Birds of the UK

The Black Redstart is a small robin-sized bird. Its name comes from the plumage of the male, which is grey-black in colour with a red tail. Breeding birds occur mainly in urban areas and at cliff sites along the south coast. In spring they can turn up anywhere, but particularly at the coast. In autumn they can be relatively numerous in places like the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. Its length is 14.5cm and the wingspan 23-26cm.

The Black-Tailed Godwit are large wading birds. In summer, they have bright orangey-brown chests and bellies and in winter are more grey-brown. Their most distinctive features are their long beaks and legs, and the black and white stripes on their wings. Female black-tailed godwits are bigger and heavier than the males, with a noticeably longer beak. They are usually seen at estuaries and coastal lagoons and also visit wetland sites inland. Its length is 40-44cm and the wingspan 70-82cm.

The Aquatic Warbler is a regular but scarce autumn migrant to certain areas in southern Britain. It is yellow-brown and streaked with a distinct yellow crown stripe. Aquatic warblers are best looked for in coastal reedbeds along the south coast, often feeding near the reedbed in low vegetation. Its length is 13cm and the wingspan 16.5-19.5cm.

The Balearic Shearwater is brown above and dull below. It flies with rapid, shallow wingbeats on stiffly held wings. It will rest on the water and plunge-dive for food. It can mainly be seen off the coast of south England, in particular Cornwall, Devon and Dorset and west Wales, but also into the North Sea, off the east coast. Its length is 34-39cm and the wingspan 83-93cm.

The Barn Owl has a heart-shaped face, buff back and wings and pure white underparts. It is widely distributed across the UK. It can be seen in open country, along field edges, riverbanks and roadside verges. Its feather colours are brown, cream/buff, grey and white, its leg colours are brown, pink and white and the beak is brown, of medium length, hooked and chunky. Its length is 33-39cm and the wingspan 80-95cm.

The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized, sociable goose, with a black head, neck and breast and a creamy-white face. This contrasts with the white belly, blue-grey barred back and black tail. Its feather colours are black, brown, cream/buff, grey and white. Its leg colour is black and its beak is black, of medium length, duck-like and chunky. The largest numbers of barnacle geese reside in the Solway Firth and on Islay. Its length is 58-70cm and the wingspan 132-145cm.

The Bearded Tit is a brown, long-tailed bird, usually seen flying rapidly across the top of a reedbed. Males have black 'moustaches' rather than 'beards'. They are sociable and noisy, their 'ping' calls often being the first clue to their presence. It is found only in reed beds but small numbers may be found away from breeding areas in winter. Its length is 12.5cm and the wingspan 16-18cm.

Bewick's Swan adults are white all over. Compared to the similar whooper swan, they have proportionally more black and less yellow on their bill. They are also smaller than both mute and whooper swans and have faster wingbeats. It is found mainly in eastern England, around the Severn estuary and in Lancashire. Its length is 115-127cm from bill to tail, including the long neck, and its wingspan is 170-195cm.

The Bittern is a thickset heron with all-over bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars. It flies on broad, rounded, bowed wings. It is very difficult to see as it moves silently through reeds at water's edge. The males make a remarkable far-carrying, booming sound in spring. Its feather colour is black, brown, cream/buff and white, it has brown-green legs and the beak is black, brown, long, powerful and chunky. Its length is 70-80cm and the wingspan 1.3m.

The Black Grouse males are all blue-black with distinctive red wattle over the eye and show a striking white stripe along each wing in flight. They have a lyre-shaped tail which is fanned out and raised to show white under-tail feathers when displaying. The smaller grey-brown females have a slightly notched tail. They are found in upland areas of Wales, the Pennines and most of Scotland. Its length is 40-55cm and the wingspan 65-80cm.

The Black Guillemot's striking black and white plumage and bright red feet make it easy to identify in summer. It is typically found in ones and twos, scattered around rocky islets. It is typical of the larger sea lochs of western Scotland and the northern and western isles, but is also found in Ireland, the Isle of Man and in a handful of spots in England and Wales. Its length is 30-32cm and the wingspan 52-58cm.

The Black Tern is a small tern with an all-black head and body, contrasting with grey wings, back and tail in spring. Autumn birds have grey upperparts, white underparts and distinctive black head markings. It feeds by dipping down and picking food from the surface of water. Black terns can be seen around freshwater lakes, gravel pits and reservoirs, almost anywhere. Its length is 22-24cm and the wingspan 64-68cm.

The Black-Headed Gull is not really a black-headed bird, more chocolate-brown; in fact, for much of the year, it has a white head. It is most definitely not a 'seagull' and is found commonly almost anywhere inland. Black-headed gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in small groups or flocks, often gathering into larger parties where there is plenty of food, or when they are roosting. Its length is 34-37cm and the wingspan 100-110cm.

The Black-Necked Grebe has striking golden tufts of feathers on its face, contrasting with its black head and neck. Its steep forehead makes its head look 'peaked'. A rare breeding bird, it is also uncommon in winter. Black-necked grebes are often seen at reservoirs, gravel pits and estuaries in winter, often seen in the Fal Estuary, Cornwall and Poole Harbour and Dorset. Its length is 28-34cm and the wingspan 56-60cm.