British Birds - Garden Birds 02 - Fairly Common

The vivid green and yellow plumage on adult birds tends to fade in winter. Can you identify it? You can? Over to question 4!

British Birds - Garden Birds 02 - Fairly Common

This quiz contains the birds that occupy positions 11 to 20 in "The Big Garden Birdwatch" of 2011. The event is organized by the RSPB each spring and gets people all over the country reporting on the birds in their garden. Can you tell the difference between a Crow and a Jackdaw? Find out below! Don't forget to click the pictures to appreciate the true brilliance of the bird's plumage.

To read more about the individual birds go to British Garden Birds where you will find a wealth of information on a friendly website dedicated to helping garden birdwatchers.

Which of these options do you prefer?

  1. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of http://www.photo-natur.de/
    • Group: Long-tailed Tits
    • Binomial: Aegithalos caudatus
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Aegithalidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • Adult birds are predominatly pinkish-white
    • The longest tail of any British bird in relation to its body
    • Scientifically this is NOT in the same family as the Blue Tit and the Great Tit

  2. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of Smalljim
    • Group: Accentors
    • Binomial: Prunella modularis
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Prunellidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • Also known as Hedge Sparrow
    • Intricate light and dark brown markings
    • Adults have some grey on their heads but this is absent in young birds
    • Its movements are altogether more agitated than house sparrows

  3. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of Leemu Lehtinen
    • Group: Crows and allies
    • Binomial: Pica pica
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Corvidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • From a distance looks jet black and gleaming white but closer up the black plumage radiates many different colours
    • Sometimes gather together in groups known as "Parliaments"
    • Sometimes eats the eggs of other birds

  4. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of http://www.photo-natur.de/
    • Group: Finches
    • Binomial: Carduelis chloris
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Fringillidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • The vivid green and yellow plumage on adult birds tends to fade in winter
    • Young birds are rather dull looking and can easily be mistaken for Sparrows
    • Loves to pick the peanuts and sunflower seeds from birdtables

  5. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of Tom Tarrant (Aviceda)
    • Group: Tits
    • Binomial: Parus ater
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Paridae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • The smallest tit in the whole of Europe
    • Behaviour is similar to that of Blue tits but there is no blue in its plumage
    • The surest way to distinguish the bird from other tits is by the white patch on the back of its neck

  6. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of Alexander Gamauf
    • Group: Pigeons and Doves
    • Binomial: Columba livia
    • Order: Columbiformes
    • Family: Columbidae
    • Status: Resident, Most Birds Are Of Feral Origin
    • A familiar site in towns and cities, pecking at scraps of food
    • Descended from the Rock Dove but breeding with other types of pigeon and dove has resulted in great diversity

  7. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of M Prinke
    • Group: Crows and allies
    • Binomial: Corvus monedula
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Corvidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • The smallest member of the Crow family
    • In flight it has faster wing beats than Rooks and Carrion Crows
    • Loves shiny objects and is prone to stealing jewels and rings left unattended outside

  8. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of BS Thurner Hof
    • Group: Crows and allies
    • Binomial: Corvus corone
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Corvidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • Larger than a Jackdaw but smaller than a Raven
    • Look for feathers around the base of its beak to distinguish it from a Rook
    • Remember "If you see more than two Crows together they are Rooks"!

  9. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of Taco Meeuwsen
    • Group: Thrushes
    • Binomial: Turdus philomelos
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Turdidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • Easily confused with young and female Blackbirds
    • Does not stand as upright at Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes
    • Has warm brown upper parts and paler underparts with small dark spots

  10. What is the name of this bird?

    Photograph courtesy of Martien Brand
    • Group: Wren
    • Binomial: Troglodytes troglodytes
    • Order: Passeriformes
    • Family: Troglodytidae
    • Status: Resident Breeding Species
    • Tiny birds that weigh about the same as a £1.00 coin
    • Forever twitching and moving around
    • Tail sticks out from the body at an oddly twisted angle
    • Very loud voice for such a small bird

Quiz written by Colin King

TJS - Web Design Lincolnshire