Ireland’s Top 20 + garden birds introduces you to over twenty species you are most likely to see in your garden. It is based on results from The Garden Bird Survey, organised by BirdWatch Ireland, which runs every winter, over a thirteen-week period from the end of November to February. A grand total of over 110 species have been recorded in Irish gardens, with 65 per cent of gardens hosting up to 25 species. Large rural gardens attract the most number of species though suburban gardens compete very well and are by far the most popular and widespread garden type.
Learn more about identifying the birds in your garden: read Ireland’s Garden Birds, new second edition is available from our on line shop.
Robin (Spideog)
Probably the best-known bird species in Ireland, and also the ‘friendliest’. In the breeding season robins are extremely territorial and will chase off any intruding birds. Occasionally, disputes between neighbouring birds can become very violent. Nests anywhere there is ground cover and will sometimes use garden sheds. It is a constant companion to the gardener, feeding on grubs, worms and insects disturbed by the fork or spade, and can become very tame. It is a widespread visitor to bird tables and increasingly to hanging feeders.
Identification Features
Bright red-orange breast; grey-white belly; warm brown unmarked upperparts; grey on the side of the neck and upper breast; stands upright; round appearance.
Immature
Young birds just out of the nest do not have a red breast, but instead are scaled light and dark brown.
In Flight
Flies fast and straight.
Voice Guide
Its call is a loud, thin tick, usually repeated several times, often out of sight. It sings all year round but is at its loudest during spring, when its melodious twittering is often performed from a fence-post or a prominent bush, sometimes at night in suburban areas.
Diet
Insects, especially beetles and their larvae, also fruit and seeds in winter.
Food to put out
Seed cake, seeds, bread and will sometimes take peanuts.
Nesting Season
Mid-March to Mid-June.
Nest Location
A wide variety of places from trees and shrubs to ivy-covered walls and even ledges in sheds, etc.
Nest
A big cup nest made of dead leaves and other plant material, lined with thin roots, hair and, rarely, feathers. Built by the female.
Eggs
Four to six, 20mm, matt white or cream eggs with red-brown markings ranging from fine flecks to blotches spread all over the eggs or concentrated towards the broad end of the eggs.
Incubation Period
Fourteen days, by female.
Fledging Time
Thirteen to fourteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
Two.
Nest Box
Open-front box.
Average Lifespan
Two years.
Oldest Known Individual
Eight years.
Confusion Species
Juvenile robins, which lack the red breast, may look similar to the Dunnock
Blackbird (Lon Dubh)
Likes open, short grass and leaf litter when feeding. Blackbirds can often be observed looking and listening for earthworms that are on or just below the surface of the ground. If frightened on the ground it will sometimes lower its head and run quickly to the nearest cover. With nearly 2 million breeding pairs in Ireland, it is no wonder that it is so well known. It is common everywhere but was rare in the west in the nineteenth century. Its dark plumage and low-pitched voice has led researchers to believe that the blackbird was once a species mainly found in forests before human intervention altered the landscape in Europe by removing most of the forests. In winter, many blackbirds from Britain and Scandinavia join our mainly resident birds.
Male Blackbird (c.Oran O’Sullivan)
Female Blackbird (c.Oran O’Sullivan)
Juvenile Blackbird (c.Oran O’Sullivan)
Identification Features
Male
Jet-black body, short, heavy, bright orange-yellow beak and eye-ring. Young males superficially resemble female birds.
Female
Dark, chocolate-brown, with paler throat and breast (sometimes faintly spotted); dark-brown beak; no eye-ring. Partial or total albino blackbirds are not unusual.
In Flight
Over short distances, fast and straight flight. On landing will often droop its wings and cock its tail high in the air.
Voice Guide
Sings from a high prominent position, from late January well into summer. The song is melodious and loud, sometimes continuing for a long period. Calls include a loud chock and a high-pitched, thin sseeee. If disturbed, flies away with a loud clamourous call. Unlike the similar-sounding song thrush it rarely repeats song phrases.
Diet
Mainly insects and earthworms, also fruit and berries.
Food to put out
Bread, seed cake, seed and fruit.
Nesting Season
Mid-March to Mid-June.
Nest Location
Will nest in a variety of sites, usually with trees, shrubs or hedges, preferring a fork in a tree or shrub.
Nest
A stout cup-shaped nest made from a variety of plant material, lined with a mixture of mud and plant material and finished with strands of dead grass. Built by the female.
Eggs
Three to five, 29mm, shiny pale green-blue eggs covered in fine brown or rusty brown flecks and spots sometimes concentrated around the broad end of the egg.
Incubation Period
Fifteen days, usually by the female.
Fledging Time
Fifteen days, fed by both parents, and dependent on them for a further two or three weeks after fledging.
Number of broods reared per year
Two to three.
Nest Box
Nest bundles, occasionally small platforms.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Fourteen years.
Confusion Species
Starling is smaller, usually covered in pale spots; has pale pink/red legs and short tail.
Blue Tit (Meantán Gorm)
Ringing studies have shown that in the course of a winter’s day, what you thought were three or four birds visiting your bird feeder may actually have been many more. Over an average winter period you might unwittingly have played host to hundreds of different blue tits! The blue tit rarely travels far, but there is an exception to every rule and one individual, ringed on Bardsey Island in Britain on 4 October 2003 was retrapped alive and well 345km to the west on Cape Clear Island nineteen days later.
Like all members of this family, the blue tit is very acrobatic and because it likes nesting in cracks in walls and trees it will usually take up residence in a nest box in no time at all. Like all birds, blue tits can see ultra-violet light. The front of their heads glows brightly under UV light; it is thought by some that females choose their partners based on the UV brightness of their cobalt blue heads.
