THE MISSEL THRUSH
Turdus viscivorus, Linnæus
It was by the sea-coast, on a bleak and wind-swept hill covered with
short grass and patches of heather and gorse, that our attention was
first directed to a light-coloured bird of fair size which rose at our
feet from behind a tussock, and uttering a curious wild churring note,
darted away against the strong south-west wind. Well has he earned his
name of "Storm Cock" from his wild note and rapid flight. Watch him now,
sustained by quick, continuous wing-beats, and now as the wind slackens
carried along with a dipping motion and outstretched wings, the whole
bird suggestive of strength and activity, and as fickle and changeable
in his moods as the elements among which he delights to live.
It was in June that I first saw him, when he and others of his kind, who
but a few months before were callow and helpless nestlings, were
learning from the summer gale a taste of what they would have to face
when winter brought its storms and tempests, for the Storm Cock is no
migrant to warmer climes and softer breezes, but leads a regular roving
gipsy's life over our Islands, wandering from the northernmost corners
of Scotland to the south of England, obeying no will but his own, and
guided by no special impulse beyond that of satisfying his own
appetite,--by no means a difficult task, as little in the way of berries
or insects comes amiss to him. His common name of Missel Thrush
(Mistletoe Thrush) is derived from his supposed fondness for this berry,
but this is a point on which doubt still exists.
On the day when we first saw him, however, he was engaged in picking up
the flies, ants, beetles, and other live prey which the scanty
vegetation on the hill enabled him to see and capture easily. In spots
where the ground was loose he would dig in his bill and turn over a
small bit of earth, then stand with head held expectantly on one side,
literally waiting for something to turn up. Often he would repeat this
several times with little or no result, then all of a sudden down would
go his head and we would make out something between his mandibles, then
would come a quick movement of his head and his beak would be empty
again.
Suddenly one of his brothers near uttered an alarm-note, and in an
instant he was up and across the valley, where for the moment we could
not follow him.
Thus, then, he spends his life from May till January: on cliffs by the
sea, on bare moorlands, in thick woods--where the mountain-ash berries
in their season form a favourite food--over open, cultivated fields
where the freshly-turned furrow has unearthed abundant delicacies--or in
the country hedgerow where hips and haws, elderberries and sloe are not
less appreciated. Here to-day and gone to-morrow, a restless, wandering
bird.
As early as January, however, he begins to think of nesting, and having
secured a mate, retires to what is for him a comparatively sheltered
spot, either to a wood, or preferably to a row of trees along a hedge,
and not unfrequently to some fruit-tree in an orchard or garden. Whether
or not the Missel Thrush returns year after year to the same spot to
nest we cannot say, but, as a rule, the same garden or row of trees will
every spring shelter a pair of these birds if once they have nested
there.
Although he may probably build his nest quite close to our house, yet
the Missel Thrush is always wild and shy, and is rarely seen except as
he flies over the garden uttering his unmistakable note, or as he sits
on the topmost branch of some tall tree and sings his love-song to his
mate below. The song is wild, and consists of a somewhat incoherent
medley of notes, which, if not calculated to appeal especially to our
musical ear, strikes at any rate a note of harmony with the winter's
wind.
The nest is placed on a horizontal branch some 10 or 12 feet from the
ground, and often at some distance from the trunk of the tree. The
Missel Thrush is very conservative in its choice of a site, and seldom
if ever chooses any other position. When built the nest is a fairly
conspicuous object, with its foundation of twigs and mud and lined with
grass and hay. Towards the end of February, however, we shall one day be
surprised to see a large nest in some conspicuous position, and on
examination will probably discover the hen, sitting on four to six eggs
of a bluish colour with large reddish spots and blotches fairly evenly
distributed over their surface. But even now, although we know exactly
where the nest of these shy birds is, it will not be easy to see much of
them.
When the young are hatched both parents attend most assiduously to the
wants of the brood, feeding them on earth-worms, the favourite food of
almost all the Thrushes. By the end of March the first brood is on the
wing, and the parents busy themselves with a new nest for the reception
of their second family. These, too, are hatched and on the wing by the
middle of May, and then the whole family, young and old, leave their
home to wander round the country until another January brings them back
again to add their note of harmony to the winter's wind.
The upper parts are of a uniform ash brown, under parts buffish white
thickly spotted with dark brown. The sexes are alike in plumage. The
young has the upper parts spotted with buff, and the spots below are
much smaller. Length 11 in.; wing 6 in.
THE SONG THRUSH
Turdus musicus, Linnæus
One of the first signs that winter is thinking of releasing its grasp,
and that spring, if still some way off, is nevertheless on the way, is
the clear melodious song of the Song Thrush. Soon after daybreak (having
breakfasted off the early worm) this bird may be heard in almost every
garden that can boast of a shrub large enough to conceal him and his
nest. Any sort of cultivated country forms his home, either the broad
fields, scanty hedgerows, the carefully-cultivated garden of the
wealthy, or even the small and dusty plot of the town-dweller.
[Illustration: SONG THRUSH
_Turdus musicus_]
His food consists chiefly of insects, though worms form a considerable
part of his diet, and snails are a delicacy of which he is extremely
fond.
There must be few people who have not noticed our brown friend hopping
down the garden path with his peculiar sidelong leaps, now and then
varied by two or three quick short steps as he conveys a snail to his
favourite _abattoir_. This usually consists of a moderate-sized smooth
stone, on which the unfortunate snail is beaten till his house falls
from him; when this is accomplished there is a quick gulp, and he is
gone! Thus refreshed, our friend will mount a near-by twig, clean his
bill by rubbing it several times on either side of his perch, preen and
shake out his feathers a bit, and then resting on one leg he will
whistle his song, which has been rendered by some writers in the
following words:--"Deal o' wet, deal o' wet, deal o' wet, I do, I do, I
do. Who'd do it: Pretty Dick, Pretty Dick, Pretty Dick, Who'd do it."
This will go on for some time until perhaps he happens to glance down at
the lawn which he considers his especial preserve. Here he sees
something which causes his song to cease in an instant. It is his rival
openly flaunting himself before him. There is a swirl of wings as he
rushes to the attack! They meet! Their bills snap violently, and there
is every prospect of a fight. Then suddenly the rival retreats
precipitately into the nearest bush, hotly pursued by our friend, and we
have time to notice the peculiar way in which the tail and wings are
spread as they disappear. Then we see no more.
Such is the life of one of our commonest birds as we may witness it any
day in early spring. By the end of March, or even earlier, its nest may
be found in some sheltered nook. It is not often more than 10 feet from
the ground, and is generally in the fork of some tree or bush, or on the
beam of some old barn or potting shed; perhaps it may be found in the
middle of a hedgerow, or occasionally even on the ground. It is composed
of rough grass and bents, and lined with mud pressed round and smoothed
so as to form a fairly deep cup.
The eggs are five in number, and in colour are a beautiful pale blue,
with a few small black or purplish-mauve spots towards the larger end,
these markings being in some cases entirely lacking. After a fortnight's
incubation the young are hatched; they are then almost naked and only
slightly covered with down.
Incubation is carried on by the hen alone, but both birds assist in the
feeding, the diet consisting almost entirely of earth-worms. In about a
fortnight to three weeks after the young are hatched they leave the nest
to find and earn their own living, whilst their parents busy themselves
with the cares of another family, for a pair of birds generally rears
three broods in the season. After the rearing of the last brood, which
is over by the end of June or early in July, both old and young begin to
moult. Consequently, at this time of year they are very quiet and
skulking in their habits, but we may sometimes catch sight of them in
the evenings and early mornings when they come out to feed on lawns and
fields where the grass is short and where their favourite earth-worms
abound. About the end of August a close observer will often miss his
little friend for a few days or even weeks. Then one morning he will
again see the familiar figure on the lawn and think that perhaps his
companion has returned. But it is not so. The spring visitor has gone to
another part of the country, probably not very far away, as this species
is only a partial migrant, but nevertheless he has gone, and the bird
which has taken his place has come from some more northerly locality to
spend the winter. Probably we do not notice the change, and put down the
temporary disappearance of our particular Song Thrush to the fact that
we chanced not to see him. It is not so, however, for our friend of
spring and summer has departed.
The general colour above, including mantle and wings, is uniform olive
brown, some of the major and median covers having buffish tips. Breast
yellowish, spotted with triangular olive-brown spots, the flanks
uniformly olive, chin and throat white, margined with a row of dark
streaks. Belly white. Bill brown, base of lower mandible paler. Legs
pale flesh. Iris hazel. Length 9·0 in.; wing 4·6 in.
Young birds are spotted on the upper parts. This species is widely and
generally distributed throughout the British Isles.
THE REDWING
Turdus iliacus, Linnæus
From the middle to the end of October, when the leaves are falling
thickly from the trees, and the dull, dark days of winter are beginning
to make themselves felt, we may be aware, while walking along a country
lane or through a park, of a new arrival among our birds. There rises,
probably from the ground, a dark-coloured bird, whose quick movement
will at once catch our eye, and being in company with others similar to
himself, we shall have no difficulty in recognising the Redwing. Tired
possibly by his long journey, he will settle on the hedge a little in
front of us, and begin diligently feeding on any berries he can find, as
but little in that line comes amiss to our friend; and soon he will
again drop to the ground, and we shall get a glimpse of the deep red
feathers under his wings from which he has derived his trivial name. At
this season of the year Redwings are essentially wanderers, moving about
in flocks of from a dozen to thirty or more, stopping here and there
where food is plentiful for a few days or weeks, and then moving on,
always southward, as lack of food or the severity of the weather
dictates. If the winter be mild, they may be found roosting in large
numbers in thick hawthorn hedges or small plantations; for although fond
of cover, and spending most of their time among undergrowth on the
ground, they are not very partial to large woods, preferring thick
hedgerows or small coppices. A cold north wind, accompanied by snow and
frost, drives most of these birds away from our shores to sunnier
climes: their place, however, is soon taken, if the hard weather be
prolonged, by large immigrations of poor storm-driven birds from the
north of the Continent, who reach us with barely sufficient strength to
seek their food, and who receive, too frequently, an inhospitable
reception. Such wanderers become exceedingly tame, and may be found
hopping disconsolately round our gardens within a foot or two of us, and
the mortality in such seasons as these must be very great. Happily this
extreme severity does not often happen, and one is glad to think that as
a rule our visitors, driven to us by hard weather abroad, find
sustenance in our warmer, if still somewhat boisterous, climate.
In April, that strange homing instinct which animates almost every known
bird, causes the Redwings to leave our hedgerows at their most beautiful
time, and to seek a northern home where they may settle down and rear
their young. There, where song-birds are scarce, his little warble,
which would be unnoticed here in our wealth of songsters, is eagerly
awaited, and eulogised as though it were the rich outpourings of a
nightingale. His nest is built on the ground, or just above it at the
foot of some bush, or even in a crevice a short distance up the trunk of
a tree; but if so far north as to be beyond the limit of tree growth, a
sloping bank or the shelter of some boulder will be selected as the
site. The nest is substantially built of grass with a foundation of
twigs, and is similar to that of our Blackbird, to which species also
the eggs, though slightly smaller, bear a close resemblance. Two broods
are sometimes reared in the season, especially in the more southerly
parts of its breeding range, and after the duties of family life are
over, the birds unite in small flocks, lingering in their northern home
till autumnal storms drive them once more among us.
The male in winter is uniform olive brown above. Chest and chin pale
buff, thickly and irregularly streaked with dark brown. Sides of face
dark brown, a light buffish or white superciliary streak running from
the base of the upper mandible over the eye. Flanks deep rich chestnut;
remainder of lower parts white, slightly streaked on the sides with
olive brown. Bill dark horn colour, legs pale flesh. Length 8·75 in.;
wing 4·4 in. The sexes are similar in plumage, but the female is paler
and duller in colour than the male. The young bird is spotted on the
back, and after the autumn moult may still be recognised by the pale
tips to the wing coverts.
Its breeding range extends north of 54° from the Yenesei westward to
Scandinavia, and its breeding in our islands has not as yet been
authenticated. In winter it is found throughout the south of Europe,
extending eastwards through Persia and Turkestan.
