http://flickr.com/photos/48394718@N00
http://flickr.com/photos/29145750@N00
Redpoll
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:LC-de
Swallow
Waxwing
Introduction to Habitats and Seasons
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Bird Habitats Of Europe
The various habitats that support populations of birds in Europe are shown on the
following web pages accessed from the main menu. They are:
Woods and forests
Fields, hedgerows and farms
Mountains and moors
Lakes, rivers and marshes
Sea and coastline
A number of birds are illustrated as living in each habitat, and these are common
representatives of the typical inhabitants to be found there. Other kinds of birds may be
seen in each habitat, either because they have strayed from their usual habitat, or
because they move between one habitat and another as the seasons pass. In most
habitats, the summer and winter populations of birds are different. Birds may also be
seen in special reserves where they are protected. The reserves are not like zoos where
the animals are forced to stay. The birds live there naturally, but are guarded from human
interference so that they do not leave. Many rare and unusual birds may be seen in bird
reserves. It is necessary to obtain permission or to pay an admission fee to enter most of
them.
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A Year Of Birds
The kinds of birds that may be seen in a particular habitat at different times of the year
vary greatly from one part of Britain and Europe to another. In October, for example, the
winter will have already arrived in Arctic regions while it is still late summer in southern
Europe, and totally different kinds of birds will be living in the two regions. It is no use
therefore to try to list the kinds of birds that may be seen in Europe month by month
throughout the year. We can only talk generally about the influence of the seasons on the
bird populations.
Almost all birds follow yearly cycles in their lives, and it is convenient to start the year with
the spring and the onset of the breeding season. Garden and woodland birds begin
singing, if they have not already done so, and perhaps brightening in colour as they start
their courtship. Shore birds such as waders and ducks move inland to nest, and migrants
such as swifts, swallows and cuckoos arrive to breed. Seabirds fly in from the ocean,
many to gather in breeding colonies at cliffs. Birds such as geese and some thrushes
move to the north to nest. Late spring and early summer see the birds raising their young.
The parents are active in searching for food, and trails of ducklings and other young birds
may be seen. In mid- to late summer, things quieten down as the young become
independent and the parents moult. Coastal breeding sites are deserted as the seabirds
leave, and inland migrants begin to gather in preparation for their departure. Autumn sees
the long-distance migrants leaving for southern
Asia or Africa, and the northern nesters flying south. The waders and ducks that have
nested inland on moors and marshes move back to the coast to feed at mudflats and
inshore waters. As winter arrives, birds from the north may be seen roaming for food while
resident woodland birds move out into fields and gardens to find food. Though the winter
may be hard, the first signs of spring will see the birds preparing to breed again.
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Birdwatching is not an activity that has to be confined to a particular time of year or to one
particular place. At any time, and in any place, there will be birds to see and conclusions
to be made about their behavior.
Birdwatching is always rewarding, and this is why it is such a popular pastime. Wherever
you are, and at whatever time, birds will come to you - or at least will carry on their lives
around you. However, although different kinds of birds will come to the same place
throughout the different seasons, if you want to study a wide range of birds then you have
got to go and look for them. You cannot ever expect to see a gannet, say, in your back
garden or a kingfisher on your seaside holiday, to name just two birds that are of great
interest.
Every habitat has a particular range of birds that varies from season to season. By visiting
certain habitats at particular times, you will be able to find a lot of different birds. Of
course, nowhere in Britain and Europe will you come across exotic tropical or southern
birds such as hummingbirds or penguins. And even the most energetic birdwatcher is
unlikely to see more than about 300 different species without traveling far afield.
Nevertheless, a wide range of interesting birds is to be found in Britain and continental
Europe, and the study of them is worth a great effort.
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Avocet, symbol of the RSPB and habitat conservation success