Juvenile
Adult
Identification Features
Smaller than a Robin.
Pale blue cap surrounded by a white halo; white ear coverts; dark line through the eye; back green-blue; wings blue with faint white wing bar; tail also blue.
Underside
Throat, side of the neck and nape dark blue; breast and belly pale yellow.
Immature
Similar in pattern to adults but more yellow in overall colour.
In Flight
Weak, bouncing flight, rapid wing beats.
Voice Guide
Like most members of the tit family, the blue tit is very vocal and has various call notes. The most characteristic are a very high pfit-pfit-che-haah-ah and a lower, scolding churr.
Diet
Insects and spiders, also berries, fruit and seeds in winter.
Food to put out
Blue tits have a wide taste and especially like peanuts, seed cake, seeds and fat but will also check out almost any food put out to attract birds.
Nesting Season
Mid-April to Mid-May.
Nest Location
Nests in a wide variety of habitats from woodlands to gardens. The nest can be found in any suitable crevice or hollow in trees or walls. Regularly uses nest boxes.
Nest
A cup-shaped nest built mainly of moss and a variety of plant materials, lined with down and feathers. Built by the female.
Eggs
Seven to eleven, 16mm, slightly shiny white eggs with fine red-brown to purple-red flecks, sometimes concentrated at the broad end of the egg.
Incubation Period
Thirteen to fifteen days by the female, fed by the male.
Fledging Time
18–21 days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One.
Nest Box
Hole-entrance box.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Nine years.
Confusion Species
Great Tit and Coal Tit have black crowns.
Great Tit (Parus Major) (Meantán Mór)
The black stripe on the belly of a male great tit is an indicator of its status; it is thought that larger stripes are more attractive to females. As widespread as the blue tit, though not as numerous. Like other members of the tit family, the great tit is mostly sedentary, though there is evidence of continental birds arriving here in autumn. Because it is bigger and less acrobatic than its relatives, it spends more time looking for food on the ground. Favours beech mast and if there is a good crop will remain in woods later into autumn and winter. In bad beech mast years, it moves out of the woods in search of food sooner and turns up at bird tables earlier, where it is the dominant tit species.
Identification Features
The largest member of the tit family. About the same size as a Robin.
Jet black head with bright white cheeks (ear coverts); dark blue-green primaries and secondaries, white wing bar; yellow-green back; tail feathers dark with varying degrees of pale blue edging; outer tail feather white (most noticeable from below). Underside
Breast and belly bright yellow with a black line down the centre. The black line is broad on males and narrow and incomplete on females. White undertail coverts. Dark grey beak and pale blue-grey legs.
Immature
Plumage looks paler and less yellow.
In Flight
Voice Guide
When it comes to calls it is hard to beat the repertoire of the great tit. Calls and song include a blue tit-like tchurrr and distinct phrases usually repeated two to four times, one sounding like ‘teacher, teacher!’ More mechanical and repetitive than blue tit or coal tit.
Diet
Insects and spiders; in winter, beechmast, seeds, berries and fruit.
Food to put out
Peanuts, seed cake, seed.
Nesting Season
Mid-April to Mid-May.
Nest Location
In a variety of habitats; usually nests in a hole or cavity in a tree or wall, and occasionally in very dense vegetation.
Nest
A cup-shaped nest made of a variety of plant materials, lined with thin strands of grass or feathers. Built by the female.
Eggs
Seven to nine, 18mm, slightly shiny white or pale cream eggs with red-brown or light brown spots and flecks of variable size and density.
Incubation Period
Thirteen to fifteen days by the female, fed by the male.
Fledging Time
18–21 days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One.
Nest Box
Hole-entrance box.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Fourteen years.
Confusion Species
Coal Tit is smaller and has a white stripe down the nape and buff undersides. Blue Tit has a bright blue cap.
Chaffinch (Fringilla Coelebs) (Rí Rua)
Chaffinches are one of the most abundant and widespread breeding bird species in Ireland. They nest in woodlands, hedgerows and gardens. Irish chaffinches are sedentary, with most breeding pairs returning to the same nest site year after year. In the winter, large numbers of chaffinches arrive here from northern Europe, via European countries bordering the south shore of the North Sea. Irish birds feed more in woodland areas and gardens, while the visiting birds, which are larger and paler, prefer to feed in large flocks in stubble fields. Outside the breeding season, chaffinches mainly eat seeds, and over a hundred different seed types have been recorded being eaten by them, which is one possible explanation for their abundance in Ireland. The Latin name of this bird, coelebs – derived from the Latin for bachelor – was given by Linnaeus, who saw only male chaffinches in winter in his native Sweden: females from its northern breeding grounds winter further south than males.
Identification Features
Slightly larger than a Robin.
Face, breast and belly rosy orange-pink; undertail white; crown and nape metallic blue-grey; back brown; rump olive-green. Wings dark brown with two white wing bars; white outer tail feathers on a relatively long dark tail. Males in their first year and during the winter are duller, though not as dull as the females. Stout, conical, grey beak; pale-pink legs.
Female
Same pattern as male but body drab pale grey-brown. Beak paler.
In Flight
Double white wing bar and white outer tail feathers very obvious. White underwing.
Voice Guide
Calls include a loud buzz-twink-twink-twink and in flight a low, weak weiou. Its song, which lasts about three seconds and is repeated, starts with buzzing notes, slows and descends into a jumble and finally a flourish.
Diet
Mainly insects during the summer and in the winter a wide variety of seeds, berries, etc; broadest diet of all finches.