THE FIELDFARE
Turdus pilaris, Linnæus
[Illustration: FIELDFARE
_Turdus pilaris_
Adult (left and centre). Young (right)]
An unwonted note strikes our ears, a sort of "chack" or "chick," and
looking round we see that it proceeds from a flock of ten or a dozen
birds flying on a straight course high in the air, with quick and
regular wing-beats. At first sight they appear like Missel Thrushes, but
their flight is less erratic, and their unmistakable note tells us that
the last of our migrant Thrushes has arrived to spend the winter with
us. Like the Redwing, the Fieldfare is emphatically a bird of the North,
although, as he always nests in trees, he does not touch high latitudes,
like the Redwing, being restrained in that direction by the limit of
tree growth. In summer the woods of the far north form his home, and, as
if he himself felt the solitude and intense stillness that reigns there,
he breeds generally in small colonies of from ten to a dozen pairs. The
nests are generally placed in the first fork of a birch tree, from 4 to
8 feet above the ground. The eggs closely resemble those of the Missel
Thrush, but are rather smaller. The Fieldfare's song is very feeble, and
consists of an incoherent warble, varied with the "chack, chack" of his
call-note. However he is not the only denizen of the woods that feels
the need of companionship, as it will generally be found that a few
pairs of Redwings have also nested near the colony, and their more
melodious song is an added element of cheerfulness. Amid such
surroundings the young Fieldfare is hatched, and is carefully tended by
his parents, who supply him with worms, insects, beetles, and in fact
any small living thing that they can capture. They are most bold and
noisy in defence of their young, flying close round an intruder's head,
and uttering their alarm-note unceasingly. The young bird being duly
fledged, leaves his nest, and in company with others of his own age
wanders about the woods, feeding on insects or any fruit he can find;
while his parents, to make the most of the short summer, busy themselves
with the cares of a second brood. It is not until the first storms and
snows of winter come that the Fieldfare leaves his summer home, though
during the few weeks that have elapsed since he left the nest he may
have wandered aimlessly far from his birthplace. The chill mists of
autumn, however, remind him that he must move south, so reluctantly, as
if clinging to the edge of winter, he finally takes flight, and we in
England hear his "chack, chack" towards the end of October, his numbers
being continually augmented as each fresh northerly blast drives some of
his kind farther and farther south. While with us, as he is essentially
a sociable bird, he attaches himself to wandering flocks of Missel
Thrushes and Redwings, and among the former he may always be
distinguished by his light-coloured rump, which shows up conspicuously
against the darker wings and mantle. Thus he wanders the whole winter
through, feeding chiefly on the hips and haws in the hedges, and
probably also on worms and grubs, for he may frequently be met with in
ploughed fields. At night, with much "chacking," he goes to roost in
some thick hedge, coppice, or plantation, where, in company with the
Missel Thrushes, he will seek the highest branches, while the Redwing
roosts in the thicker growth below. In hard weather he does not seem to
suffer like the Redwing, possibly from his marked preference for
berries, which even the heaviest snow does not cover. It would seem as
if the long journeys which he has to take were distasteful to him, for
summer is nearly with us before the last Fieldfares have left our
shores, as not uncommonly they may be seen until the middle of May; or
perchance he knows that the inhospitable climate, to which he resorts to
breed, driven by some irresistible and incomprehensible force, will not
till then afford him and his progeny the necessary sustenance. Be that
as it may, we can still hear his cheery voice long after we have left
winter behind us.
The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is rather paler in
colouring. The adult male in winter has the head and neck slate grey,
the feathers of the crown having dark centres which are hardly
noticeable at this season; mantle and scapulars deep rufous brown; wing
coverts less rufous and showing traces of paler tips. Rump grey; quills
and tail dark brown. Fore-neck pale yellow, streaked with dark brown on
the sides; chest rufous streaked with brown; flank feathers dark brown
with broad white margins concealing the darker colour. Lower breast and
chest white. In summer the pale edgings to the under parts wear off,
causing him to become nearly black on the flanks and lower breast, while
the dark streaks on the crown become much more conspicuous. Bill horn
coloured in winter, yellow in summer. Legs and feet dark brown. Total
length 10 in.; wing 5·5 in. The plumage of the young bird resembles that
of the adult on the back, but the head and rump are much browner; some
of the feathers of the mantle have lightish centres, though the amount
and extent of these varies greatly. Below it is of a uniform pale
yellow, deeper on the breast, each feather having a black terminal
heart-shaped spot.
This species is generally distributed throughout the British Isles from
October to May; breeding throughout Scandinavia, Russia, and Siberia as
far east as the Lena. It does not, as a rule, nest south of the Baltic,
though there are said to be isolated colonies in the high mountain
regions of Central Europe, the Alps, and the Pyrenees. Its winter
migrations extend throughout the whole of Southern Europe and Asia
Minor, including both sides of the Mediterranean basin.
THE BLACK-THROATED THRUSH
Turdus atrigularis, Temminck
This is an Eastern species, breeding in Siberia from the Ural Mountains
eastwards, and wintering in Persia, Afghanistan, and India. Stragglers
have frequently been obtained in Europe, and two or three examples have
been taken in these islands.
The adult is brown on the upper parts and whitish below, except for the
chin, which is spotted, and the throat and breast, which are black.
Length 9·75 in.; wing 5·45 in.
WHITE'S THRUSH
Turdus varius, Pallas
A large Thrush, rather bigger than a Missel Thrush, and not unlike that
species in its immature plumage. It is of extremely rare occurrence on
our islands, and has only been obtained in about eight or nine counties
of England, and on three occasions in Ireland.
Young Missel Thrushes have been frequently recorded as belonging to this
species. White's Thrush may, however, always be distinguished by having
_fourteen_ tail feathers instead of twelve, and the under side of the
wing, which in the Missel Thrush is pure white, has in this species a
broad black bar across the centre.
Its summer home lies across Siberia, east of the Yenesei, through
Northern China and Japan, whence it migrates in winter to South China
and the Philippines.
THE BLACKBIRD
Turdus merula, Linnæus
Mingling with the Song Thrushes on the lawn, but always recognisable by
his much longer tail and darker colour, we may at all times of the year
see the Blackbird. He is hardly so familiar as his neighbour the Thrush,
and prefers to keep near the shrubbery, where, on the least sign of real
or imaginary danger, he may retire, and by remaining motionless be
secure from observation; but if we follow him, and approach too near, he
will fly away, uttering his loud alarm-note of "Cluck, cluck!" He will
not be long away, however, and if we remain quiet he will soon be back
again, crossing the lawn with long, measured hops, stopping now and
again to look round and to spread and "flirt" his broad fan-shaped tail.
The Missel Thrush will be sitting on the eggs, and the Song Thrush will
have nearly completed her nest, before our sable friend begins to think
of matrimonial cares. Towards the end of February his clear flute-like
notes will be heard from the shrubbery or hedgerow--a song which, if
more mellow in tone, is far shorter and more monotonous than that of the
Song Thrush, although the performance of some individual Blackbirds is
longer and more pleasing. He will now sing almost continuously, with the
exception of a few short intervals spent in chasing his mate, who,
unlike him, wears a dull suit of russet brown. And he will have to prove
himself a _preux chevalier_ ere he can win his lady fair, for there will
almost certainly be two or three other suitors to fight, and the victor
alone can claim the lady, while the ousted competitors retire from the
field. This extreme combativeness makes the species appear scarcer than
is really the case, as each pair will claim suzerain rights over a
comparatively large space. The nest is built low down in some bush or
hedgerow, on the ground in a bank, in a furze bush or on a heath, and is
formed entirely of grass and bents, with a little mud for the
foundation, but well lined with finer bents; it is rather larger in
diameter, and shallower, than that of the Thrush. The eggs, four to six
in number, have a pale blue ground colour, thickly mottled with reddish
markings, sometimes uniformly distributed over its surface, at others
confined to broader blotches forming a ring round its larger end, or
again, in some cases, the markings may be entirely absent. The young,
like those of most Thrushes, are fed almost entirely on earthworms,
though insects are also swallowed; two or three broods are reared in the
season, and as summer advances and fruit ripens, visits are paid to the
neighbouring orchards and gardens, the spoils from which form, during
the season, a very large proportion of their diet, so there is no doubt
that the gardeners' complaints of them are only too well justified. With
the advent of the migration season in September and October large
numbers leave our shores, only, we fear, to be caught and eaten by our
neighbours across the Channel, where members of the Thrush family are
considered great delicacies. Many however remain, spending the winter in
thick hedgerows, shrubberies, and woods, or anywhere in fact where there
is a bush high enough to shelter them. Furze-covered commons are
favourite localities, as are also the open heather-covered tops of low
hills.
[Illustration: BLACKBIRD
_Turdus merula_
Adult male (centre). Adult female (right). Young (left)]
Our friends, however, do not all follow the laws of migration; some do
not leave the neighbourhood of their home unless driven away by stronger
rivals. And so it happens that year by year, as winter relaxes its
grasp, we can see our orange-billed friend on his accustomed perch in
hedge or bush singing away in full consciousness that his own power has
earned him the right to do so, and quite prepared to defend it again and
again, till in course of time he is ousted by another minstrel, who
reigns in his stead by the law that "might is right." The Blackbirds
found migrating along our shores are either the surplus population,
driven farther afield by competition, or wanderers from the colder parts
of the Continent of Europe from which it regularly migrates.
_The male_ is of a uniform deep glossy black, with bright orange bill.
Legs and feet black. Iris hazel. Young males in their first winter have
a black bill. Total length 10·1 in.; wing 5 in.
_The female_ is of a uniform dull sooty brown above; chin greyish, with
dark brown streaks; chest reddish brown, each feather with a darker tip,
giving it a mottled appearance. Flanks dark brown, sometimes mottled
with lighter. Vent sooty grey.
The young of both sexes resemble the female in general appearance, but
the feathers of the head and back have light shafts. Young males are a
shade darker in colour. Generally distributed throughout the British
Isles, except Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, where it only occurs on
migration.
THE DUSKY THRUSH
Turdus dubius, Bechstein
This species breeds in Eastern Siberia, from the valley of the Yenesei
to the Pacific. Several stragglers have been obtained at different times
in Europe, but the only British example was shot in 1905 near Gunthorpe,
Notts.
The general colour is greyish brown above, streaked with darker,
becoming more rufous on the rump. Quills broadly margined with rufous.
Below white, breast and flanks boldly marked with black; under wing
coverts and axillaries rufous.
THE RING OUZEL
Turdus torquatus (Linnæus)
"Chuck, chuck"--"chuck, chuck, chuck!" The note is strangely reminiscent
of the Fieldfare, but it is now June, and even the latest stragglers of
that species have left us. We are on a hillside in Wales, below us lies
the Irish Channel, with hardly a ripple on its surface, the hill itself
is almost covered with a short growth of furze and heather, the
intervening spaces being carpeted with short moss and grass, kept well
cropped by the hardy race of sheep for which the Principality is justly
famous. "Chuck, chuck"--this time we catch a glimpse of the bird, the
beautiful white half-moon on his breast showing up clearly against the
black of the rest of his plumage as he sits on one of the boulders that
project through the vegetation and refuse to be hidden. He rises, and
making a swift semicircular flight, pitches on another point of vantage,
whilst the hen also appears and regards us with anxiety. However, as we
stay still, she presently disappears, and he, ceasing his monotonous
note, hops behind a tussock of grass, and all is quiet. Suddenly he
reappears with a fine insect in his beak; we are still regarded with
suspicion, and the clucking note is often repeated as he flies round us
several times, continually settling for a few seconds to make sure
whether our presence is for good or ill before he betrays the
whereabouts of his nest, the all-absorbing interest of his life at the
present time. Soon he takes another flight, and we lose sight of him as
he disappears in a small gully. Following quickly we are just able to
see his mate come from the steep side of the ravine, and almost
simultaneously he appears and joins her in fluttering round us in a
terrible state of agitation, and doubtless with a feeling that had he
been more patient we should have gone away without finding his home. As,
however, his cries produce no effect, he flies off and settles some
distance away. A few feet down the bank, and cunningly hidden near a
sheep-path, underneath an overhanging tuft, is the nest, built almost
entirely of grass and bents, as is the case with most of the Thrushes,
but with little or no mud. The young, four in number, being well grown,
scramble out of the nest, calling out at the same time, and bringing
their parents round us again, more vociferous than ever. We have,
however, no evil intentions, and having satisfied our curiosity we
continue our walk. Suddenly a bird rises from behind a stone at our
feet, flies a few yards, and disappears round another boulder, this
action is repeated several times, till finally, becoming really alarmed,
he flies rapidly away over the spur of the hill. His plumage is
uniformly dark, just a little lighter on the breast, and we recognise
(if we did not already know it) a young bird strongly on the wing; a few
yards farther on we see a hen bird, possibly his mother; she leaves her
nest with four eggs, which much resemble those of a Blackbird. The nest
was placed on the ground, under the shelter of a bramble. On all the
moorlands and hills of the British Isles this Ring Ouzel may be found
during the summer, nesting either as already described, or in holes of
old walls, barns, or in fact wherever a spot can be found well concealed
and sheltered from the wind. Towards the end of September he leaves his
summer home and is then generally distributed throughout the country,
although often overlooked owing to his resemblance to a Blackbird when
seen from a short distance. Watch him, however, till he settles, for
when alarmed he invariably perches on the top of the hedge before
dropping down the other side, while the Blackbird, with his
characteristic motion of the tail, enters the hedge at once low down on
the near side. The Ring Ouzel is not at home in the cultivated lowlands,
and by the end of October they have all left the country.
