Garden Birds - Feral Pigeon to House Martin

Click the thumbnail to see the larger image - all the pictures expand to 1500 x 1000 pixels. On this page: Feral Pigeon, Fieldfare, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail and House Martin. The video links open in a separate window.

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Feral Pigeon Feral Pigeons are smaller than a Wood Pigeon and some are very simalar to the much rarer Rock Dove to which they are closely related. Common in most towns, Feral Pigeons are also often present in our gardens.

Fieldfare The Fieldfare is one of our Winter visitors from the colder North and like its cousin the Redwing is a member of the Thrush family.They don't often come into gardens but will do so when the weather is harsh and it's difficult to feed elsewhere. Fairly easy to recognise by its grey head and brown back. Both sexes are similar.

Firecrest The Firecrest is much rarer but similar in appearance to its cousin the Goldcrest from which it can be most easily differentiated by the white stripe over the eye. More likely to be seen in the South and in Winter.

Goldcrest - Goldcrests are resident all year and are one of Britain's smallest birds, being about the same size as a Wren. They prefer Pine trees to nest in and are often seen darting around the pine needles feeding. Males and females are similar but differ in that the male has an orange tuft within his yellow crown which may become more aparent when his crown feathers are raised.

video of a goldcrest singing

Goldfinch - The Goldfinch is one of our most striking garden birds with its red face and golden yellow wing feathers. Goldfinches love nyjer seeds and will also take sunflower seeds from the feeder. Males and females are similar but the red on the face extends slightly further to behind the eye on the males.

videos: goldfinches bathing in a stream and close-up of goldfinches on the feeder

Great Tit - The Great Tit is one of our most common garden birds and one that is often seen on the garden birdfeeder. They will also readily take to a garden nestbox. Great Tits also have a large range of calls and it has been said that if you hear a call that you don't recognise it is most likely that of a Great Tit.

video of several great tits on a large feeder see also the nestbox page videos

Great Spotted Woodpecker - The Great Spotted is the woodpecker that you're most likely to see in the garden and they will occasionally come to the feeder. The adult birds have a red rump and the male also has a red patch to the back of his head wheras the female has no red on the head at all. The juveniles, as you can see from the first image, have a much larger red cap.

video of a great spotted woodpecker on a feeder and on a tree stump

Green Woodpecker - The Green Woodpecker is a fairly common bird, but not as common in our gardens as the Great Spotted Woodpecker. Males and females are similar but differ in that the male has an additional patch of red to the side of his head.

video of a green woodpecker bathing in a small pool

Greenfinch - Greenfinches are a reasonably common garden bird and can often be found visiting garden feeders. The male is a brighter green than the female, who appears more brownish.

video of a greenfinch calling

Grey Wagtail Grey Wagtails aren't a bird that you're likely to see in your garden unless you have a pond or a stream as they spend most of their time close to water. They are resident in the UK all year round and the male can be distinguished from the female by his black bib during the Summer.

House Martin The House Martin is a Summer visitor to the UK and can be told apart from the Swallow or Swift by its shorter, stubbier wings and white body extending under its chin. House Martins typically make a cup shaped nest under the eaves of a roof.

British Garden Birds

Second page - Feral Pigeon to House Martin