Food to put out
Seed and seed cake, usually on the ground; also peanuts. The Chaffinch can often be seen on the ground under a bird table or feeder, eating seeds and bits of peanuts dropped by other birds.
Nesting Season
Mid-April to end May.
Nest Location
In a variety of habitats with trees, from woodlands to hedgerows and gardens; usually built in the fork of a tree.
Nest
A cup-shaped nest, made from a variety of plant materials and spiders’ webs, lined with feathers and fine plant material.
Eggs
Four to five, 19mm, shiny eggs ranging from white to pale pink or brown with a scattering of dark red-brown spots and streaks.
Incubation Period
Eleven to thirteen days, by the female.
Fledging Time
Twelve to sixteen days fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Twelve years.
Confusion Species
Brambling is an uncommon winter visitor; white rump; male more orange then red; less white on wings.
Greenfinch: absence of white on females and immatures.
Female House Sparrow has no white on outer tail feathers and no obvious white on the wings.
Coal Tit (Meantán Dubh)
The coal tit is fond of wooded areas, with a particular preference for conifers and also sessile oak and birch. It is widespread in Ireland, absent only from treeless areas, particularly in the extreme west. Resident, rarely travelling far. In winter, it often forms part of a flock consisting of different members of the tit family. Unlike other members of the tit family, however, it hoards food at any time of the year and so does not suffer so much in severe weather. In one incident, a bird-watcher put out 250g of whole peanuts on a bird table only to find that a coal tit had removed the lot in less than an hour, hiding the nuts in cracks in a nearby wall.
Identification Features
Smaller than a Robin.
Upperparts
Long white patch on the nape; black head and white ear coverts; dark wings with two faint white wing bars; dark grey-brown back and tail.
Underside
Pale buff-grey; beak short and thin; legs long and dark blue-grey. Comes readily to bird tables and has a mischievous jizz. Dull in colour compared to the other tits.
In Flight
Weak, bouncing flight, short bursts of rapid wing beats.
Voice Guide
Its calls and song are varied but include a high, forced fee-chew repeated several times; also a very high, Goldcrest-like su-ee-ou, zit-zit-zit, suee-ou.
Diet
Insects and spiders, also seeds in winter.
Food to put out
Seed cake, seed and peanuts.
Nesting Season
Late April and May.
Nest Location
Prefers conifer trees but will also nest in broadleaved trees. Usually nests in a hole, sometimes in walls.
Nest
A cup-shaped nest made from a variety of plant materials and spiders’ webs and lined with hair, delicate plant material and feathers. Built by the female.
Eggs
Eight to ten, 16mm, slightly shiny white or pale cream eggs with scattered red-brown blotches and flecks, usually darker than those of the Blue Tit.
Incubation Period
Fourteen to seventeen days by the female.
Fledging Time
Sixteen to nineteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One to two.
Nest Box
Hole-entrance box.
Average Lifespan
Two years.
Oldest Known Individual
Eight years.
Confusion Species
Blue Tit and Great Tit are both more colourful and lack the distinctive white stripe on the nape.
Magpie (Snag Breac)
Magpies are found throughout Ireland. They eat a wide variety of food, from insects to fruit and carrion such as roadkill, hence their success. They are adaptable and well able to exploit opportunities presented in urban and suburban landscapes, in particular. During the breeding season they will take eggs and young of smaller songbirds, making them very unpopular with bird watchers and gardeners. However they are less likely to impact on bird populations than straying cats and studies have shown that the presence of Magpies indicates a healthy songbird population.
Identification Features
Upperparts
Blue-green sheen on the black feathers, white ‘braces’ at the base of the wings and white on the primaries; black, wedge-ended tail as long as its body.
Underside
Head, throat and breast completely black; belly and flanks white; legs and beak black.
In Flight
Long tail; blunt, rounded wings; black and white plumage.
Voice Guide
Call is a harsh mechanical chakk-kackk-kackk. Song is more musical with high squeaks. Noisy when alarmed, especially near the nest, for example, by a nearby cat or bird of prey.
Diet
Very varied, ranging from insects, seeds and fruit to carrion, kitchen scraps, eggs and nestlings.
Food to put out
Seed cake, kitchen scraps; dog and cat food.
Nesting Season
Early April to early May.
Nest Location
Nests in a variety of habitats where medium to tall trees are present. Utilises telegraph poles in suburban areas.
Nest
A large nest, visible near the top of a tree before the leaves emerge. The nest is cup-shaped, made of twigs and some mud, lined with finer plant material and sometimes hair. Usually the nest is covered with a loose dome of twigs. The male usually brings the nest material and the female does the building.
Eggs
Five to seven, 35mm, shiny eggs of varying shades of pale blue-green covered with small flecks and spots of dark brown or grey.
Incubation Period
Eighteen to twenty days, by the female.
Fledging Time
26–31 days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
Five years.
Oldest Known Individual
21 years.
Confusion Species
None.
Goldfinch (Lasair Choille)
Goldfinches declined in numbers in the nineteenth century due to large-scale trapping, especially in the northern half of the island. The introduction of laws protecting birds in the twentieth century has reduced this activity, but illegal trapping still continues in some parts. Goldfinches are constantly on the move, searching for its main food – seeds of thistles and teasels. It is the only finch that can extract the seeds from the teasel (a plant used widely for flower-arranging). It will also feed on the seeds of knapweed, ragwort, groundsel and dandelions. In the last twenty years goldfinches have become increasingly common visitors to gardens, visiting peanut and seed feeders. Goldfinches are particularly attracted to Nyjer seed, a fine oily and high calorie seed.