[Illustration: RING OUZEL
_Turdus torquatus_
Adult male (left). Adult female (above). Young (right)]
In Cornwall and Devon they reappear again at the end of February, and
working their way northwards through Wales, commence to nest early in
April, as soon as spring has made itself felt on the hills. A few may
spend the winter in our most south-western counties, and it is probable
that our home-bred birds travel entirely by a western route, and that
the birds met with in the east and southeast of the country are all
foreign bred, for till the end of April birds are found still pursuing
their northward journey to lands beyond ours.
The general colour of the upper parts is brownish black, with lighter
margins to the wing coverts. Under parts brownish black with broad white
crescentic gorget. The female is lighter, and has a narrow gorget. In
autumn both sexes have the feathers margined with grey. Length 10 in.;
wing 5·5 in.
THE ROCK THRUSH
Monticola saxatilis (Linnæus)
The Rock Thrush is an Eastern species that breeds sparingly from Central
Europe eastwards through Southern Siberia and North China, and
southwards in Greece, the Balkans, Asia Minor, and Persia. It has only
once been obtained in our islands, namely in Hertfordshire in 1843.
The male is greyish blue on the head, neck, and mantle; white on the
rump, tail and under parts bright chestnut. The female is speckled brown
above, chin and throat whitish, breast and under parts buff mottled with
brown. Length 7·5 in.; wing 4·75 in.
THE WHEATEAR
Saxicola oenanthe (Linnæus)
[Illustration: WHEATEAR
_Saxicola oenanthe_
Adult male (right). Female (centre). Young in autumn
(left)]
Before the March winds have subsided, and while the trees and all
vegetation are still in their winter sleep, the first of the Wheatears
appears in the south-west of England. A lively and sprightly little chap
is he, as he sits on a tussock of grass or on a fence, jerking his tail,
or darting with a quick sharp flight to some other elevation, showing,
as he does so, his conspicuous white rump, while his dark wing feathers
and tail and grey back prevent the passer-by from mistaking him for any
other species. He is a bird of the open, preferring large sandy
stretches or wide moorlands, and it is only during migration that he
affects woodlands and the more cultivated districts. As a rule the male
birds are the first to arrive, being followed in about a week or ten
days by the hens and less vigorous males. Having chosen his mate, about
the first or second week in April, he will begin to look for a
nesting-site, generally a little way down a rabbit-burrow, or in
moorland districts a hole or crevice of a rock or stone wall will be
chosen, but wherever placed it will be secure from observation. The nest
is loosely built of grass, moss, rabbit fleck, fur, and feathers, or any
material that comes handy, and having laid six or seven eggs of a
uniform pale-blue colour the hen commences her business of incubation,
in which the cock takes no part. He is, however, in constant attendance
in the vicinity of the nest, frequently uttering his apology for a song,
which consists merely of a few notes carelessly strung together, singing
apparently rather from exuberance of spirits than because he really
appreciates music, for often, as a spider or other insect comes within
his range of vision, he will suddenly break off his song, seize the
tempting morsel, and fly up again with his sharp "chack, chack." The
nest is somewhat difficult to find, and as a rule can only be discovered
by watching the hen bird, who may be recognised by her browner tints;
if, however, she suspects you of watching her, she will refuse to return
for some considerable time. If you allow your attention to be diverted,
she will seize the opportunity to dart home, and your trouble will have
been in vain. With the wants, however, of six children to attend to, she
will betray less caution; both parents then look after the young, and
they may be watched with comparative ease, as, having secured a luscious
beakful of insects, spiders especially being a great delicacy, they hop
or dart with their peculiar sharp flight from point to point, till
finally they are gone, and on approaching the spot where they vanished,
you will suddenly see them reappear from some hole or cranny.
The young leave the nest as soon as they are able to hop and flutter,
and are then jealously guarded by their parents, who fly round in great
excitement if you approach too near. They are soon well on the wing,
however, and the old birds are free to burden themselves with another
family. During the early part of May, a large variety of the Wheatear
may sometimes be seen, most frequently along the sea-shore; these are
birds whose home is in the Far North, and which regularly pass through
these islands at this time. They are larger and finer birds which have
wintered in Africa and have remained on in Southern climes, refusing to
be lured away when their English brethren left, but, judging their time
as accurately as though possessed of the most reliable of calendars,
they leave their tropical winter home when spring in temperate regions
has well advanced. Not to be tempted by the attractions our country can
offer in its most delightful month, they pursue their journey with
restless energy to the apparently inhospitable shores of Greenland.
These wanderers, however, do not concern us much; they are gone, and our
summer residents are busy with their second brood, and when this is
hatched, young and old spend the rest of the warm weather in their home;
renewing their plumage, and preparing themselves for the shortening days
of autumn, when they pass away to the sunny shores of the Mediterranean
and to North Africa, though a few stragglers may possibly be found
during the winter in some warm and sheltered nook of Cornwall or Devon.
They have gone--October has brought the cold weather, trees are rapidly
becoming bare--we go out one morning and find to our surprise that
apparently our summer friend has returned; by the next morning he is
gone again, and we realise that these passing birds had only stopped to
rest before undertaking another night stage on their long journey from
the Arctic.
The male is grey on the head, neck, and back; wings black; rump,
forehead, and superciliary streak white; lores and ear coverts black.
Tail feathers, except the two central ones, which are black, white with
broad black tips; underparts white, buffish on the throat and breast;
under wing coverts mottled with dark grey and white. The female is brown
on the back and ear coverts and much more buff below. The young are
greyer and spotted above and below with buff. Length (of small race) 6
in.; wing 3·75 in.
THE ISABELLINE WHEATEAR
Saxicola isabellina, Rüppell
This is a south-eastern species inhabiting the plains of South Russia
and Asia Minor in summer, and being a permanent resident in Palestine,
Egypt, and East Africa. Only one example has been known in Western
Europe; it was shot in Cumberland on November 11, 1887.
This species very closely resembles the Common Wheatear, but may be
distinguished as follows: It is more tawny, has more black in its tail,
and the under wing coverts are _white_. Length 6·5 in.; wing 3·9 in.
THE BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR
Saxicola stapazina (Linnæus) nec Vieillot
The home of this species is in Southern Europe and North Africa. It has
occurred in Sussex on three occasions during both the autumn and spring
migrations.
Frontal line, lores, and a large patch extending backwards beyond the
ear coverts, wings and wing coverts, black; mantle and breast rufous,
rest of the plumage including the throat white. In the female the black
is replaced by brownish and the upper parts are brownish grey. Length
about 5 in.; wing 3·5 in.
(_N.B._--The name _stapazina_ has, until recently, been used for the
next species, whose proper name is _occidentalis_.)
THE BLACK-THROATED WHEATEAR
Saxicola occidentalis, Salvadori
This is a very common summer visitor to the south of Europe, breeding
regularly in France as far north as the Loire. It has occurred here on
two or three occasions only.
In the male the crown and upper back are golden buff; wings black; under
parts pale buffish white; under wing coverts _black_. The female is
duller and browner. Length 5·6 in.; wing 3·5 in.
THE DESERT WHEATEAR
Saxicola deserti, Rüppell
This, as its name implies, is a southern desert species and is found
widely distributed throughout North Africa and Egypt, to Persia and
Afghanistan. It has been taken in Great Britain on at least three
occasions--twice in Scotland and once in Yorkshire. It somewhat
resembles the preceding species, but may always be distinguished by its
tail, which is black almost to the base. Length 5·6 in.; wing 3·6 in.
THE WHINCHAT
Pratincola rubetra (Linnæus)
A merry little fellow is he, arriving in this country with our other
summer migrants about the middle of April. His haunts are open fields
and pastures, so that he does not often come across his near relation
the Stonechat, whom in actions, and to some extent in dress, he clearly
resembles.
You will generally first have your attention drawn to him by hearing his
well-known note of "u-tick" as you walk across the field, and looking
round you will see a small thick-set bird, hanging on to some slender
stem which happens to be taller than its fellows; if you approach nearer
he will fly a little farther on and settle again. His flight, and the
habit of settling on some outstanding stem or spray, is very reminiscent
of the Stonechat, but in spring his much paler breast and dark-striped
head and buffish face will prevent any confusion. The hens and the young
more closely approach in general appearance to the allied species, but
the lesser amount of white on the tail and on the head may generally be
noted.
Soon after they arrive the nest is begun; this is built on the ground,
either under a tussock of grass, or more preferably, if possible, in a
sloping bank. It is loosely constructed of grass and bents, and lined
with horse hair. The eggs, six or even seven in number, are pale blue,
very like those of the Stonechat, but bluer and with less of a greenish
hue; as a rule they are absolutely unspotted, but occasionally a few
minute rusty specks are present at the larger end. The hen alone sits,
but both parents attend to the young. As soon as the first brood is on
the wing, generally by the end of May, the parent birds busy themselves
with the cares of another family, after which they wander about the open
and unenclosed country, till, at the end of August and during the first
half of September, they leave our shores for the summer regions of the
south.
The male has the upper parts dark brown, mottled with buff. There is a
clear, white, superciliary streak; tail feathers dark brown with white
bases; wings brown, showing a conspicuous white patch near the body.
Under parts bright fawn colour, turning to buff on the belly. The female
is similar, but paler and duller; the young resemble the hen, but are
slightly spotted on the breast. Length 5·25 in.; wing 3 in.
The species is generally distributed in England, except on the
south-west, where it only occurs on migration. In Scotland it is local
but widely distributed. In Ireland it breeds in the north, but only
occurs in the south on migration.
THE STONECHAT
Pratincola rubicola (Linnæus)
On any rough common, where furze or tangles of bramble form almost the
only cover, you may see the Stonechat; summer and winter alike he is
there, brightening with his deep chestnut breast and jet-black head and
back the otherwise comparatively lifeless spot.
You cannot miss him, or rather, he will not miss you, for as you
approach he will rise and settle on the topmost spray of some furze
bush, or possibly on the tall stem of grass or thistle.
Jerking his tail with the quivering movement characteristic of his
tribe, as though it were on a spring, or uttering his little call of
"Tick, tick," he will move ahead with dipping flight to some other point
of vantage as you approach, and display as he does so the white on his
tail and wings. A bright and happy little chap he is! Living in the open
country-side the whole year through, finding there plenty of food, which
consists chiefly of caterpillars and other insects, even in our
inhospitable winters. Early in April he chooses his mate and sets up
housekeeping: the nest, which is loosely built of grass and moss and
lined with hair, is very well concealed, being placed near the ground in
the centre of a clump of furze or bramble. There, protected by the
natural _chevaux de frise_, the six pure blue eggs are laid, and in due
course the young are hatched. The male does not sit, but is always to be
seen in the vicinity of the nest, and continually brings tit-bits to his
mate. Both parents tend the young with great care, and after they have
left the nest the family may often be found wandering about together,
the male on the approach of danger sitting on the topmost sprays of some
bush, while his family remain concealed in the cover, following him
singly or two or three at a time as he moves on. A second brood is
generally reared in the season, and in autumn, after the moult, a
certain amount of wandering takes place, generally in family parties,
and at such times we may frequently find them in turnip fields, or on
the edge of thick hedgerows, in cultivated country. These wanderings,
however, do not generally extend to any great distance from their true
home, to which, or to some neighbouring common, they return to spend the
winter.
The plumage of the young is brown. The full-grown female resembles the
male except that the colouring is less brilliant, and the white markings
are not so conspicuous. The male has the head, throat, and back black; a
patch on either side of the neck white; tail and wings dark brown with a
conspicuous white patch on the wing coverts; breast and under parts
bright rufous, lighter on the abdomen. The female has the upper parts
striped with brown and the throat spotted with black. The white patches
are smaller. The young are mottled and spotted with brown all over.
