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1 month ago | 
birdwatching.co.uk | Dominic Couzens
If you would like to know what this article is primarily about, the answer is, well, nothing. Or at least, doing nothing. This is an aspect of bird behaviour that is very rarely written about. Since birds tend to be highly active creatures, seemingly always flying about or feeding or fighting, we sometimes forget that they do come to a halt sometimes, and not just to sleep. At times in their lives birds just loaf, or lounge, or gaze at their navel (okay, they don’t have a navel) for hours on end.
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Nov 30, 2024 | 
discoverwildlife.com | Dominic Couzens
Look at pictures of great skuas, and you can guess what these sharp-clawed seabirds might be like. Bulky and aggressive, intimidating and uncompromising: if club bouncers were birds, they would probably be great skuas. Most bird lovers will have heard of the way in which great skuas (or bonxies as they are known in Shetland) go about their business.
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Oct 10, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Dominic Couzens
Although winter is one of the best times to look for tracks and footprints in the countryside, you can look anytime - especially after wet weather. On your next walk, turn your gaze to the ground and you'll spot evidence all around you, from the pronounced claw prints of a mink and the webbed feet of a gull, to the interdigital pad of a badger.
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Aug 26, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Dominic Couzens
This species is known for its distinctive tail-wagging behaviour. As these little birds are typically found near water, a trip to your local river or wetland can be the best place to spot them. In the UK, wagtails can be observed along riversides, streams, and wetlands, where they forage for insects. These adaptable birds have also found a niche in farmland, often seen in fields and meadows near water sources.
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Aug 22, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Dominic Couzens |Cinead McTernan
Characterised by their thin bills, which are well-suited for their insectivorous and granivorous diet, pipits might not captivate at first glance with vibrant colours or striking patterns, but they possess a subtle charm, especially in their distinctive, undulating song flights. Resilient and versatile, pipits can be spotted in a wide range of environments from moorlands and heathlands to rugged coastlines and marshy lowlands.
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Aug 21, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Dominic Couzens
A water pipit (Anthus spinoletta) is a small, brown bird that can be found foraging for insects near water bodies, such as ponds, streams, and marshes. They often bob their tails up and down as they walk, which is how they got their name. As well as being rare, the Water Pipit is also very tricky to identify. It is basically rock pipit like (large, robust, long blackish legs, overall dark), but with meadow pipit pretensions, such as white outer tail feathers and a pale stripe over the eye.
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Aug 21, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Dominic Couzens
Rock pipits (Anthus petrosus) are small, brown birds that can be found foraging for insects on the ground or perching in trees, especially when singing. Learn how to identify this little bird and where to spot it in our expert guide. Remember that pipits are small songbirds that walk, rather than hop, on the ground in open areas. Of the pipits, this one has the darkest brown plumage, especially on the back, and it’s important to note the streaks on the breast.
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Aug 21, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Dominic Couzens
The Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) is often found in open woodlands and heathlands across Europe and Asia. Learn how to identify this small, migratory songbird known for its distinctive, soaring flight display and melodious song with our expert bird guideTree pipits are small, unassuming brown birds with streaked backs and pale underparts.
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Aug 21, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Dominic Couzens
A Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) is a common resident in the UK, frequently found in open grasslands, heathlands, and moorlands across the country. Learn how to identify this small, streaky bird, discover its distinctive song, and explore the habitats where it thrives with our expert bird guide. The pipits are small, streaky-brown birds without any exciting colour, which certainly doesn’t help their PR, and they are difficult to identify, which makes it worse.
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Aug 13, 2024 | 
countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Dominic Couzens
A grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) is a small slate-coloured bird with a distinctive yellow under-tail – easily misidentified as a yellow wagtail. Learn all about these river-loving birds – including how to identify them, call, habitat and distribution – with our expert guide. The male in spring has a very smart black chin, separated from the cheeks by a white line. Otherwise, a very helpful pointer is that it’s our only wagtail with pink legs.