Identification Features
Same size as a Robin.
Upperparts
Blood-red face; broad bright yellow wing bars; rest of wings black, with white tips to the primaries and secondaries; tail black and white; back is pale golden brown; rump is paler again. Stout, pink conical beak with a dark tip; pink legs.
Underside
White with broad golden-brown flanks; incomplete sandy-brown breast band. Birds just out of the nest are similar to the adults except that the head is completely pale brown.
In Flight
Striking yellow and black wing pattern and undulating flight.
Voice Guide
It has a long beautiful song, containing buzzes, characteristic fluid notes, trills and twitters. Calls almost continuously in flight. The call is simpler than the song and contains more fluid notes.
Diet
A variety of seeds, especially teasels and thistles; some insects in summer.
Food to put out
Peanuts, sunflower and nyjer seed.
Nesting Season
Late April to mid-July.
Nest Location
Nests in a wide variety of habitats with trees including gardens. Nest usually built towards the end of branches, not in dense cover. Like many of its relatives, it nests in loose colonies.
Nest
A tidy cup-shaped nest made of a variety of plant materials and lined with light plant material, wool, hair and/or feathers. Built by the female.
Eggs
Four to six, 18mm, shiny cream or pale blue-green eggs with a scattering of small spots and blotches ranging in colour from red-brown to black, mainly at the broad end of the egg.
Incubation Period
Thirteen to fifteen days, by female who is fed by male.
Fledging Time
Thirteen to sixteen days, fed by both parents. Young remain dependent on the parents for about a week after leaving the nest.
Number of broods reared per year
Two to three.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
Two years.
Oldest Known Individual
Eight years.
Confusion Species
None.
House Sparrow (Gealbhan Binne)
With an estimated world population of 500 million, the house sparrow is considered to be one of the most widespread and numerous land-bird species in the world. It is encountered throughout Ireland and is most numerous in the eastern half of the island. As the name suggests it has been associated with man for a long time. Can often be seen ‘dust-bathing’ in dust or sand, usually in small groups. This is thought to help remove parasites and keep plumage in good condition. It is a sedentary species and has declined in some areas in recent years. Changes in farming practices, crop spraying and the use of pesticides in gardens are contributing factors. The decline has been far more dramatic in Britain. One study showed that cats accounted for 30 per cent of house sparrow deaths in a village in England.
Identification Features
Slightly larger than a Robin.
Male
Black bib, smaller in the winter; grey crown; dark brown eye-stripe extends and widens back and down the nape. Ear coverts and side of throat pale grey, sometimes looking almost white. Breast and belly pencil-grey; tail relatively long, dark-brown with paler buff edges to the feathers; rump grey; back streaked light and dark brown; wings light and dark brown; white wing bar. Short, stout, conical dark-grey beak, pink legs.
Female
No distinctive plumage features, paler than the male, lacking the black, white and richer browns, brown above, paler below.
In Flight
Fast and straight, undulates on longer flights.
Voice Guide
The call is a loud cheep, repeated without variation. Often heard calling and chattering in groups from bushes or hedges, where their dull plumage makes them almost invisible, despite the loud, repetitive noise.
Diet
Seeds, berries; nestlings fed mainly insects.
Food to put out
Seed cake, seed, peanuts, kitchen scraps and bread.
Nesting Season
Late March to mid-July.
Nest Location
Usually nests in holes and cavities in buildings and walls, especially near farmland. Will sometimes build in dense vegetation. Will nest colonially in nestboxes.
Nest
If not in a cavity, nest will usually have a dome of some description on it. Made of a variety of plant materials and also man-made materials such as string, cloth, plastic. The cup is usually lined with feathers or hair. Built mainly by the male.
Eggs
Three to five, 22mm, slightly shiny cream or pale blue eggs covered with spots, flecks and blotches ranging in colour from dark brown to green-grey, yellow-grey or black.
Incubation Period
Thirteen to fifteen days, mainly by the female.
Fledging Time
Thirteen to fourteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
Two to three.
Nest Box
Hole-entrance box.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Twelve years.
Confusion Species
Tree sparrow is very local and scarce; differs in head pattern with crown completely chestnut-brown; cheeks white with isolated black spot; sexes similar. Female house sparrows may resemble female chaffinches but lack obvious white wing bars.
Greenfinch (Glasán Darach)
The greenfinch frequents arable farmland and suburban areas, so it is not too surprising that it is more common in the east and south. The increased use of herbicides on farmland has contributed to its decline in recent years. In winter only a few additional birds come to Ireland, mainly from Britain. As winter progresses and the supply of seed diminishes, greenfinches form large flocks, sometimes containing over a hundred birds. They are regular visitors to bird tables and fight fiercely between themselves and with other species for the best place on the peanut-feeder. Threatening with its beak open and wings spread, two greenfinches will often tangle upwards into the air with a flurry of wings before separating.
Identification Features
Slightly larger than a Robin.
Male
Bright yellow-green; bright yellow patches on the wings and base of the outer tail feathers; grey on wings and ear coverts; strong conical beak often pink at the base; pink legs.
Female
Drab, paler yellow patches. Male and female both have a dark shadow around the eye.
Immature
Indistinctly streaked below and may resemble female chaffinch.
In Flight
Undulating flight; flashes yellow and green.
Voice Guide
Calls include a squeaky whou-ie-ouh, and buzzing notes. Will sometimes sing during a display flight, with stiff mechanical wing beats. Parts of its long, melodious, twittering song are often likened to that of a canary.
Diet
Mainly seeds; nestlings are fed insects and seeds.