Length 5 in.; wing 2·55 in.
[Illustration: STONECHAT
_Pratincola rubicola_
Male (right). Female (left)]
THE SIBERIAN STONECHAT
Pratincola maura, Pallas
This is the representative of the preceding species in Northern Europe
and Asia. One example only has been shot on our shores, viz. a male, in
Norfolk, on September 2, 1904.
It is characterised by the pure white rump, but in other respects
closely resembles the Common Stonechat.
THE REDSTART
Ruticilla phoenicurus (Linnæus)
Coming with the rush of our spring warblers, the Redstart, by its bright
plumage, soon makes his arrival manifest. No one can mistake him, as
with black head, white forehead, and red breast he sits on some tree in
the garden, or on one of the pollard willows that fringe the stream, his
tail vibrating with that curious sideway motion peculiar to his kind. It
is in these early April days that he is seen to best advantage, staying
in favoured spots till the advent of others of his tribe, a few days
later, causes him to select both mate and nesting-site, after which he
drives to "fresh fields and pastures new" those of his kind who seem
inclined to throw too amorous glances on his chosen mate. A hole in a
tree on the outskirts of a wood, along a river, or in a park, is the
selected spot for their residence. The nest is loosely constructed of
moss lined with hair, and in it are laid five to six eggs of a delicate
blue colour much resembling those of the Hedge Sparrow. The hen is a
much duller coloured bird than the cock, but with a red tail, which she
moves with the same characteristic motion; she undertakes alone the
duties of incubation, her lord and master keeping her well fed with
insects, flies, and any living creature of suitable size that he is able
to capture. In the intervals of catering for her or while listlessly
waiting for "a bite," he will trill out his little song, which is,
however, very feeble in quality as in quantity, for it consists merely
of a disconnected ramble through a few short strains that are repeated
again and again.
The male has the crown, nape, and mantle dark slate grey, rump and tail
feathers (except the two centre ones, which are brown) chestnut.
Forehead white; chin, throat, and cheeks black. Under parts, including
the axillaries and under wing coverts, chestnut. The female is brown on
the whole of the upper parts except the rump and tail, which are
chestnut as in the male but duller. Under parts dull rufous. The young
in their first plumage are spotted above and below. In winter both sexes
have broad dull margins to their feathers, which conceal, to a great
extent, the bright colours of the male. Length 5·4 in.; wing 3·1 in.
[Illustration: REDSTART
_Ruticilla phoenicura_
Male (right). Female (left)]
This species is fairly common in England except in the south-west, where
it becomes very rare. In Scotland it is local but widely distributed. In
Ireland, however, it is only known to breed in one or two counties.
THE BLACK REDSTART
Ruticilla titys (Scopoli)
The Black Redstart occurs with us as a regular autumn migrant but only
in small numbers, frequently remaining till well on in winter. On the
Continent south of 52° it is an extremely abundant summer visitor,
becoming more numerous in the east. In the southern limits of its range
and in North Africa it is resident, though its numbers become augmented
each season by individuals that have bred farther north.
The male is extremely dark in appearance and may be easily recognised
from the Common Redstart by its uniformly black breast, the white outer
margins to the secondaries, and black under wing coverts. The hen is
much darker than our bird, especially on the back, which is of a uniform
umber brown, but the unfailing characteristic of this species in all
plumages and at all seasons is the _dark brown or blackish under wing
coverts_. Length 5·75 in.; wing 3·4 in.
THE BLUETHROAT
Cyanecula suecica (Linnæus)
There are two forms of this species, one in which the blue throat
exhibits a red spot, and the other in which the blue throat exhibits a
white spot. The former form is found breeding in Northern Europe and
Siberia, wintering chiefly in South Asia and North-Eastern Africa; while
the latter breeds in Central Europe south of the Baltic. The females and
young of the two forms are practically indistinguishable. It seems
probable that a few examples of this species occur annually on migration
along our eastern coasts, but much more numerously in some years than in
others. These visitors are for the most part immature, and until
recently all the adult males that had been taken belonged to the
northern or red-spotted form. During the last five years, however, two
examples of the white-spotted form have been obtained on the Sussex
coast. There is a variety of the white-spotted form in which the throat
is unspotted, but it has not yet been satisfactorily identified in this
country.
When on migration they will generally be found skulking in hedges and
undergrowth near the coast.
The male has the upper parts of a warm brown. There is a white stripe
passing through the eye; the upper tail coverts and bases of the tail
feathers bright bay, rest of tail dark brown. Chin, throat, and gorget
brilliant ultramarine blue, succeeded by bands of black, white, and bay;
rest of under parts whitish. In the female the whole of the under parts
are whitish with a brownish band across the chest. The young in first
plumage is not unlike a young Redbreast, but has bases of the tail
feathers bay. Length 5·3 in.; wing 2·85 in.
The name _suecica_ refers strictly to the red-spotted form, the
white-spotted form having been named _wolfi_ by C. L. Brehm in 1822.
THE ROBIN
Erithacus rubecula (Linnæus)
Of all our British birds, none perhaps has gained so complete a hold
upon our imaginations, and the more sympathetic side of our nature, than
our red-breasted friend. He is a welcome guest in every home in the
kingdom, and in turn acknowledges the compliment by trusting us as do
few of our native birds. It is in winter perhaps that we know him best;
however cold and stormy the weather, he always appears happy, cheerful,
and sprightly, as he hops along the garden path or seeks his breakfast
at the dining-room window, returning thanks by a brilliant but short
outburst of song from some neighbouring bush or wall.
He has only one fault, and that is extreme pugnacity--other birds (not
excluding that great bully the Sparrow) live in awe of him and keep a
respectful distance, but it is a different matter with those of his own
kind who are always "spoiling for a fight." As soon as one has found a
good point of vantage, or, if he be not too hungry, some dainty morsel,
he will call out with a peculiar shrill single syllabled "tzsee," as
much as to say, "I have found something good and dare you to take it."
This challenge is almost sure to be taken up and swiftly repeated, not
once but many times. The challenged one will slowly approach, there will
be a short sharp fight, not much damage apparently being done to either
combatant, and away will go the vanquished, while the victor, having
eaten the "bone of dissension," fluffs out his feathers, reels off a few
bars of his song, and then flies off to repeat the performance
elsewhere. So the winter passes, till gradually, as spring comes round,
and with it other birds, we are apt to forget our little winter friend,
his memory being only kept alive by occasional glimpses of a red breast
in the thicket or on the ivy covering the wall. The Robin who cheered us
in the cold winter days, though we are perhaps unaware of the fact, has
_really_ gone, being engaged in bringing up his brood in some other part
of the country, and his place has been taken by another from the south.
There was probably a short interregnum, but we did not notice it,
imagining probably that more abundant food had caused him to refuse the
modest pittance of bread-crumbs that we were accustomed to put out daily
for his especial benefit. The new-comer is certainly rather a shyer
bird, at least we see less of him, but he is too busy to hang round the
house; when he first comes he has to make sure of his footing, any
rivals within call have to be disposed of, not in the half-hearted
happy-go-lucky way that was good enough during the winter, but
effectually disposed of once and for all. His next care is the choosing
of a comfortable site for his nest; this is generally in some hole in a
bank or wall, at no great height from the ground, and concealed with
considerable care. The nest itself is chiefly composed of moss, with a
lining of horsehair carefully felted together. The Robin is an early
breeder, the nest being often completed by the end of February or early
in March, but the eggs, usually six in number and of a pale reddish-buff
colour, sometimes nearly white with red spots, are not, as a rule, laid
till quite the end of March or beginning of April. As is customary in
this family the incubation is carried on by the hen alone, while he
roams about the vicinity, feeding her as opportunity offers, or sitting
on some twig trilling forth his song. After the young are hatched he has
but little time for singing, and has to work with a will to keep the six
hungry youngsters satisfied, the hen also assisting him. When they leave
the nest the young are clad in a uniformly mottled greyish-green
plumage, which, however, is soon moulted, and they then become like
their parents.
[Illustration: ROBIN
_Erithacus rubecula_
Adult (right). Young (left)]
The first brood off their hands, the parents busy themselves with a
second, and sometimes even with a third, and then towards the end of
July they become restless, and both old and young are seen no more in
their summer haunts. We shall not have long to wait however,--probably
some casual wanderers will frequently be seen, here to-day and gone
to-morrow, wandering about in an irresponsive manner as the spirit moves
them--but as the leaves fall and the days shorten, these wanderings will
cease, and we shall find a cheery robin at our windows day after day, a
bright spot of vigorous life in the midst of the sleeping vegetation,
till we lose him again in the following spring amid the bustle and rush
of reawakening life.
The sexes are practically alike and have the upper parts olive brown;
frontal band, lore, chin, throat, and upper breast reddish orange,
bordered on the throat and breast with bluish grey; flanks brown; rest
of under parts white. Length 5·75 in.; wing 3 in.
THE NIGHTINGALE
Daulias luscinia (Linnæus)
The name of this bird is familiar to every one--ornithologist or
otherwise. Poets have sung his praises for centuries, and not in vain,
for there are few who do not in consequence feel a desire to hear this
unsurpassed musician of the bird world. Like all good things, however,
our songster does not overwhelm us with his melody. On his arrival in
this country, about the third week in April, he bursts forth, pouring
out his ecstasy in glorious and varied song. What a thrill it gives us
as we listen on a warm spring evening to the liquid notes bubbling forth
and resounding through the still air. He pauses for breath, and we can
then hear in the distance the voice of another and yet another answering
the song, the more distant warbling sounding as echoes of our own
musician, till the whole country-side is full of exquisite melody. We
retire, feeling in ourselves the magic of that "breath of spring" which
has brought the ever-welcome wanderer to our shores once more. To
attempt to describe that song in words would be impossible; loud and
clear with full-toned deep liquid notes, now rising with impassioned
fervour, and then, suddenly stopping, he recommences after a telling
pause with a low plaintive cry. There is no mistaking it when heard; it
is the trained voice breathing soul and fire with every note, compared
with which the songs of our other birds, however bright and joyous, are
like dismal pipings.
[Illustration: NIGHTINGALE
_Daulias luscinia_]
Soon after his arrival comes his mate, and then the song will be at its
best and continue both day and night, till one wonders how and when he
can sleep. Nest-building is begun almost immediately; a site is chosen
on the ground in some thicket, and a delicate cup is formed of dead
leaves loosely laid together with a lining of horse hair and other finer
materials. The eggs are of a uniform dark olive green and are generally
six in number. The hen alone sits, and when disturbed hops away silently
from her nest, rendering it very difficult to be discovered. Small woods
and coppices are the situations most popular with these birds,
especially narrow strips of woodland bordering fields, to which they
often make excursions in search of their food. This consists entirely of
insects; spiders and flies forming the greater bulk, though no insect
comes amiss. These are almost entirely sought for on the ground, and in
fact he very seldom seeks the upper branches of the trees or bushes,
preferring to remain hidden in their lower recesses.
As soon as the young are hatched the song ceases, and a harsh croak is
the only sound emitted as he watches us passing near his nest. One brood
only is reared, and then they seem to disappear from our "ken." Shy and
silent birds, always keeping to the thick cover, they spend a few weeks
quietly, feeding on the abundance of insects provided at this time of
year, and then when the moult is over and they are strengthened for
their journey, they leave us for their sunny winter home in Africa,
while we remain behind to cherish, amidst gales and rain, the memories
of those glad spring nights.
The plumage above is warm brown, passing to reddish brown on the tail
and tail coverts; under parts greyish white, buffish on the flanks and
breast. The young have light centres to the feathers of the upper parts
and are indistinctly barred on the breast. Length 6·5 in.; wing 3·35 in.
In our islands this species has a very restricted range, being only
known to the south-east of a line from the Humber to the Severn. In
Shropshire and South Wales it is sometimes heard, and the same may be
said of Devonshire, where, however, of late years a pair or two have
nested annually.
(This species sometimes exceeds in size the Greater Nightingale or
"Sprosser," which has been recorded from this country, but our bird may
always be recognised by the larger bastard primary, which in the
"Sprosser" is minute.)
