Bittern Botaurus stellaris Slimbridge winter - David Tipling/2020VISION
Some of you will be looking forward to the UK hosting Eurovision this weekend, and many of you will not be bothered whatsoever.
But what (I hope) us nature-lovers can are all looking forward to, is the arrival of our spring and summer migratory birds. And whether you’re watching Eurovision or wild birds, you’ll be treated to a variety of performances this season, from the bold and colourful, the shy and tuneful, to the downright weird. Here are a few species to keep an eye (or ear) out for.
Chiffchaff by Ged Gill
Among our earliest and widespread spring migrants, thousands of these warblers travel to the UK from the Mediterranean (and north Africa) every March. Chiffchaffs are easily heard belting out their distinctive ‘chiff chaff chiff chaff’ call as they flit from bare branches in woodlands and hedgerows.
Their call is so repetitive that it can border on annoying (so is not dissimilar to some Eurovision songs in that respect).
They are also a bit drab – little and dumpy, with subdued olive-brown feathers and black legs – but they are welcome summer guests, as they are insectivores who like to eat gnats, midges, and flies.
Most chiffchaffs leave again in autumn, but some have started staying in southern England all year round.
Bittern Botaurus stellaris Slimbridge winter - David Tipling/2020VISION
A rare reedbed specialist, the bittern is a member of the heron family with cream and brown streaked feathers.
Approximately 800 Bittern overwinter in the UK, but we also get European migrants flying over from The Netherlands in spring, looking to breed.
Bittern are like the novelty act in every Eurovision competition. While they do not sing as such, males have a unique call, known as a boom, that they make in spring to attract females.
A booming bittern sounds like somebody blowing over a glass bottle. The sound is low, but can travel miles, and it needs to, as reedbeds are few and far between. Thankfully, your wildlife trust are improving and creating new reedbed habitats in the sites we manage. Look out for bittern at Lunt Meadows in Merseyside, Brockholes in Preston or Wigan Flashes in Greater Manchester. Be patient as they are very secretive and shy.
European Bee-eater by John Bridges
A rare sight in the UK but appearing more frequently as our climate warms are flocks of jazzy-coloured European bee-eaters.
Around the size of a starling, they are unmistakable with their yellow throats, blue bellies, black eye stripes and russet-red backs fading into orange and yellow. Once limited to Africa and southern Europe, these birds are spreading northwards and, in 2022, eight birds spent the summer in Norfolk.
Bee-eaters raise their chicks as a flock, with previous broods helping the breeding pairs to sit on eggs and feed chicks. As the name suggests, bee-eaters feed on bees, as well as dragonflies, wasps and other flying insects. They are sociable and loud, calling ‘prroop, prrooop’ to each other throughout the day. If bee-eaters were a band, they’d be 1981 Eurovision winners Bucks Fizz.
Nightingale by David Tipling/2020 Vision
Remarkably plain-looking for such a popular bird, the little brown-and-grey nightingale steals the spotlight thanks to the male’s beautiful vocals. They have a repertoire of over 1000 different sounds, because the part of their brain responsible for creating sound is bigger than those of most other birds. Listen out for nightingales in woodlands and coppices near water from April onwards, where males can be heard singing their hearts out of a night, in the hopes of wooing a passing female.
Come July, nightingales will return to their wintering grounds, with some heading as far as southern Africa. Sadly, they are very rare now, but the nightingale’s beautiful and rich song has inspired many creative works over the centuries, including poems and classical music. Ukraine’s 2020 Eurovision entry by electric-folk band Go_A was also centred around a nightingale.
Spoonbill by Bertie Gregory/2020 Vision
The unique-looking spoonbill disappeared from the UK for over 300 years, but made a comeback in 2010, with birds from France and the Netherlands now regular visitors every summer.
They are a similar build to herons, but with brilliant white feathers, and long bills that look like big wooden spoons. They swing these bills from side to side when feeding in shallow water, feeling for frogs, fish, crustaceans, and beetles.
It used to be said that spoonbills were mostly silent, but when in flocks they are quite noisy, making a range of high-pitched trills and soft honks. Wetland specialists, spoonbills initially returned only to Norfolk, but they are spreading across England, with occasional sightings in the northwest, including at Lunt Meadows. As conservationists continue to maintain and improve wetlands, it is hoped that these birds will thrive.
Hoopoe by Amy Lewis
Another colourful character, a hundred or so hoopoe land in UK every spring. This bird is unmistakable with a pinkish-brown body and head-crest, black and white striped wings, and a long curved black beak. Their call sounds like their name, calling ‘hoop hoop hoop’ They can turn up anywhere in urban or suburban gardens, parks, farmland, and nature reserves, and seeing one is a real treat. It’s even more special if you see this bird when it gets excited, as it will fluff up its head-crest like a mohican.
Blackcap by Amy Lewis
An easily spotted and identifiable summer migrant is the blackcap. A medium warbler only the male has a black cap atop his head, while the female’s cap is gingery-brown. The rest of their bodies are both varying shades of grey.
Heralding from Germany, blackcaps have a lovely melodic song (in contrast to the country’s repeatedly poor performances at Eurovision in recent years), filled with whistles, high-pitched squeaks, and scratches. It could be confused with a blackbird’s song, but is faster and a bit shorter.
Blackcaps are little, but loud, and can be spotted singing from their perch in a tree. Find them in woodlands, scrub and gardens, where they can be a bully at the bird table. Since the 1960s, more German-born blackcaps are overwintering in the UK, and it’s thought to be down to supplementary feeding in gardens.
This article was originally published in our Spring 2023 issue of Lapwing, our member's magazine. If you'd like to read more articles like this, why not buy a membership to the Trust and get your copy of Lapwing delivered to your door? - Become a member