Food to put out
Peanuts, seed and seed cake.
Nesting Season
Early April to late June.
Nest Location
Nests in a variety of open woodland habits, hedgerows and gardens. Usually built in trees or bushes, close to the trunk.
Nest
A substantial cup-shaped nest made of a variety of plant materials lined with strands of plant material, hair and sometimes feathers.
Eggs
Four to six, 20mm, shiny cream or pale blue-green eggs with a scattering of spots and blotches ranging in colour from red-brown to black.
Incubation Period
Thirteen to fifteen days, by the female.
Fledging Time
Fourteen to sixteen days. Fed by both parents who, unlike many garden birds, regurgitate food for their young.
Number of broods reared per year
Two to three.
Nest Box
Open-front box.
Average Lifespan
Two years.
Oldest Known Individual
Twelve years.
Confusion Species
Siskin is smaller. Male: black cap and chin; female and immature: very streaked; black and yellow wings. Female chaffinch has white wing bars and no bright yellow feathers.
Dunnock Hedge Sparrow (Bráthair an dreoilín/Dunnóg)
This unobtrusive little brown bird has a very complex social system and does not form pairs (as most birds do), but breeds in groups of up to three males and three females, with two males and a female being the most common. In the winter, hedges and ground flora are very important for both food and shelter. A largely sedentary bird, they rarely travel far. It is common, except in some parts of the north and extreme west.
Identification Features
Similar in size to a robin.
Upperparts: dark brown, streaked black; no obvious wing markings.
Underside
Dark grey, paler toward the undertail coverts; dark streaking on the flanks; eyes deep red or brown; beak short, thin and black; legs long, thin and reddish-brown. Juveniles boldly streaked on the underparts. When feeding, hops along open ground, usually under bushes, hedgerows or bird tables and feeders.
In Flight
Slightly undulating but not very fast. No noticeable features.
Voice Guide
Call is a high thin seeep. The song is wren-like though not as loud or as long.
Diet
Mostly insects, in winter also seeds.
Food to put out
Crushed peanuts, kitchen scraps and seed on the ground.
Nesting Season
April to mid-June.
Nest Location
The nest is usually well hidden in bushes or undergrowth in a wide range of habitats from gardens to bracken-covered hillsides.
Nest
A cup made of twigs and other plant material lined with moss, hair or sometimes feathers. Built by both male and female.
Eggs
Four to five, 20mm, shiny unmarked bright green-blue eggs, rarely with fine red-brown spots.
Incubation Period
Fourteen days, by the female.
Fledging Time
Twelve to fourteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One to two.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
Two years.
Oldest Known Individual
Eleven years.
Confusion Species
Wren is much smaller, fast moving, pale brown undersides and has a short, stiff, raised tail.
Wren (Dreoilín)
A symbol of the dark and earth, the tradition of the ‘wran’ hunt (latterly on St Stephen’s Day), dates back to Neolithic times. The third smallest bird in Europe after the goldcrest and firecrest, it would definitely qualify as one of the noisiest. Its Latin name when translated means, ‘cave-dweller’, which aptly describes its behaviour as it spends most of its time deep inside hedges, bushes and under-growth. Being so small, wrens die in large numbers during very cold weather and indeed they are less common in more exposed areas of the west of the country during the winter months. With an average life span of less than two years, nature ensures its survival by providing many young. Wrens can be polygamous with a male having two or three females with nests.
Identification Features
Smaller than a blue tit. A tiny, rusty-brown bird; paler below; pale supercilium; short rounded wings; fairly long, thin down-curved beak; long thin brown legs. Often cocks its tail so high it almost touches the back of its head.
In Flight
Low straight buzzing flight.
Voice Guide
The song is very loud, high and energetic. It has a variety of calls, the most noticeable being a loud short tchic,often repeated many times in an irregular, mechanical fashion. Cocks its tail when singing.
Diet
Mainly insects and spiders.
Food to put out
Will occasionally eat breadcrumbs and small bits of cheese on the ground.
Nesting Season
Mid-April to mid-June.
Nest Location
Nests in hollows or cavities in scrub and undergrowth, hedges, stone walls, cliffs, bogs, even old teapots and will occasionally use a blue-tit-type nest box.
Nest
Ball-shaped, made of moss and leaves and has an entrance on the side. The nest is built by the male and lined by the female.
Eggs
Five to seven, 17mm, occasionally as many as sixteen shiny white eggs finely spotted with colours ranging from rusty brown to grey or black, often concentrated at the broad end.
Incubation Period
Seventeen days, by the female.
Fledging Time
Sixteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One.
Nest Box
Open-front or large-hole entrance box.
Average Lifespan
Two years.
Oldest Known Individual
Six years.
Confusion Species
Dunnock is larger, dark grey below, more frequently seen on the ground and has a longer tail which is never raised high in the air. Treecreeper is very white below and never raises its tail.
Starling (Druid)
Common and widespread, absent only from some upland areas. The starling catches insects by sticking its long, thin beak into grass and opening it wide causing any insects to fall into the space, which can then be easily caught if suitable. In the late autumn and winter, starlings form large flocks, often landing on pylons and overhead wires, before wheeling around in pre-roost flights. The roost is typically in woods and reed beds or on cliffs and buildings. These flocks often contain many thousands of birds, sometimes as many as 100,000. Each winter Irish starlings are joined by birds from Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and Russia. In severe continental winters, many more come and as many as 6 to 8 million may spend the winter here.
Identification Features
Slightly smaller than a Blackbird.