THE WHITETHROAT
Sylvia cinerea, Bechstein
[Illustration: WHITETHROAT
_Sylvia cinerea_]
Quiet and unobtrusive in his colouring, and like all his class retiring
in his habits, this extremely common summer visitor is often hardly
noticed. Early in April the Whitethroats begin to arrive, and from then
to the end of the month populate our hedgerows in ever-increasing
numbers. When he first comes he may be seen sitting on some outstanding
twig or on the telegraph wires that border the road, trilling forth his
short but pleasing song, which, like that of most warblers, is a mere
medley of notes put together without any apparent order or meaning,
though to our little brown friend himself it is doubtless pleasing, and
it is indicative of the vigour and energy he feels with the prospect of
the return of summer. Anon he will drop from his perch into the hedge,
throwing up his tail as he does so, rather after the manner of a
Blackbird, and will rapidly wend his way by means of short leaps from
twig to twig, giving him apparently a creeping motion, whence his local
name of "Nettle-creeper."
On the arrival of his mate a few days after himself, they set up
housekeeping with little or no delay. The nest is a very delicate
structure built low down in some bush, or in a clump of nettles on the
outside of the hedge, it is composed of grass and bents lightly but
strongly interwoven and lined with a few horsehairs, and though looking
very fragile and thin, it serves its purpose well. The eggs, four to six
in number, are of a yellowish-olive colour blotched and spotted,
especially near the larger end, with purplish blue. The hen alone sits,
while her mate warbles his song to relieve her tedium, or searches for
insects and flies, which he continually brings her. The young are
hatched in about eleven days, and in another fortnight are hopping about
accompanied by their parents, who still tend them for a short time, till
the cares of another family engross their attention. For the rest of the
summer these birds may be found in small parties in woods, fields,
furze, commons, or hedgerows, wherever cover is to be obtained, feeding
on caterpillars, flies, and insects, of which there is an abundance at
that time of year. In July and August they renew their worn plumage and
become extremely fat, and then when the September equinox warns them
that the best of the summer is past, they go southwards to the shores of
the Mediterranean and to Africa, there to pass the winter till returning
spring once more prompts them to risk the perils of the journey and to
revisit their summer home.
The male has the head and neck dark grey, mantle and wings brown with
broad rufous edges to the secondaries. Tail feathers brown, except the
outer pair that are white and the next pair that are tipped with white.
Under parts white, fading to pale vinous on the breast and flanks. The
female is duller and has the head brown; the young are rather more
tawny. Length 5·5 in.; wing 2·8 in.
This bird is common throughout the United Kingdom except the extreme
North of Scotland.
THE LESSER WHITETHROAT
Sylvia curruca (Linnæus)
[Illustration: LESSER WHITETHROAT
_Sylvia curruca_]
The Lesser Whitethroat arrives a little later than the preceding
species, namely about the end of April, and at once disperses throughout
our woods and coppices and sets to work nest-building. The nest is still
more fragile than the Whitethroat's and lacks the lining of horsehair.
It is generally placed moderately high up, about four or six feet from
the ground, in a bush or hedge bordering a coppice. The eggs, four to
six, are of a light cream ground colour, with a zone of dark spots round
the larger end. The hen sits very closely and does not leave her eggs
unless almost touched; she does not then fly, but hops quietly away into
the undergrowth, where she remains motionless till the danger, real or
imaginary, has gone. The young when fledged resemble their parents, and
two broods are as a rule reared. Its song is a monotonous "Sip, sip,
sip," repeated again and again.
Although by no means scarce, it is seldom seen unless specially searched
for, most of its time being spent quietly hopping about the undergrowth
searching for food, which consists almost entirely of minute insects,
small caterpillars, etc. etc. It is never seen in flocks, even when
migrating, a few family parties in autumn being the most that are ever
noticed together.
This bird has no distinctive plumage, and except for its note is very
difficult to identify. The crown is smoke grey, cheeks and rest of the
upper parts brownish grey, the outer feathers of the tail having white
outer webs. Under parts whitish, becoming buff on the flanks. Bill
black; legs slate colour. Length 5·25 in.; wing 2·6 in. The female and
young are rather duller in colour.
In our southern, eastern, and midland counties it is a fairly abundant
summer visitor; in the West and North of England and South of Scotland
it is decidedly rare, and over the rest of our islands it is a very
irregular straggler and has only once occurred in Ireland.
THE ORPHÆN WARBLER
Sylvia orphea, Temminck
This species nests abundantly in Spain and more sparingly in the South
of France, but has been taken in this country on at least two occasions,
on both of which the evidence pointed to its breeding or having bred
with us. The eggs, except in size, are much like those of the Lesser
Whitethroat.
The bird itself much resembles a Blackcap, but the throat and breast are
_white_ and the three outer pairs of tail feathers show some white. The
female is rather duller and browner. Length 6 in.; wing 3·1 in.
THE SARDINIAN WARBLER
Sylvia melanocephala, Gmelin
This small species, which is not unlike the Blackcap in general
appearance, has a comparatively restricted distribution, being
practically confined to the Mediterranean basin. The only British
specimen that has hitherto been obtained was shot on June 3, 1907, in
Sussex.
General colour of upper parts dark grey, except the head, which is
black. Lower parts white, greyish on the flanks. Length 5·5 in.; wing
2·5 in.
THE BLACKCAP
Sylvia atricapilla (Linnæus)
Those whose good fortune does not allow them to live within earshot of
the Nightingale, point to the Blackcap as having a song little, if at
all, inferior to that of the prince of songsters.
Comparisons are at all times odious and in this case misleading, for to
our mind no comparison can possibly be made between the two; the song is
not only different, but lacks also the passion and tone so
characteristic of the Nightingale.
Although a few Blackcaps sometimes winter in Devon, they are really
migrants, and we gladly welcome this little bird when he makes his
appearance in the spring. He will not often be seen, for, like all his
tribe, he delights in woods and coppices, keeping low down in their
leafy shade, and hopping along quietly from branch to branch as we
approach.
His nest is very slight, made of dry grass lightly woven together and
lined with a little horsehair. The eggs are very variable, being usually
of a dirty creamish colour, blotched and spotted with darker brown, or
sometimes of a reddish tint with dark red spots. Their food consists
almost entirely of insects, and it is on this diet that the young are
reared, but as the berries and fruit ripen in the hedges or our gardens
a large toll is taken, especially of currants and raspberries, of which
they are extremely fond. Like the Nightingale their song ceases with the
hatching of the young, and for the rest of the year they are almost
silent except for a harsh scolding note if the nest or young are
approached. Towards the end of summer it leaves us, but for some time
previous to its departure it has been so quiet and skulking that its
actual departure will probably be quite unnoticed.
The adult male has the head black and the rest of the upper parts ash
brown. Chin greyish white; throat, breast, and flanks ash grey; belly
white. Bill horn colour. Legs lead colour. The female has the top of the
head reddish brown and the young at first resemble her. The males,
however, assume their black head in their first autumn, but occasionally
the cap shows a decided tinge of rufous. Length 5·75 in.; wing 2·75 in.
This species is fairly common in England and Wales but rarer and more
local in Scotland and Ireland.
THE GARDEN WARBLER
Sylvia hortensis, Bechstein
In our minds this bird, for some reason which is not very clear, is
always associated with the Blackcap. They are almost identical in habits
and live in similar situations, but at the same time, although both
species may often be found breeding together, the one is generally
common in localities where the other is scarce and _vice versa_.
It is rather a late arrival, rarely appearing in numbers before the end
of April, and has never been known to winter in these islands.
[Illustration: BLACKCAP
_Sylvia atricapilla_
Female (above). Male (below)]
The nest also resembles that of the Blackcap in structure, and though
the present species never lays the reddish type of egg common to the
Blackcap, its eggs are very similar to the creamy variety of the latter,
but the markings are as a rule more blotchy and the clear-cut small
spots are far fewer.
"Garden" Warbler is to some extent a misnomer, as it is seldom found in
gardens, preferring woods and coppices in the open country, and not
visiting the currant bushes anything like so frequently as the Blackcap.
The sexes are alike and are of a uniform olive brown, rather darker on
the wings and tail. Under parts buffish white. There is a pale streak
over the eye and a greyish area on the lores.
The young are almost indistinguishable from their parents. Length 5·75
in.; wing 3 in.
Except that it is scarcer and more local, its distribution in our
islands is similar to that of the Blackcap.
THE BARRED WARBLER
Sylvia nisoria, Bechstein
Making its summer home in South Sweden, Denmark, East Germany and
Central Europe, our islands lie too far to the west for this species to
be known except as a rare straggler. About a dozen examples are known to
have occurred in our eastern counties, always in autumn; it has also
been taken in Skye and on two occasions in Ireland.
The general colour above is ash grey faintly barred with slate on the
upper tail coverts. Under parts whitish barred with grey. The young bird
is hardly barred at all and somewhat resembles a large Garden Warbler.
Length 6·5 in.; wing 3·4 in.
THE SUB-ALPINE WARBLER
Sylvia subalpina, Bonelli
Breeding numerously in Spain and South-East France, this species has
only once occurred here, namely on St. Kilda in June 1894.
The upper parts are dull grey and under parts chestnut. There is a red
ring round the eye and a conspicuous white moustache-like streak
extending backwards from the bill. The female is much duller and the
under parts are pale buff. Length 4·7 in.; wing 2·3 in.
THE DARTFORD WARBLER
Sylvia undata (Boddært)
[Illustration: DARTFORD WARBLER
_Sylvia undata_
Male (above). Young (below)]
This bird, which is extremely rare and local with us, is the only
resident member of its genus in these islands. Braving as it does our
changeable and stormy climate, it is perhaps not surprising that its
numbers are few, for, feeding almost entirely on insects, it must at
times suffer severely from lack of food. Local, perhaps, is hardly a
strong enough word to express the very stay-at-home habits of this
cheery little fellow; he seems to have gone to the opposite extreme,
and, while his congeners cross large stretches of the earth twice a
year, he remains at home practically on the same bush. In habits he is
very skulking, hiding in thick furze bushes. He will, when disturbed,
take a short flight and then dive down into the thickest part of another
shelter, and all we can notice in the short glimpse we get of him, is
that he is extremely dark. The common on which he lives, may be many
miles in extent, and apparently uniformly covered with furze and rank
grass, and yet he will only be found in a special batch of furze perhaps
not a hundred yards in length; there, summer and winter, we may always
find a small colony, while on the rest of the common we shall hardly
ever see a single individual. In spring he becomes bolder, and we may
watch him as he sits on the topmost spray of a bush, flirting his tail
and throwing his body and wings into many and varied positions while he
rattles forth the hurried medley of notes which serves him for a song.
The nest, which is placed low down in a furze bush and well concealed,
is formed of bents and furze loosely woven together and is lined with
horsehair, wool, or finer grass according to the materials at hand. The
eggs are whitish, very closely speckled with reddish brown, and two
broods are frequently raised in the season. The sexes are alike, and
have the upper parts dark slate grey. Tail long and fan-shaped, the two
outer pairs of feathers having white margins and tips. Under parts
chestnut streaked with white in autumn. Length 5·1 in.; wing 2·2 in.
It is found only in the South of England and sparingly in Norfolk,
Suffolk, and the Midlands.
THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN
Regulus cristatus, K. L. Koch
The Goldcrest is the smallest of all our birds, and though not often
seen it is extremely abundant wherever a fir or cone-fir plantation is
to be found. Here it spends its life hopping about restlessly in search
of the small flies and insects on which it exists. It has hardly any
song, and the call-note is a very feeble high-pitched squeak, which
often may be heard when the bird itself is invisible. The nest is,
perhaps, the neatest and most beautiful structure of any to be seen in
our islands, the Long-tailed Tit's not excepted; it is deep and
cup-shaped, the outside being as well finished as the interior. The
bough of a non-deciduous tree is almost invariably chosen, and from the
end of the bough the nest is suspended, being firmly secured to the
small lateral twigs. It is composed of moss, leaves, and fir needles
woven with the aid of wool and cobwebs into a compact felted mass, the
interior being lined with wool and a profusion of feathers. Six to ten
eggs form the clutch; they are creamy white, minutely and profusely
dotted with reddish brown.
In autumn this species wanders about in small parties, while large
numbers frequently arrive on our eastern shores from the Continent in
October.
General colour above yellowish olive green. Forehead whitish, bordered
on either side by a blackish streak. Crown of the head and crest bright
lemon yellow, becoming deep reddish orange behind. Wings brown with
white tips to the secondaries and a black bar across the upper part.
