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They perform elaborate greeting rituals, stretching their necks skywards and gently tapping bills together.

British Birds - Miscellaneous 02

Some British birds are unexpected visitors, city newcomers, or rare wanderers. This quiz helps you spot the odd ones by shape, behaviour, and habitat clues.

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Fascinating Fact:

Ring-necked parakeets are the UK’s best-known naturalised parrot, often heard before they are seen because of their loud calls. They can gather in large flocks at shared roost sites.

In Specialist Nature, miscellaneous bird quizzes help you practise real-world identification. You might meet migrants passing through, birds that have spread into towns, or species that are scarce and local. The best approach is to combine several clues at once: overall size, silhouette, bill shape, how the bird moves, and the habitat it chooses. That mix is far more reliable than colour alone.

Key Terms

Introduced species: A species that arrived in an area because of human activity, then survived and bred in the wild.
Roost: A regular resting place where birds gather, often to stay safer and warmer overnight.
Vagrant: A bird found well outside its normal range, usually due to weather, navigation mistakes, or unusual migration.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

Are ring-necked parakeets native birds in the UK?

Ring-necked parakeets are not native to the UK. They originally come from parts of Africa and Asia, and UK populations became established after escapes and releases.

Where do ring-necked parakeets live in the UK?

They are most common in south-east England, especially around cities, parks, and leafy suburbs. Smaller numbers can also appear in other towns where food and trees suit them.

How do I identify an unfamiliar bird when birdwatching?

Start with size and shape, then check bill type, tail length, and how the bird flies or feeds. Finally, use habitat and behaviour to narrow the options with confidence.

Try These Related Quizzes

To see a larger image, click on the picture.

1 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Walter Siegmund

Northern Gannet

Rough-legged Buzzard

Feral Pigeon

Great Bittern

Group: Buzzards, Kites and allies
Binomial: Buteo lagopus
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Status: Winter Visitor
It has the habit of 'hanging' in the air, hovering regularly, while looking for prey.
Its toes are short for its size.
It breeds on cliffs, slopes or in trees, laying about four eggs.

2 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Bjorn Kreis

Grey Heron

Feral Pigeon

Bohemian Waxwing

Common Treecreeper

Group: Bitterns, Herons and Egrets
Binomial: Ardea cinerea
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Ardeidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species And Winter Migrant
In flight it holds its neck retracted.
It is usually solitary although several birds may feed fairly close together.
It stalks its food, often standing motionless for some considerable time.

3 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Pawel Kuzniar

Eurasian Nuthatch

Grey Heron

Common Treecreeper

Northern Gannet

Group: Treecreepers
Binomial: Certhia familiaris
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Certhiidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species
It climbs up trees mouse-like and usually starts at the bottom and works upwards in a spiral around the trunk.
Both call and song are high-pitched and not audible to everyone.
Small and very active bird.

4 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.marekszczepanek.pl/

Great Bittern

Black Redstart

Northern Gannet

Bohemian Waxwing

Group: Bitterns, Herons and Egrets
Binomial: Botaurus stellata
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Ardeidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species And Winter Migrant
A secretive bird, very difficult to see, as it moves silently through reeds at water's edge, looking for fish.
The males make a remarkable far-carrying, booming sound in spring.

5 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.naturespicsonline.com/

Bohemian Waxwing

Feral Pigeon

Northern Gannet

Common Spoonbill

Group: Gannets
Binomial: Morus bassanus
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Sulidae
Status: Breeding Summer Visitor And Passage Migrant
Pairs may remain together over several seasons.
They perform elaborate greeting rituals, stretching their necks skywards and gently tapping bills together.

6 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Stefan-Xp

Great Bittern

Black Redstart

Common Treecreeper

Eurasian Nuthatch

Group: Thrushes
Binomial: Phoenicurus ochruros
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Status: Scarce Breeding Resident, Passage Migrant & Winter Visitor
A slim, upright bird, but also quite shy.
The song is a hurried warble, followed by a scrunching sound like a bag of marbles, and finishing with a burst of ringing notes.

7 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://photo-natur.de/

Eurasian Nuthatch

Common Spoonbill

Rough-legged Buzzard

Great Bittern

Group: Ibises and Spoonbills
Binomial: Platalea leucorodia
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Status: Scarce Migrant, Recently Bred
These birds are tall white waterbirds with long spatulate black bills and long black legs.
Can be seen on coastal sites in north-west and south-west England and East Anglia.

8 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Alexander Gamauf

Feral Pigeon

Great Bittern

Rough-legged Buzzard

Northern Gannet

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.

9 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.lucnix.be/main.php

Eurasian Nuthatch

Common Spoonbill

Bohemian Waxwing

Common Treecreeper

Group: Nuthatches
Binomial: Sitta europaea
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species
This bird climbs up, down and around the tree trunk and branches using its powerful toes.
Best looked for in mature woods and established parkland.
Occasional sightings in Scotland.

10 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Randen Pederson

Feral Pigeon

Black Redstart

Northern Gannet

Bohemian Waxwing

Group: Waxwings
Binomial: Bombycilla garrulus
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Bombycillidae
Status: Winter Visitor
This species is irruptive, moving in unpredictable migration patterns from year to year.
Birds in winter can be very confiding and will come into gardens for berries, a favourite being the rowan.