Adult in winter
Dark, glossy plumage; heavily spotted white, mostly concentrated on the head which can look pale at a distance. These spots become less obvious as spring approaches. Beak dark, pointed, legs dull pink.
Adult in summer
Black plumage with blue and green sheen; few spots, restricted to back and towards tail; beak straw yellow, very pale blue-grey base on males; legs pink.
Immature
Dusty grey-brown; pale throat, pale buff edges to wing feathers; beak black; legs dark brown-red. Rarely seen singly; always quarrelling and noisy.
In Flight
All dark; pointed triangular shaped wings; short, fanned tail.
Voice Guide
The calls and songs of the starling are very varied and it is an expert mimic, not only of other birds but also of artificial sounds like a referee’s whistle, door bells and even car alarms, all mixed up together.
Diet
Varied but mainly insects, berries and seeds; usually feeds on ground.
Food to put out
Bread, seed cake and peanuts.
Nesting Season
Early April to end May.
Nest Location
Will nest in a variety of rural and urban habitats, in cavities in trees and roofs or eaves.
Nest
A rough collection of twigs and other plant materials, also man-made materials such as plastic, etc, with a cup lined with feathers. Usually started by the male and finished by the female.
Eggs
Four to six, 30mm, slightly shiny pale blue or white eggs.
Incubation Period
Twelve to fifteen days, by both parents.
Fledging Time
19–22 days, fed by both parents. Young dependent on parents for a while after leaving the nest, often seen chasing them and begging for food.
Number of broods reared per year
One to two.
Nest Box
Hole-entrance box.
Average Lifespan
Five years.
Oldest Known Individual
Seventeen years.
Confusion Species
Blackbird is bigger, no spots, long tail, dark legs.
Song Thrush (Smólach ceoil/Smólach)
Like other thrushes, the song thrush likes earthworms and can be seen feeding on large lawns and parks. It also likes snails which it smashes open on a small rock or tree stump, often referred to as an anvil, leaving a large number of broken shells scattered about. In Britain, an alarming increase in the use of snail-killing chemicals in recent years, both commercially and domestically, is thought to be the main cause of a recent decline there. Like the Blackbird, song thrushes from Britain and Scandinavia come here each winter and in severe cold winters thrushes from all over the continent arrive here in large numbers.
Identification Features
Slightly smaller and slimmer than a Blackbird.
Plain, warm brown;
Underside
Pale buff with conspicuous black spots, arranged so close together as to form lines, thinnest on the throat and upper breast, thickest with largest spots on the flanks and belly; eyes black; beak small and sharp, looks up-tilted; legs long and pink. On open ground often makes short dashes.
In Flight
Mainly unmarked upper parts, pale buff-orange inner underwing.
Voice Guide
Its call is a loud thick, repeated several times quickly. The song, delivered from a high leafy perch, roof or TV aerial, is similar to that of a Blackbird, but more musical and structured, containing short phrases repeated clearly, usually two to four times.
Diet
Mainly earthworms and insects. During dry periods will eat snails and in the autumn and winter will eat berries and other fruit also.
Food to put out
May take fruit and kitchen scraps from the ground.
Nesting Season
Mid-March to mid-June.
Nest Location
Usually nests in a well-hidden site in trees or shrubs and occasionally on buildings.
Nest
A neat cup-shaped nest made of a variety of plant materials lined with mud or rotten wood pulp. Nest built by the female.
Eggs
Four to six, 27mm, slightly shiny bright pale green-blue eggs with flecks or spots ranging in colour from dark green to dark rusty red. Usually only a light scattering of marks, rarely concentrated towards the broad end of the egg.
Incubation Period
Twelve to fourteen days, by female.
Fledging Time
Thirteen to fifteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
Two to three.
Nest Box
Nest bundles and occasionally small platforms.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Ten years.
Confusion Species
Redwing a winter visitor, is slightly smaller; pale buff supercilium; dark red-orange on inner underwings and flanks; call a thin tseeep. Mistle thrush is larger, colder brown; white inner underwing; round spots not arranged in lines; stands very upright.
Woodpigeon (Colm Coille)
As the name suggests, the woodpigeon usually nests in trees and bushes but will also nest in any vegetated area, even on the ground in some locations. Small numbers come here from Britain and mainland Europe in the winter. Known to cause damage to crops, especially during the winter, when it will feed on kale, turnips and clover. It also visits vegetable patches early in the morning and can clean out a whole bed of newly emerging plants very quickly without being seen. In autumn, flocks of up to 15,000 have been recorded and with so much food available survival rates for young are very high. It has been conservatively estimated that as many as 3 million Woodpigeons are in Ireland each autumn. Rather than feed their young insects, pigeons feed them a milk formed from sloughing off fluid-filled cells in the crop lining. It is more nutritious than human or cow’s milk.
Identification Features
Slightly smaller and heavier than a Rook.
Adult
Pure white neck patches and wing crescents on the wings; pink-grey breast, rest of body greyer; rump and lower back pale blue-grey; tail grey with a dark band on the end, more clearly marked grey and black below; very fat-looking; small head; short red legs; pale yellow and pink beak; pale cream iris.
Immature
Like an adult, but lacks the white neck patches.
In Flight
When flying out of trees it can make a loud racket as its wings hit leaves and branches. Its display flight, used to defend its territory, involves a steep flight upwards ending in loud wing claps and a downward glide, sometimes repeated.
Voice Guide
Its call is a series of loud cooing notes sounding like, ‘Take two, John, take two’. This phrase is often repeated several times and may start in the middle of a phrase.
Diet
Seeds, leaves, berries, buds, beechmast (beechnuts), acorns and root crops.
Food to put out
Seed and bread on the ground.