Median and greater wing coverts with white margins. Under parts greenish
buff. The female lacks the bright orange in the crest and the young bird
has no crest. Length 3·6 in.; wing 2·1 in.
[Illustration: FIRE-CRESTED WREN
_Regulus ignicapillus_
(above)
GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN
_Regulus cristatus_
(below)]
THE FIRECREST
Regulus ignicapillus (C. L. Brehm)
This species is a rare wanderer to our southern counties during the
winter months, although doubtless from its extreme similarity to the
Goldcrest it may have been overlooked on several occasions. It nests
throughout Southern and Central Europe, migrating southwards from its
more northerly quarters on the approach of winter.
In appearance it hardly differs from the Goldcrest, but may be
distinguished at all ages by a yellow frontal streak that passes
backwards over the eye, succeeded by a _black line through the eye_,
while another black streak runs backwards from the nape. Length 3·7 in.;
wing 2·1 in.
THE YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER
Phylloscopus superciliosus (J. F. Gmelin)
This is an Asiatic species breeding in North-Eastern Siberia and
wintering in South China, Burma, and North-Eastern India. It has been
obtained on several occasions in these islands.
The upper parts are olive green, under parts pale yellow. There is a
faint yellowish stripe along the crown of the head and a very
conspicuous yellow stripe, which passes over the eye, from the base of
the bill to the nape. There are two bands of lemon yellow across the
coverts, and the _inner_ web of the outer tail feathers is margined with
white. Length 3·8 in.; wing 2·15 in.
PALLAS' WILLOW WARBLER
Phylloscopus proregulus (Pallas)
A single example of this Asiatic species has been obtained in Great
Britain, its true home being across Eastern Siberia, where it nests from
Lake Baikal to the Himalayas and Northern China. It closely resembles
the Yellow-browed Warbler, but its colours are brighter. The crown
stripe is well marked. The inner web of the outer tail feathers is _not_
margined with white, but its most distinctive feature is the bright
lemon yellow rump. Length 3·7 in.; wing 2 in.
THE GREENISH WILLOW WARBLER
Phylloscopus viridanus, Blyth
In summer this species inhabits Western Siberia from the Urals to the
Himalayas and has only occurred once in England. It is very similar to
our Willow Warbler, but the tips of the greater wing coverts are whitish
and form a distinct bar. Length 4·25 in.; wing 2·25 in.
THE CHIFFCHAFF
Phylloscopus collybita, Vieillot
It has yearly been our delight to listen for the cheery "chiff chaff"
which announces the first arrival of this bird. Winter is hardly over,
the March winds still blow and the trees are bare, but still he comes to
brave our inclement weather and retain his position as the first
harbinger of spring. A small green Warbler of skulking habits, we will
have to watch carefully if we wish to see him, for as we approach he
will leave his post high up on some tree and hide in the undergrowth.
For some weeks he wanders about the country, here to-day and gone
to-morrow--apparently at the dictates of his own will, but in reality
ever creeping up steadily northwards in the trail of departing winter.
At the end of April or beginning of May, having chosen his mate, the
duties of nest-building begin. The nest is loosely placed in some
bramble thicket or undergrowth in a wood, and often appears as though it
had been carelessly thrown there. It is dome or oval shaped, loosely
built of bents, moss, and leaves, and warmly lined with feathers. The
six eggs are white, dotted and spotted with dark reddish brown.
Its food consists almost entirely of small flies, caterpillars, and
other insects, which it captures among the branches and leaves of the
trees, rarely descending to the ground. Two broods are reared in the
season and the rest of the summer is spent quietly and unobtrusively
till, in October, the first storms of winter and growing scarcity of
food compel it to retire southwards. This it does reluctantly, and a
certain number spend the winter in the milder climate of Devon and
Cornwall.
The upper parts are olive green; wing coverts, quills, and tail feathers
brown, edged with the same colour. Under parts whitish. There is a pale
yellowish white streak above the eye. The sexes are alike in plumage and
the young are slightly greener. Length 4·6 in.; wing 2·35 in.
This species may be distinguished from the Willow Wren by its smaller
size and darker legs. The second quill is equal to the seventh and the
outer webs are emarginated near their tips up to and including the
sixth. In the Willow Wren the emargination only reaches the fifth and
the second is equal in length to the sixth. It should be remembered that
the first quill is very short and inconspicuous, so that the first
apparent quill is the second.
This species is scarcer and more local than the Willow Wren. In Scotland
it is local and is only a straggler to the north of that country and the
surrounding islands.
THE SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF
Phylloscopus tristis, Blyth
One example of this small warbler, that breeds in Western Siberia,
migrating to Turkestan and India in winter, was obtained at a lighthouse
off the Orkneys in 1902. It is rather smaller and browner than our
common Chiffchaff and has the under parts buffish white. It may,
however, always be recognised by the shortness of the second primary,
which comes between the seventh and the eighth, or is even shorter than
the eighth.
[Illustration: CHIFFCHAFF
_Phylloscopus collybita_ [Vieillot]
(above)
WILLOW WREN
_Phylloscopus trochilus_
(below)]
THE WILLOW WREN
Phylloscopus trochilus (Linnæus)
The Willow Wren is closely allied to the Chiffchaff and so like it in
general appearance as to need a critical examination, when dead, to
enable it to be recognised. In habits also there is little difference to
be noted. Its range is more extensive, for as far north as the birch
woods extend, this hardy little wanderer makes his home, retiring at the
end of summer to Southern Europe and Africa. Throughout our islands it
is extremely common. Arriving about the last week of March, it at once
makes its presence known by its bright little song, which is very short
and somewhat resembles the Chaffinch's; it is repeated again and again,
and may be heard right through the summer and sometimes again after the
moult in the late autumn, just before their final departure.
The nest is similar in size, shape, and materials to that of the
Chiffchaff, but differs in its position, being generally placed very
near and often right on the ground, always well concealed in the
undergrowth, whereas with the Chiffchaff it is always off the ground,
sometimes only an inch or two, but more often some eighteen inches or
two feet. The eggs are white with pale rufous spots; these markings are
much paler than on those of the Chiffchaff, less clean cut, and more
numerous.
Apart, however, from the breeding birds, an enormous number of Willow
Wrens pass through this country at migration time. England seems to lie
in the main track of these birds when they are making for their summer
quarters in higher latitudes. From early April to the middle or end of
May they simply pour through this country in incredible numbers. The
whole extent of the south coast is involved, and often for several days
at a time they arrive in millions. These birds pass straight on,
relentlessly pursuing their course, and having crossed the Channel one
night, prepare during the following day for a still longer journey
across the North Sea during the coming night. Early in August the return
journey commences, and in still greater numbers they steadily pass
southwards, till by October they are, let us hope, enjoying peace and
plenty under sunny skies.
Extremely like the Chiffchaff, but rather larger, brighter in colour,
and with paler legs. Its distinctive characteristics have been noted
under the preceding species. Length 4·9 in.; wing 2·7 in.
THE WOOD WREN
Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechstein)
Although a member of the same family as the last two species, this bird
is much more local. It is not until the end of April that he reaches our
shores and his clear and melodious little song, which may be syllabled
as "chit, chit, chit, chit, tri-tr-tr-tre," can be heard. His favourite
haunts are suitable woods where large timber, especially beech, abound.
Here he may be seen as, with the restless activity so characteristic of
his family, he searches among the upper branches of the trees for those
insects which, with berries of all kinds, form his staple food.
At the foot of some beech-tree, on the ground, or more rarely in some
tangled thicket, the nest is built and well concealed by the use of
materials similar to the surroundings among which it is placed. It is
lined with grass and horsehair, but feathers, so freely used by the
Chiffchaff and Willow Wren, are never found. The eggs are white, very
thickly and uniformly mottled with dark red. After the young are hatched
it becomes silent, and leaves us early in September.
The adult has the upper parts of a bright yellowish green, with a
characteristic yellow streak above and behind the eye. The wings are
brown edged with yellowish green. Throat and breast sulphur yellow, rest
of under parts white. Bill and legs brown. Length 5·2 in.; wing 3·1 in.
The larger size and brighter coloration are distinctive of this species.
It is a local bird, but may be found in suitable spots throughout the
United Kingdom. In the north, however, it becomes rarer.
THE RUFOUS WARBLER
Aedon galactodes (Temminck)
This handsome species is only a summer migrant to the South of Spain,
and the few that have occurred in England are merely stragglers carried
out of their course. It has been taken in Sussex and once in Devon, in
all cases during the autumn.
It is a conspicuous bird, like a large pale-coloured Nightingale, and
may be recognised by its fan-shaped tail with black subterminal spots
and white tips. Length 6·5 in.; wing 3·5 in.
RADDE'S BUSH WARBLER
Lusciniola schwarzi (Radde)
This species, which breeds in North-Eastern Siberia and migrates in
winter to China and Burma, has only once been obtained in this country,
namely in October 1898, by Mr. Haigh, on the Lincolnshire side of the
Humber. Mr. Haigh's attention was drawn to it by the loud and powerful
note. The general colour above is olive brown, tinged with tawny on the
rump. Under parts yellowish white. There is a broad white superciliary
stripe, which ends abruptly in a manner characteristic of this species.
Length 5·5 in.; wing 2·45 in.
CETTI'S WARBLER
Cettia cettii, Marmora
A single example of this species, whose home is in Southern Europe and
the Mediterranean basin generally, was obtained in Sussex in May 1904.
The upper parts are chestnut brown, darker on the wings and tail. There
is a white superciliary stripe. Under parts white, turning to grey on
the breast, flanks, and under tail coverts. Length 5 in.; wing 2·3 in.
THE ICTERINE WARBLER
Hypolais icterina (Vieillot)
This fairly common European bird is only a rare visitor to our southern
and eastern shores, and has once been taken in Ireland. It breeds in
North-Eastern France, Denmark, Scandinavia, and throughout Northern and
Central Europe, migrating south-eastwards in autumn, Italy forming
apparently the western limit of its route. The eggs are very
distinctive, being pale pink with black spots.
The upper parts are greyish olive, the lores and a streak over the eye
yellow. Under parts lemon yellow. Length 5·2 in.; wing 3·1 in.
THE MELODIOUS WARBLER
Hypolais polyglotta (Vieillot)
Although the presence of this species had long been suspected, as well
as the possibility of it having bred with us, it was not until 1897 that
the first authenticated example was procured at Burwash in Sussex. It is
a southern species, breeding abundantly in Spain, North Africa, and
South-Western France. Its eggs very closely resemble those of the
Icterine Warbler.
Except for its smaller size, it is very difficult to distinguish this
species from the preceding one, but its proportionately shorter wing,
its larger bastard primary and the second primary being _shorter_ than
the fifth, form unfailing characteristics. Length 4·9 in.; wing 2·5 in.
REED WARBLER
Acrocephalus streperus (Vieillot)
A near ally to the Sedge Warbler, this bird seldom reaches this country
till the beginning of May, and at once repairs to the reed-beds, where
his whole life, except when actually migrating, is spent. Wherever
suitable reed-beds occur in the southern and eastern parts of our
islands, he is fairly abundant and reveals his presence by his song,
which is a harsh medley of notes volubly rattled out, and somewhat like
that of the Sedge Warbler. It is easy to hear him, but to see him is a
task requiring much patience and careful watching. He keeps entirely
concealed by the reeds among which he lives, creeping along from one to
another and assuming all kinds of strange attitudes. Now he hangs head
downwards, or again, grasping a neighbouring reed with one foot, he will
swing himself round and climb straddle-legged up two reeds, till on
reaching the top he will perhaps take a short flight, only to dive in
again a few feet farther on.
[Illustration: REED WARBLER
_Acrocephalus streperus_ [Vieillot]
(above)
MARSH WARBLER
_Acrocephalus palustris_
(below)]
The nest is a most beautiful structure, carefully supported on four or
five growing reeds which pass right through its walls and thus hold it
secure. For the size of the bird it is extremely deep, a wise provision
to prevent the eggs from being rolled out when the reeds are bent with
the wind. The materials used are dry grass, bents, and moss, with a
lining of finer materials. The eggs, four in number, are pale green,
thickly freckled and mottled with a darker tone of the same colour.
When the young are hatched the inside of their mouths is of a deep red
colour with two very conspicuous black spots towards the hinder end of
the tongue; at this time the song of the parent ceases and we hear and
see but little more of this species. With the autumn gales he leaves us
for the marshes of Spain or the deadly swamps of Africa, where the small
flies and insects on which he feeds may be found in abundance at all
seasons.
