In the UK, there are almost 260 types of bird species which makes it impossible to identify each species. Among all the bird species, many birds are red-headed.
However, making a distinction between all the bird species requires a lot of knowledge. And In this article, I’ve mentioned the popular red birds that are found in the UK.
Red Head Birds In the UK
Goldfinch
In the UK, there is a large population of goldfinches and you can see them everywhere in the country. However, you will find them, especially in Southern England.
They are usually found around scattered trees, bushes, and on any rough ground. These birds are of dun brown mantle contrasted sharply with wings.
Their wings are black along with a golden-yellow panel at the center. These birds can be recognized with their interwoven call. These bird species are migratory and they winter around the Mediterranean.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpeckers are the size of a blackbird and they can be distinguished by their pied black & white plumage and deep red vent area. They have a short and sharp call.
The diet of these birds includes insects and beetles which they found in the cracks and gaps of tree bark. They primarily feed on insects but in winters they prefer fruits, seeds, and nuts.
This species can be found in woodlands, and frequent in large parks and gardens. They are generally sedentary and can be seen in Britain year-round.
Green Woodpecker
In the UK, green woodpeckers are the largest breeding woodpeckers. They can be seen throughout the country except for the far north and west and Ireland.
These birds usually have green upperparts and white underparts tinged with pale yellow. The diet of this bird species include ants, larvae, and ant eggs.
They prefer broadleaved and mixed woodlands, farmland, and other open areas. They were often seen feeding on grassy areas and cultivated lawns.
Lesser Redpoll
The common redpoll is more common than the lesser redpoll. However, the lesser redpoll birds are abundant in the UK.
The plumage of this bird is pale brown and has darker brown streaks. The flanks of these birds are buff with darker streaks while the belly & tail coverts are whitish.
The call of these birds is a hard & metallic chett-chett-chett. The diet of these birds includes seeds, fruit, buds, and invertebrates.
These birds are short-distance migrants and they can be found across central and south England.
Linnet
Linnet has a well-established population in the UK. They are usually seen along the coast from Kent up to Aberdeenshire.
The back of these birds is plain pale orange-brown with grey to black upper wings and a dark tail. The call of these birds is of chi-chi-chi and tidit.
Their songs are both rich and melodious. They usually feed on insects. Linnet can be found near parks, farmland, rough ground, hedges, and saltmarshes.
Pheasant
The pheasant is a shirt-billed and short-legged bird and the male pheasant surpasses the female ones in looks & physical appearance.
The adult male birds come in two variants, that is pale and dark. These variants have distinctive small purple heads and narrow necks with green and black crowns.
While the adult female pheasants are plain brown bodies mottled with black markings. The call of these birds is of Kerr-Kok.
The diet of these birds includes insects, worms, berries, grass, seeds, and fruits. These birds have a life expectancy of up to seven years in the wild.
Swallow
The swallow is a small and agile bird which have forked tail streamers. The adult swallow birds are shiny blue blacks.
The forehead, chin, and throat of these birds are rich blood-red. These birds are noisy and they usually utter the call vit.
The alarm calls of these birds are loud and short chit. These birds prefer insects, mosquitos, and bees. These birds are migratory and overwintering in the southern half of Africa.
Common Redpoll
Common Redpoll is a small member of the finch family and the adult birds are mostly brownish-grey all over.
The face of this bird is dark and the tail is deeply notched. However, these birds are generally smaller and paler than the lesser redpoll.
The diet of these birds comprises small invertebrates, plant material, and seeds. During the breeding season, insects are highly consumed by these birds and even bugs & spiders are consumed on a large scale.
The sounds of this bird include chit-chit-chit-chewee. The common habitat of these birds is coniferous forest, open woodland, and scrub.
Crane
The common crane is a tall erect bird having long legs and a long neck. The adult crane is grey all over the body and its culmen & head are black.
The sounds of these birds are usually trumpeting which is deep and loud. Their call can be heard in their flight as krra-krra.
The diet of this bird includes grains, aquatic plants, leaves, grasses, shoots, and berries.
They can also consume worms, lizards, small fish, frogs, and insects. In the UK, there is a small population of these birds.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers are the smallest and rarest to be found among the UK’s residents.
The adult male of this bird species has a crimson red cap edged in black and black colored upperparts with broad white barring.
While the adult female lacks the red crown but they are of the same shape and size. The call of these birds is of pee-pee-pee.
These birds usually have extra insects and larvae from the tree bark for the formation of their diet. They also eat spiders, caterpillars, beetles, and grubs from the plant stems and bushes.
Little Grebe
Little Grebe is quite small and stout grebe and it seems to have a fluffy rear end. The plumage of these birds is bright chestnut on the cheeks and throat and a pale patch at the bottom of the beak.
These birds are a rather noisy bird that has an extremely distinctive whiny sound. The diet of these birds includes insects, larvae, and small fish.
Red Grebe
In the UK, red-necked grebe is rare. During the winter season, these birds look very similar to great crested grebes.
It is recorded that fewer than 20 individual red-necked grebes are found during the summer in the UK. The diet of these birds includes fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans.
Red-Crested Pochard
The UK has a small but good population of these birds. These birds are slightly larger than a pochard in size. The male red-crested pochard has pale flanks and a red beak.
While the females have pale cheeks and are completely brown. The diet of these birds includes seeds of aquatic vegetation, stems, and roots.
Conclusion
Knowledge about red-headed birds is important to make the right distinction between bird species.
All the information about the redhead birds in the UK is provided above. You can make an easy distinction with the help of this information.
At last, I hope this article was informative enough for you. Thank You For Reading!
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