Nesting Season
Early March to late August.
Nest Location
Usually nests in trees or large shrubs.
Nest
Usually flat, not very thick and made of twigs. Mainly built by the female.
Eggs
Two to three, 41mm long, slightly shiny white eggs.
Incubation Period
Sixteen days, by both parents.
Fledging Time
30–34 days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
One to three.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Seventeen years.
Confusion Species
Feral pigeon comes in all patterns and colours from almost all black to pure white or rusty red. Does not have the white neck patches or wing crescents. Found mainly in urban areas. Stock dove is rarely found in gardens. Lacks the white neck patches and wing crescents and is typically associated with arable farms.
Jackdaw (Cág)
More common in towns and cities than other crows, though numerous everywhere, except parts of the extreme west. Perhaps best known for its habit of nesting in chimney pots and is often to be seen sitting in pairs on roofs in winter. During the winter the jackdaw will move away from exposed areas such as uplands. This bird is closely associated with humans, and because of its agility it is numerous around refuse tips and scavenges on rubbish in towns and cities. Also feeds in mixed pastureland in the company of its near relative the rook. It frequently roosts in large numbers, usually at traditional woodland sites, in company with other crow species.
Identification Features
A very neat-looking crow. Silver-grey nape and side of neck; rest of the head black; body a duller silver-grey; wings and tail black; pale blue eyes; beak fairly short, black and straight; legs black.
In Flight
Short primary ‘fingers’; flocks glide, twist and turn; often seen with Rooks.
Voice Guide
Voice higher pitched than Rook. Includes harsh keyaakand kewkaw, sometimes repeated several times.
Diet
Mainly insects, but also seeds, fruit, kitchen scraps, and any suitable food it comes across.
Food to put out
Bread, seed cake, even peanuts.
Nesting Season
Mid-March to mid-April.
Nest Location
Found in a variety of habitats with suitable nest holes. Will use natural sites such as hollows in trees, but also regularly nests in chimneys. Nests in colonies if at all possible.
Nest
Consists of sticks and twigs lined with hair, wool or fine plant material. In chimneys sticks are wedged across the flue and more twigs are built up around these, often resulting in large quantities of twigs falling down the chimney. Nest built by both the female and male. The same nest is often used year after year.
Eggs
Four to six, 35mm, shiny pale blue-green eggs with usually just a light covering of grey or black flecks and spots.
Incubation Period
Eighteen to twenty days by the female, fed by the male.
Fledging Time
30–33 days, young fed by both parents. May not be able to fly properly for up to a week after fledging during which time the young are dependent on the parents for food.
Number of broods reared per year
One.
Nest Box
Large hole-entrance box.
Average Lifespan
Five years.
Oldest Known Individual
Fifteen years.
Confusion Species
Rook, especially young birds. No silvery grey plumage on the head, larger beak and a dark iris.
Collared Dove (Fearán Baicdhubh)
The Collared Dove is a recent colonist of Ireland. In 1930 the nearest breeding birds were in Yugoslavia. Following an amazing population explosion, 29 years later it was breeding over most of Europe and reached Ireland in 1959 when it was first recorded in Counties Down, Dublin and Galway. It first bred in Counties Kildare, Kilkenny and Louth as recently as 1969. Now it is estimated that as many as 30,000 pairs breed in Ireland. Less likely to be found over high ground and more open countryside. A regular but wary visitor to bird tables. Often perches on overhead wires and lamp posts where it delivers its monotonous song.
Identification Features
Slim, sand-coloured dove.
Upperparts
Brown back and inner wing, dark brown-black outer primaries.
Underside
Pale grey-brown underside, distinctive but not always noticeable black half-collar at base of the neck; beak short, thin and dark; eyes dark red; legs short and powdery pink.
In Flight
Flies straight with fast jerky wing beats. In display flight it glides with stiff, slightly down-curved wings and fanned tail, clearly showing the pale underwing and white undertail with a black band at the base.
Voice Guide
Its call is a gentle ‘cooing’ sound phrased like ‘can yoouuu coo’ repeated two or more times.
Diet
Mainly seeds of weeds and cereal crops. Will sometimes eat shoots and insects.
Food to put out
Seed and bread.
Nesting Season
March to September.
Nest Location
Nests in trees and sometimes ledges on buildings.
Nest
A light flat platform made of twigs. Mainly built by the female.
Eggs
Two to three, 31mm long, shiny white eggs.
Incubation Period
16 days by both parents.
Fledging Time
Seventeen to nineteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year
Three to six.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
Three years.
Oldest Known Individual
Sixteen years.
Confusion Species
None.
Siskin (Píobaire)
Siskins breed mainly in coniferous plantations, particularly spruce. The recent increase in forestry plantations has led to a corresponding increase in its population. In winter it is has become a regular visitor to bird tables where it can be very aggressive despite its small size. It has a characteristic habit of perching upside down when feeding from peanut feeders. Numbers visiting gardens vary from year to year, depending on the availability of natural food supplies, such as birch and alder seeds, usually turning up in gardens from December onwards. Often associates with redpolls.
Identification Features
Same size as a Blue Tit.
Male
Black cap and throat; head dark olive green with pale yellow stripe extending from the eye back to the nape and down around the ear coverts; wings black with two bright yellow wing bars and pale edges to the secondaries; back olive green with faint dark streaks; rump yellow, short notched tail with yellow patches at base of outer feathers; breast and upper belly green-yellow; lower belly and undertail coverts white with dark streaking. Short, pale, conical beak, and dark grey legs.
Female
No black cap or chin; not as yellow, especially on the wings; heavier streaking on the back.