The upper parts are of a uniform warm brown, slightly brighter on the
rump, and there is a pale buff stripe over the eye. The under parts are
white, the flanks and under tail coverts buffish. Length 5·25 in.; wing
2·5 in.
It is unknown in Scotland and Ireland.
THE MARSH WARBLER
Acrocephalus palustris (Bechstein)
This species resembles the preceding one so closely that even when
examined in the hand, they are hard to distinguish. The general hue is,
however, more greenish and less rufous than the Reed Warbler, and the
legs are lighter in colour, being brownish flesh instead of yellowish
brown. Alike as they are in appearance, their life history is very
different. The Marsh Warbler is by no means confined to reeds, but may
be found in osier beds, cornfields or coppices, being content, like the
Sedge Warbler, with a very small extent of water. It sings its song,
which is much sweeter and more melodious than that of the Reed Warbler,
from the topmost sprays of its home, and the nests are never suspended
in reeds but placed low down in some osier or small bush. The eggs are
pale greenish white, blotched and marked with dark green, and are so
characteristic that they cannot well be mistaken for those of any other
species. It has a wide range in Europe, becoming scarcer towards the
west, but in this country it is very local, and restricted as a breeding
species to a few places in the south.
Very difficult to distinguish from the Reed Warbler, but the general hue
is much greener, and the difference in the colour of the legs has
already been noticed. Length 5·25 in.; wing 2·7 in.
THE GREAT REED WARBLER
Acrocephalus turdoides (Meyer)
Although common on the neighbouring shores of the Continent, this
species has occurred here very seldom. It is abundant throughout Europe
in summer as far north as the southern shores of the Baltic, and nests
commonly in France, Holland, and Belgium. It inhabits reed-beds or thick
cover near the margins of streams, ditches, and ponds. It does not skulk
like the Reed Warbler, but, on the contrary, is always sitting on the
top of the tallest reeds and flying about from one clump to another.
The upper parts are warm olive brown, with light margins to the wing and
tail feathers. There is a dull whitish streak from the bill over each
eye. The under parts are buff; chin and belly whitish. Length 7·8 in.;
wing 3·75 in.
It has been taken only in the South and East of England.
SEDGE WARBLER
Acrocephalus phragmitis (Bechstein)
The presence of a human being seems to spur this delicate species to
song, for if, when strolling near some river or pond towards the end of
April, we inadvertently pass this little songster, he will at once burst
forth with his noisy chattering notes, as though loudly protesting
against this unseemly invasion into his privacy. He is by no means shy,
though he usually keeps to the low-growing alders, willows, or whatever
other cover there may be, and should we come so close as to disturb him
from his shelter, he merely flies on a few yards and recommences his
song with redoubled energy. Although rather local in distribution, he is
not rare, but is never found except near water, although that water may
be only a horsepond surrounded with hawthorn bushes. About the beginning
of May, having selected his mate and decided on a spot suitable for a
home, family cares will be commenced, and the nest, placed within a foot
or two of the ground and well concealed, will be begun. The nest is
formed of grass and bents, loosely woven together and lined with finer
materials and, occasionally, a few feathers. The eggs, four to six in
number, are uniform pale clay brown, sometimes showing mottlings of a
darker shade and having a dark hair streak towards the larger end. The
young are fed on insects, which form also the chief diet of the parents,
though berries are eaten in the season.
Two broods are often reared, and at the end of summer young and old pass
away to the tropics. The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is
slightly duller. The upper parts are tawny brown, becoming brighter on
the rump and upper tail coverts; the crown is broadly streaked with
black, and edged on each side with a broad yellowish-white superciliary
stripe. Chin and throat white, breast and under parts buff. Length 5
in.; wing 2·5 in. The young are slightly spotted with brown on the
throat.
Generally distributed throughout Great Britain, becoming rarer in the
north.
THE AQUATIC WARBLER
Acrocephalus aquaticus (J. F. Gmelin)
The Aquatic Warbler is by no means scarce in Europe, but is one of those
south-eastern species that extend north-westwards through France and
breed sparingly in Holland and Denmark. From recent observations it
seems probable that a few examples regularly pass through this country
on migration every autumn, but owing to its resemblance to the Sedge
Warbler, it has probably often been overlooked.
In general colour it is lighter and paler than the Sedge Warbler, and
the wing coverts have broad buffish margins. Its characteristic feature,
however, is the conspicuous buff stripe down the middle of the crown.
Length 4·9 in.; wing 2·4 in.
THE GRASSHOPPER WARBLER
Locustella nævia (Boddært)
Though never very abundant, this skulking species is commoner than is
usually supposed. Arriving towards the end of April, its peculiar
trilling song, which has earned it many local names, may often be heard.
It sounds, however, so much like the noise made by a grasshopper that
the bird is frequently unrecognised.
This species is rarely seen, for it loves to remain concealed in the
thick undergrowth, either in a compact hedge or in large stretches of
sedge and rough grass, but, if we trouble to trace it by its song, we
may be lucky enough to see a dark bird moving near the ground with
hesitating flight. As it drops after a very short journey into the cover
again, we may have time to notice the rounded tail, which is always
spread as it settles and is the best clue by which to identify this
species on the wing. Approach the spot where he disappeared and you will
search in vain, for he has already crept away, and in a few minutes the
song will recommence several yards off.
As with all the Warblers, insects form their chief food. The nest, built
of grass and bents loosely woven together, is placed low down and well
concealed in the rough herbage near the ground, and as the bird seldom
flies from it, but creeps silently away on our approach, it is
exceedingly difficult to find.
Six eggs form the clutch; the ground colour is whitish, but they are
very thickly and uniformly mottled and freckled with reddish brown. The
general colour above is greenish brown, each feather having a darker
centre. Wings and tail brown, the latter showing faint bars. Under parts
brownish, slightly spotted on the throat and breast, darker on the
flanks and paler on the belly. The sexes are alike in plumage. Length
5·4 in.; wing 2·4 in.
SAVI'S WARBLER
Locustella luscinioides (Savi)
This species was once a regular migrant to certain favoured localities
in the East Anglian fens, but subsequent drainage has so affected its
haunts that it is no longer to be found there. The last known British
specimen was killed over fifty years ago. Possibly a few individuals may
sometimes occur on migration, as it still breeds locally in some parts
of Holland, but, except for historical interest, it can no longer be
included among our British birds.
[Illustration: GRASSHOPPER WARBLER
_Locustella nævia_
Adult (above). Young (below)]
The sexes are alike, and in size it slightly exceeds that of the
preceding species. The upper parts are of a uniform reddish brown, under
parts whitish, passing to buff on the breast and flanks. Length 5·7 in.;
wing 2·6 in.
THE HEDGE ACCENTOR
Accentor modularis (Linnæus)
Of dingy colour, quiet, unobtrusive, yet ever busy, the Hedge Accentor,
vulgarly misnamed the "Hedge Sparrow," resembles in his character those
among us who are content, even in the bustle of our great cities, to go
quietly on their way, doing good wherever they find opportunity and
receiving uncomplainingly the kicks which their busier brethren are
often only too eager to bestow.
And so it is with the Hedge Sparrow; year in, year out, he is ever with
us, quietly and diligently seeking his food along a hedge bottom, on the
edge of a coppice, on the garden path, or wherever else he may happen to
find himself. He does incalculable good in destroying numbers of noxious
insects, and when winter comes, and such food is scarce, he turns his
attention to seeds of all kinds, thus helping to keep down many weeds
which would otherwise overrun our fields and gardens. Peaceful by
nature, he has become very common, and imagining ill of none he is tame,
hopping up from the path just in front of us, and disappearing quietly
and without sound into the nearest cover, and then, working his way by
quiet "creeping hops" (if such an expression be allowable) to the bottom
of the bush or hedge, he reappears behind us. We in our turn, it is
true, do not often molest him, in fact he is generally ignored and his
presence unsuspected, and even when seen, many of us think--"only a
sparrow!" and judge him and his acts by those of a race as different
from him in habits and qualities as we are from the Chinese!
When he does utter a note, which is towards evening or when suddenly
alarmed, it is a short shrill "iss," rather like a pencil being drawn
across a slate; his song, which is commenced in March and only carried
on during the breeding season, is like his own character, very sweet and
unobtrusive, being in fact a low warble, wandering through its
inconsecutive measures without any marked phrases or pauses. By early
April he will have chosen his mate and the site for his future home, and
now and again one may see him having a slight tiff with a neighbour, who
may covet his particular nesting-place, but it is nothing serious, for
the said neighbour, if defeated, will have his home but a few yards
farther on and apparently enjoy possession unmolested.
[Illustration: HEDGE ACCENTOR (HEDGE SPARROW)
_Accentor modularis_]
The nest is a beautiful structure; the foundation is made of twigs and
leaves, and the nest itself is of moss, strongly felted together and
lined with horsehair; it is perfectly circular in shape and somewhat
deep. Here are laid four eggs of a beautiful blue with no spots or
blotches to mar the purity of the colour: altogether this little home is
in its quiet way one of the most beautiful of our common natural
objects; but--"it is only a sparrow," and the passer-by either destroys
it or goes on without a thought for our little friend or the beauty of
his home. When his mate begins her tedious business of incubation he
attends to her wants with unremitting care, bringing her any delicacies
in the shape of insects, flies, and caterpillars he can find. The young
at first look like balls of down, and when they open bright
orange-coloured mouths they are quickly filled with what is apparently a
favourite food--luscious green caterpillars. When they leave the nest
the young wear a dull mottled brown plumage, and without more ado take
their place in the world around, and lead a quiet unobtrusive life near
the home where they were bred, till their end comes by some natural
means, or till their career for good is suddenly cut off and they are
shot as being "only sparrows"!
The sexes are nearly alike, the head, nape, chin, throat, and upper
breast are slate grey, rest of the upper parts rufous brown, with darker
streaks; flanks brown streaked with darker, belly white. The female is
slightly duller. The young are brown, spotted with buff all over. Length
5·5 in.; wing 2·75 in.
This is a numerous species throughout our islands.
THE ALPINE ACCENTOR
Accentor collaris (Scopoli)
The Alpine Accentor is an inhabitant of the mountainous regions of
Central and Southern Europe, and, like our Hedge Accentor, of very
stay-at-home habits, rarely leaving its home until the snow forces it
down into the valleys. In England and Wales it has occurred about a
dozen times.
In general colour above it is not unlike the preceding species, but the
wing coverts are tipped with white, forming a double bar across the
wing. Chin and throat white mottled with black, rest of under parts
greyish brown, the flanks mottled with chestnut. Length 7 in.; wing 4·1
in.
THE DIPPER
Cinclus aquaticus, Bechstein
Wherever a mountain torrent is to be found in these islands we are
almost sure to find this bird, as he sits on a boulder which juts out
among the rushing water. In shape he resembles the more familiar Wren,
but he is essentially a water bird, and seeks most of his food, which
consists entirely of aquatic insects and their larvæ, in the bed of the
stream.
Diving into the water it reaches the bottom by the aid of both wings and
feet, and when there progresses, apparently, by its feet alone.
The nest, placed in the crevice of a wall, often on the under side of a
bridge or between two boulders in the centre of the stream, is a large
domed structure of moss and leaves, having an elliptical entrance low
down on one side.
Four to six dull white eggs form the clutch, and two or three broods are
reared in the season, the first eggs being laid early in March. Its song
is begun in autumn and continues throughout the winter till well on in
spring.
A strictly resident species, this bird may be found in its haunts at all
times of the year and is exceedingly common in Scotland, where there are
few burns that are not tenanted by two or three pairs. In hard frosty
weather, however, when its natural home is frozen and food scarce, it
wanders over the country and may at such times be found by tidal ditches
on the sea-shore.
Its flight is rapid and direct, and when on the move it almost
invariably follows the course of the stream.
The adult has the head and neck brownish, rest of the upper parts dark
slate grey. Chin, throat and upper breast white, lower breast chestnut,
passing into black on the flanks and belly. Bill blackish, legs brown.
The young lack the chestnut on the lower parts. Length 7 in.; wing 3·6
in.
THE BEARDED REEDLING
Panurus biarmicus (Linnæus)
Extremely scarce and local in our islands, being confined to not more
than half-a-dozen localities, this charming little bird, more than any
others perhaps of our rarer species, is worth a journey to see.
