Bio Diversity
Garden Birds
Male has black feathers, yellow beak and orange
eye ring. Female has brown feathers, Male is a
great singer, first to sing in dawn chorus and last to
go to bed.
Makes a loud "Chak" at dusk or when cat is prowling.
Makes cup shaped nest and lays 3-5 eggs that are
blue green in colour.
Robin
Robins found in gardens all over Ireland - 5.5 million. Easily identified with red
breast. Robins live for two years. They are very friendly and tame, they will feed
from your hand in winter if they are hungry and cold.
Robins are very possessive of their territory. The male will attack other males that
come into the garden. Robins are in decline butt having one nest box in the
garden will help to maintain the population.
Wren
The wren is the second smallest bird, Easily
recognised with its tail held up. The wren has dark
brown feathers and can be hard to see. More often
seen than heard. Found in all habitats farm,
mountain, garden, sea.
The nest is made of moss in the shape of a sphere
with an entrance at the side. Up to 50 wrens will
nest together in winter to keep warm.
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Song Thrush
has brown upper feathers with creamy under part and dark brown spots. Holds it head to
one side as it moves along the ground in search of worms. Feeds on insects , berries,
worms and snails. Will open the shells of snails by beating them against a brick, then
pulls the snail out of the shell and wipes it on the ground.
Blue Tit
Has blue green, yellow feathers with dark markings on the head. Lives in woodland
near oak trees. Will nest in the hole of a tree and will tear off the bark to get the insects
underneath. Will nest in nest box if hole is the right size.
People who put peanuts in feeders are helping blue tits to survive. Numbers have
increased over past 5 - 10 years. Blue tits feed on greenfly and keep roses free of
them.
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The male Bullfinch has rosy pink face
and breast, black cap and blue grey
under parts. The colour is unlike that
of any other bird. The female is like
the male but the colours are duller.
They are found in woodland, hedges
and mature gardens. Will feed on
seeds, berries and insects. Stubby
beak adapted to feed on the flower
buds of fruit trees. Can cause severe
damage to crop of fruit by reducing
yields. Used to be legally trapped in
England for this reason but not
anymore. Bullfinches tend to be shy
and don't visit bird feeders.
Cuckoo the sound of the cuckoo in late April tells us that summer is on the way.
The male makes the sound of the familiar cuck-oo for 6 weeks after its arrival. The cuckoo
does not build its own nest but just lays eggs that perfectly mimic those of other birds e.g
robin, dunnock, meadow pipit. When the newly hatched cuckoo emerges from the egg it will
take the eggs of the host bird on its back and drop them on the ground. The cuckoo spends the
Winter in central and southern Africa and returns there in August. The population of cuckoo
is in decline because the dunnock and meadow pipit are also in decline. This year we have
been asked to record the first sound of the cuckoo in our locality and send it in to Spring
Alive.
Goldcrest
Smallest bird, weighs as much as a 5c coin, just 5g. Yet female can lay up to 12
eggs in a clutch which is 1½ times its body weight. Hard to see as mainly
scurries through tree trunks and branches, rarely keeping still. Song has a high
pitched "tweedly, tweedly, tweedediddee". Nest is suspended near the end of a
conifer branch, it is made from moss, lichen, spiders webs and lined with
feathers, also nests among ivy. Eggs are white with brown specks. They only
visit gardens in extreme cold winters and venture to bird tables for crumbs of
cheese and bread.
One of the top most 20 common birds;, dark brown upper
and grey under parts. Active and noisy around farms,
urban areas, parks and gardens. :Nests in a cavity in
building or in a hole formed by missing brickwork.
population has declined in recent years , will use nestbox
and peanut feeder and take all kinds of scraps from bird
table. Call is a lively !Chirrup"
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Greylag Goose
This is one of our winter visitors and it winters here during Oct - Mar having come
from Iceland. It is the only breed of goose to winter here. Has grey brown feathers
with orange yellow bill. Can be found nesting the lakeshore and marshy areas,
Nests are found hear the sailing club. Population declined in 1990's in Iceland by
20% and a hunting ban was imposed in Iceland. Conservationists have started
visiting nesting sites and carrying out a census on the number. New walkways
around Blessington Lake will gave to avoid disturbing nests.