Immature
Paler and more streaked than female.
In Flight
Small, yellow and black; fast and undulating.
Voice Guide
Calls and song include a variable twitter, a very thin tee-oou, a buzzing wheeeze and a high, bouncing, chattering trill.
Diet
Seeds, especially conifer seeds, alder and birch. Siskins will also take insects from the undersides of leaves in summer and autumn.
Food to put out
Peanuts and nyjer seed.
Nesting Season
Early April to end May.
Nest Location
Nests mainly in coniferous or mixed woodlands. Usually built towards the end of a branch, may be high up.
Nest
A cup-shaped nest made of small twigs, lichens and mosses and other plant material. Lined with strands of plant material, hair, wool and feathers.
Eggs
Three to five, 16 mm, shiny pale blue eggs with a light scattering of red-brown and purple blotches and streaks.
Incubation Period
Twelve to fourteen days, by the female.
Fledging Time
Thirteen to fifteen days. Fed initially by the male, while the female broods the young, then by both parents, delivering food by regurgitation.
Number of broods reared per year
Two.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
No data available.
Oldest Known Individual
Nine years.
Confusion Species
Greenfinch is much bigger, obvious large conical beak, no streaking on the plumage. Redpoll lacks yellow plumage and males have a red forehead and black chin.
Rook (Rúcach/Préachán)
One of the first comments by visiting birdwatchers from abroad concerns the abundance of crows on this island. The rook is by far the most common crow species we have, absent only from treeless areas in the extreme west. Unlike the Jackdaw, it prefers rural areas, especially where there is a good mixture of pasture and arable crops. It nests in colonies called rookeries, liking Scots pines, but any tall trees will do. Rookeries can vary from a few scattered pairs, to many hundreds of nests tightly packed together. The sound of a rookery in spring and summer is as much part of the countryside as cows and sheep. In late summer and autumn on their flight paths a large procession of crows can be seen going to roost for the night. In winter it follows very specific flight paths to roost sites that may contain thousands of individuals.
Identification Features
All feathers are black with a purple-blue sheen; duller, sometimes dark brown when worn. Long beak looks slightly down-curved.
Outer half of beak dark; inner half and bare throat patch powdery white; black legs and untidy feathers around the thighs, giving it a ‘shaggy trousers’ appearance. Not as neat-looking as the jackdaw. Moves slowly and deliberately on the ground, often ‘galloping’ away if approached.
Immature
Rooks in their first year have an all-black beak with black feathers covering the inner half of the upper mandible.
In Flight
The primaries can clearly be seen as ‘fingers’ at the end of the wings, not so noticeable on Jackdaws.
Voice Guide
Call is a typical kaw, uttered on its own or repeated several times; when calling while perched or on the ground often fans its tail and stretches forward.
Diet
Very varied: mainly beetles, earthworms, carrion and grain.
Food to put out
Bread, tinned cat or dog food, kitchen scraps on the ground.
Nesting Season
Late March to the beginning of May.
Nest Location
Nests in noisy colonies in tall trees. Breeds in a variety of habitats where tall trees are present, especially near farmland.
Nest
Made of sticks and twigs with some earth and lined with a variety of plant materials, and sometimes wool and hair. The same nest may be used every year following repairs. The male usually brings the nest material and the female does the building.
Eggs
Three to five, 40mm, shiny, highly variable blue-green eggs covered with flecks, blotches and scribbles of grey-brown. Eggs in the same nest can vary a lot in colour and pattern.
Incubation Period
Fifteen to eighteen days by the female, fed by the male.
Fledging Time
31–35 days, fed by the male initially and then by both parents. The young usually stay at the colony for a few days after fledging.
Number of broods reared per year
One.
Nest Box
No.
Average Lifespan
Five years.
Oldest Known Individual
Nineteen years.
Confusion Species
Raven is much bigger; massive black beak; wedge-shaped tail; very rare in gardens. Jackdaw is smaller; silver-grey on head; pale eyes.
Blackcap (Caipín dubh)
Mainly a summer visitor from Africa to deciduous woodlands, where it can be difficult to see, but the jaunty song is notable. Over the last 25 years blackcaps have been over-wintering in Ireland in increasing numbers. These individuals come here from a separate, continental European breeding population. In winter, areas of ivy with berries are worth checking for this neat bird as are cordyline trees, where the fruiting bracts are similarly attractive. When visiting bird tables, for apples or peanuts, it can behave quite aggressively, chasing other birds away.
Identification features
Same size as a robin. Male: neat, jet black cap; cold brown-grey upperparts; pale throat and undertail. Female: less distinctive, pale, chestnut-brown cap, slightly browner overall.
Voice guide: The call is a harsh tcek repeated many times if alarmed. The song is a series of very varied warbling notes, becoming louder towards the end.
Diet: insects in the summer, otherwise seed, berries and fruit.
Food to put out: seed cake, seed, peanuts and fruit.
Nesting season: late April to mid-June.
Nest location: open deciduous, coniferous or mixed woodland with bushes and undergrowth.
Nest: a small neat cup-shaped nest made of a variety of plant materials, occasionally with wool and hair and lined with fine grass and hair. Built by both female and male.
Eggs: four to six, 20mm, shiny, unevenly coloured cream eggs sometimes with a tint of red with a few spots, flecks or scribbles of dark brown.
Incubation period: twelve to fourteen days, by female and male.
Fledging time: ten to thirteen days, fed by both parents.
Number of broods reared per year: one to two.
Nest box: no.
Average lifespan: two years.
Oldest known individual: ten years.
Confusion species: None.