Inhabiting large and extensive reed-beds, it used formerly to be
abundant in the fens of Huntingdon, Cambridge, and other eastern
counties, but with the reclaiming and draining of the land it has slowly
died out, only holding its own in those few places where Nature still
reigns supreme. Its exact systematic position is doubtful, as it shows
no close affinity with any other known species; one point, however, is
absolutely certain, namely that its popular name of "Tit" is quite a
misnomer, as it has no connection in appearance or habits with those
delightful birds. The naturalist, therefore, who goes to visit him at
home must not search for him on trees or look for his nest in holes. As
the boat glides quietly past some reed-bed his first acquaintance of
this bird will be the clear and unmistakable "ping-ping," a note
answered almost immediately by another close by. Soon, if he remains
quiet, he will see a small light-brown bird with long tail rise from the
reeds and, progressing with undulating flight, settle again a short
distance on. Although very tame and unsuspicious, the Bearded Reedling
is very hard to watch, owing to the thickness of the reeds in which he
lives, but if we wait about patiently we can see a good deal of him as
he searches the mud at the base of the reeds for minute molluscs, of
which he is extremely fond. These he swallows whole, and having
exhausted the treasures of one spot he will run up two reeds, resting
one foot on each alternately, with surprising rapidity and then fly off
with a merry "ping-ping" to renew his search in some other spot, and
possibly, if the place be more open, we may see him scratch up the soft
ooze with a peculiar backward motion of both feet and then eagerly scan
the spot to see if his labours have met their reward. Early in April he
pairs, and a nest of leaves and rushes, deeply cup-shaped and lined with
the feathery tops of the reeds, is built. Materials are collected by
both sexes, but especially by the cock, while the building itself is
entirely carried on by the hen. A clutch of six eggs is laid; they are
very round in shape and dead white, freckled with minute black markings.
Two broods are reared in the season, the young being fed chiefly on
insects. It is essentially a resident species and spends the whole year
wandering over the reed-beds in family parties, feeding on insects,
molluscs, or seeds, the party keeping together by a continual use of the
call-note. At nightfall they all gather close together on some broken
reed, where they sleep securely till dawn awakens them to another day of
restless work and energy.
[Illustration: BEARDED REEDLING
_Panurus biarmicus_]
The general colour above is tawny orange, the secondaries are striped
with rufous buff and black, the tail is long, wedge-shaped, and of the
same colour as the back. Chin and throat whitish, becoming pinker on the
breast and passing into tawny brown on the flanks; under-tail coverts
black. The male has the crown of the head a delicate grey and a black
moustache of elongated feathers running downwards from the lores and
beneath the eye. In the females this moustache is wanting and the crown
of the head is brown, but otherwise they resemble the male. The young
differ from the female in having the crown and back striped with black.
Length 6·75 in.; wing 2·25 in.
THE LONG-TAILED TIT
Acredula caudata (Linnæus)
There must be few of us who have not noticed this charming little bird
when we are walking in winter along a hedgerow. We are attracted by a
high-pitched "zi-zit" as the bird darts from the hedge in front of us,
and after a few yards of undulating flight settles again. It is not
alone, for another and yet another Tit follows till the whole family
party are busy at work hopping and creeping about the hedge. Shortly the
whole proceeding takes place again, the family procession moving on to
search for food in a new spot. All this goes on daily during the winter
months; up one hedgerow, down another; now hopping up a tree,
occasionally visiting a small wood, ever on the move, and ever restless,
till the evening comes, when the little party gather to rest, sitting
close to each other on some slender bough.
In April, however, this roving life ends. The cock bird seeks a mate and
they proceed to make a summer home, sometimes in an open hedgerow, but
more often in the hedge bordering a wood, or in some isolated bush in
the wood itself. It would be difficult to imagine anything more
beautiful than their nest, which is perhaps the most elaborate of any of
our British Birds! It is a solid thick-walled elliptical mass of felted
moss completely covered externally with lichens, which are largely
interwoven by means of cobwebs. The entrance, for it is entirely covered
in, is towards the upper end, and the interior is lined with horsehair
and innumerable feathers, as many as seven hundred having been counted
in a single nest.
[Illustration: LONG-TAILED TIT
_Acredula caudata_]
The full complement of eggs is at least ten, and two broods are often
reared in a season.
This species is entirely insectivorous and less destructive to the buds
of fruit-trees than any other kind of Tit, so that no one can have any
excuse for destroying this beautiful little bird that does so much to
brighten our hedgerows during the dull months of winter.
The sexes are alike. The forehead and crown are white, bordered by a
dark stripe, which runs from the bill over the eye to join the black of
the nape and back. Wings dark brown; scapulars and rump pinkish; tail
feathers black, the three outer pairs broadly tipped and margined with
white. Under parts dull white and tinged with pink on the flanks and
belly. The young are duller. Length 5·5 in.; wing 2·4 in.
Continental specimens are said to be distinguishable from our native
birds.
It is common throughout our islands except in Scotland, where it is
somewhat local.
THE GREAT TIT
Parus major, Linnæus
On a bright morning in winter, when the leafless branches of the trees
bear white traces of the night frost, whose tonic power is felt by man,
as well as the lower orders of Nature, we shall not walk far before the
rasping "che-chi, che-chi" of the little Saw-sharpener, as he is often
called, breaks on our ears. We soon see him climbing about on the
branches of some wayside tree; never still, now hanging head downwards
as he inspects a bud, seeking for the insect it may contain, or plucking
some berry he holds it between his feet, and with a few sharp hammerings
of his powerful little beak breaks it open, swallows the seed, and then
flits on to the next tree to resume his untiring search for food. Bright
in colour, lively in habits and in song, he is such a cheery little
fellow that we cannot help regretting the antagonism that is bound to
exist between him and the gardener, as the latter watches his promising
buds ripped off by this gay-plumaged marauder. True, he is seeking the
insect contained in the bud, but in that search it is not to be denied
that many an unaffected bud has to suffer. Woods and orchards are his
chief haunts, but gardens are frequently visited, and if nest-boxes with
small holes be hung up on the trees round the house he and his mate may
often be induced to hatch and rear their family under our protection and
observation. In spring his saw-sharpening note becomes elaborated into a
merry little song, and he proceeds in company with his mate to choose a
nesting-site--this is always in a hole in a wall or tree, or even in a
letter-box; the cavity within may be fairly large, but the entrance
thereto is often very small--ridiculously so for the size of the bird.
The nest is a large accumulation of moss, the whole space being filled
up level and a little cup-like hollow being sunk in part of it. About
ten eggs, white with a few reddish-brown blotches, are laid. The hen
bird sits very closely and vigorously pecks at any intruding hand. The
period of incubation is very short, being only from ten to twelve days,
and the young, which are fed almost exclusively on insects, leave their
home in about a fortnight, and wander in small parties through the woods
and lanes for the rest of the year.
[Illustration: GREAT TIT
_Parus major_]
The sexes are alike in plumage. The whole of the head, chin, throat, and
a median line running down the breast are of a glossy blue black; cheeks
white; mantle yellowish olive, prolonged forwards to end in a light spot
on the nape; wing coverts and tail bluish grey, quills darker. Under
parts greenish yellow. Length 5·75 in.; wing 2·85 in.
The young are somewhat paler, but otherwise resemble their parents.
A common resident throughout the whole country, except the extreme
north.
THE COAL TIT
Parus ater, Linnæus
The Coal Tit is often found as a near neighbour of the Blue Tit, but is
never so abundant and familiar. It prefers clumps of trees bordering
open commons and moors, but it may sometimes be seen on the outskirts of
woods.
The nest is always placed near the ground, in either a hole of a post or
tree, and not infrequently, when suitable holes are scarce,
mouse-burrows in the ground itself are chosen. It is chiefly composed of
moss and lined with hair and feathers, and the eggs, eight to ten in
number, are white speckled with brown, much resembling those of other
Tits.
The young are fed entirely on insects, and after leaving the nest wander
about in family parties, gradually scattering over the country, but
seldom becoming so familiar in the haunts of man and vicinity of towns
as the Blue Tit.
The sexes are alike. The head, neck, and upper breast are a glossy blue
black; the cheeks and a nuchal spot white; back grey, browner on the
rump; wing coverts tipped with white to form two bars. Breast whitish,
passing to pale brown on the flanks and belly. Length 4·25 in.; wing 2·4
in.
The young lack the gloss on the head, and the white cheeks and nape are
tinged with yellow.
This species may readily be distinguished from the Marsh Tit by the
white nuchal spot.
THE MARSH TIT
Parus palustris, Linnæus
This bird is the rarest of our common species of Tits, although in some
places it outnumbers the Coal. In habits it is very similar to its
congeners, but is perhaps more partial to young alder and willow
plantations than some of the others. Its name would lead us to suspect
that it especially frequents marshy spots, but this is not the case. It
chooses for its nesting-site a hole in some decayed stump which it not
infrequently hews out for itself, and the nest consists of the usual
materials, but sometimes willow-down is used in addition for a lining, a
material never found in the nests of other Tits.
[Illustration: MARSH TIT
_Parus palustris_]
The note is a three-syllabled chirp bearing a family resemblance to that
of the other species. The food consists of insects and seeds of various
kinds which it seeks with the unceasing energy characteristic of this
genus.
The sexes are alike and of an olive brown colour on the back; head and
nape glossy black; cheeks white; chin black; under parts whitish,
becoming buff on the flanks. Length 4·5 in.; wing 2·45 in.
The young are duller and have no gloss on the head and nape.
This species is local, but well distributed in England and Wales; in
Scotland it is rare and only recorded from two or three counties.
Recently it has been suggested that there is in our islands another
species of Tit (_P. salicaria_) called the Willow Tit. Except that in
habits it is apparently more local and restricted to marshy places,
there seems to be little to distinguish it, and in plumage it is
practically identical with the young Marsh Tit, the absence of gloss on
the head being the most characteristic feature.
THE BLUE TIT
Parus coeruleus, Linnæus
This bird is very similar in its actions to the Great Tit, but is more
often seen in gardens than the latter. It is ever on the move and is
extremely fond of a bit of suet--a piece hung on a string in the garden
affords throughout the winter months endless opportunities of watching
its pretty and fascinating ways. In summer, sunflower seeds are a great
attraction; these are removed as soon as they ripen, and taken to some
convenient post or branch; there he will hold one between his feet and
split it with a few well-directed blows of his bill, and having
swallowed the tender kernel he will return again and again to the same
sunflower until not a seed is left.
Any dark cavity will suit it for a nesting-site, either a hole in some
tree or post, an old tin carelessly thrown in a hedge, or some
artificial nest-box in the garden, but it will rarely be nearer the
ground than about six feet. It has a very short but bright song, which
may often be heard in spring, and its call-note is a single "tzee."
It is a very common resident, wandering in small parties all over the
country during the winter months and even penetrating the heart of our
large cities, where it becomes very tame and confiding.
The sexes are alike in plumage. The back is yellowish green; tail and
wings blue; wing coverts tipped with white; the crown is cobalt blue
encircled by a white line running backwards across the forehead. The
chin is blue, and a blue line runs through each eye to the nape, and,
encircling the white cheeks, runs forward again to meet the blue chin.
Under parts sulphur yellow with a black streak down the centre of the
chest. Length 4·3 in.; wing 2·4 in.
The young are very similar but rather duller in colour.
[Illustration: NUTHATCH
_Sitta cæsia_]
It is common and generally distributed throughout our islands, becoming
rather scarce and more local in the northwest of Scotland.
THE CRESTED TIT
Parus cristatus, Linnæus
A few favoured spots in Scotland are the only resorts of this bird in
our islands.
It is a forest species, haunting pine woods, from which it seldom
wanders far. Like the Marsh Tit, it frequently excavates its own
nesting-hole, which is generally at no great distance from the ground.
In all its actions and habits it resembles its congeners.
The sexes are alike. The general colour above is olive brown, beneath
white, turning to buff on the flanks. The feathers of the head are
black, broadly edged with white and prolonged into a conspicuous crest.
A black streak runs backwards from the eye on each side to join its
fellow on the nape, whence it turns forward and encircling the cheeks,
which are white mottled with black, joins up with the black chin. Length
4·5 in.; wing 2·5 in.
The young are duller and have hardly any crest.
THE NUTHATCH
Sitta cæsia, Wolf
The Nuthatch is fairly well distributed over the woodland portions of
our southern and midland counties, becoming rarer towards the north. In
Scotland it has only been observed in a few counties, and has never been
met with in Ireland.