Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter Passerines i Bird ID Photo Guides

Basic Principles Eurasian Bullfinch breeds commonly across most of Britain, where it is largely sedentary. One of our most beautiful birds, it is notoriously shy and retiring, especially in the breeding season, typically giving away its presence only by quiet, rather plaintive calls. Outside the breeding season it can be a little more obliging, often appearing in pairs or small groups and feeding on the margins of flocks of other finches. In Britain Eurasian Bullfinch is represented by the endemic subspecies pileata, known as ‘British’ Bullfinch. The species has a large Palearctic range, however, extending to the Pacific and comprising multiple subspecies. The only one of these confirmed to occur in Britain is nominate pyrrhula, known as ‘Northern’ Bullfinch, which breeds from central Europe through Scandinavia and across the whole…

Basic Principles The small finches are all charming and charismatic. Among them, the group of three small brown species – Common Linnet, Twite and Lesser Redpoll – can, however, sometimes cause identification difficulties. This guide seeks to untangle the problems. Common Linnet This species occurs across the whole of Europe (apart from the far north), and more patchily in North Africa, southern Russia and Central Asia. It is both a resident and partial migrant, with northernmost populations withdrawing south in winter. In Britain Common Linnet breeds in open country with bushes and is particularly associated with heathland. In winter it is a declining but still characteristic farmland bird and in some locations may be encountered in flocks of up to several hundred. It also winters in coastal areas, however, for…

Basic Principles Snow Bunting is a remarkable species, a real High Arctic specialist and the world’s most northerly breeding passerine. It has a circumpolar distribution, breeding at high latitudes. Some winter well to the north but most, especially females, move south in autumn. There are three subspecies. Nominate nivalis breeds in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Spitsbergen and Scandinavia. North American birds and those from southern and western Greenland winter in the Great Plains, some from south-east Greenland and those from Scandinavia wintering mainly in coastal north-west Europe. A further, albeit poorly defined, subspecies – vlasowae – breeds from north-east European Russia (where it intergrades with nivalis) eastward to the Pacific and winters mainly across the Asian steppe zone but also as far west as Hungary. A third, much more range-restricted subspecies…

Basic Principles Europe is home to four small yellow and green finches. In Britain the default option is Eurasian Siskin, but in central and southern Europe it needs to be distinguished from the rather common European Serin and, in the Alps and Pyrenees, from Citril Finch. The fourth, Corsican Finch, is restricted to Corsica and the Italian islands of Sardinia, Elba, Capraia and Gorgona, so isn’t treated here. Eurasian Siskin This is a widespread species which breeds across the Palearctic from Ireland in the west to Kamchatka in the east. There is, however, a gap in its distribution in southern Siberia. In some parts of its range it is resident, but more northerly populations can make long-distance movements and winter well to the south, as far as North Africa in…

Basic Principles Redpolls are delightful small finches, found throughout the northern regions of the Holarctic. They are highly nomadic and irruptive and are capable of travelling large distances. They can, therefore, turn up well outside their home range and any redpoll-watcher should be alert to the possibility of vagrant birds. In fact, a British observer could encounter any of the world’s redpoll forms. Redpolls are notoriously problematic to identify. There is considerable sex, age and seasonal variation in their plumages and much character overlap between forms in both measurements and plumage. Familiarity with one’s local redpolls (in Britain, Lesser Redpoll and sometimes Common) is essential, and when confronted with an unusual redpoll it is important to secure as much documentation as possible in the form of notes, sketches, photographs and…

Basic Principles A large-looking bunting with a longish tail and white outer tail feathers flies up from the edge of a stubble field, perches briefly on top of a hedge and then moves on. Obviously a Yellowhammer, right? In most of Britain you would be correct, but in parts of south-west England there is another option to consider: Cirl Bunting. It is also always worth bearing in mind the outside chance of a vagrant Pine Bunting anywhere in Britain between October and April. Yellowhammer As ever, the key to discovering a scarce or rare bird is familiarity with its more regular relatives. Yellowhammer has a very large range, breeding from western Europe right through European Russia into western Siberia. It was once a very common inhabitant of our agricultural landscape,…

Basic Principles Redpolls are delightful, characterful small finches found throughout the northern regions of the Holarctic. They are, however, notoriously problematic to identify. There is considerable sex, age and seasonal variation and much character overlap between the three currently recognised species, while posture and light conditions have a major effect on their appearance. In this respect they can be likened to large gulls and their identification requires a similar tolerance of uncertainty. Most birds have to be identified by reference to a ‘suite of characters’ which, when taken together, will render most identifiable. The occasional bird, however, will have to be left unidentified. Most authors recognise at least five forms grouped into three species, but their taxonomy is far from settled. The three most commonly encountered forms (representing all three…

Basic Principles Until recently, this complex of mainly dark-legged pipits was regarded as one species, a treatment guaranteed to obscure some very real differences in their ecology, distribution and appearance. Given their more recent ‘split’ status, however, their true identities have finally emerged, though there are still some interesting identification problems to contend with. Rock Pipit This species has a relatively restricted world range, being confined to the coasts of north-west Europe. In Britain it is best known as a dark pipit singing above a northern sea-cliff or creeping around unobtrusively on seaweed-covered rocks. While this is particularly true for birders in the north and west, those in the South-East know Rock Pipit as a winter visitor. Here it frequents not rocky shores but lonely saltmarsh creeks. Only recently, however,…