can be seen waiting patiently by water, hunting fish and frogs.

💡 Did you know? The grey heron often stands motionless in the water and stabs lightning-fast for fish.

Eurasian Coot

The coot is a black waterbird with a white frontal shield: found on almost any pond.

💡 Did you know? The coot is recognised by its white frontal shield.

Great Crested Grebe

The great crested grebe is an elegant waterbird with a crest: famous for its elaborate courtship head-shaking.

💡 Did you know? The great crested grebe performs an elaborate courtship 'penguin dance'.