Skies alive with birds ahead of breeding season

DESPITE the ever changeable weather, the birds can’t afford to wait for the rain to stop and the sun to come out; there is important work to be done. Raising a family ………… ! Perhaps the most noticeable evidence of birds getting prepared for the new breeding season is the tremendous increase in bird song, while some birds such as the Robin sing throughout the winter other species start singing at this time of year to attract a partner and to signal to other birds the boundaries of their territory. Some species sing with great gusto from exposed perches and can be easily observed such as the Blackbird and Chiffchaff while others such as the Corncrake with its loud monotone song; like two cheese graters rubbed together, or the Grasshopper Warbler with its continuous stream of clicks like a fisherman’s reel, generally stay well-hidden and can be very difficult to observe.

To attract the best possible mate, birds have to look their best, the Chaffinch has adopted a much brighter pink colour for this important time, the Greenfinch are a more vivid green colouration and the Grey Wagtail a more sulphur yellow. The Black headed Gull which up until recently sported only a dark smudge behind the eye now have a full dark brown hood.

Birds need the best possible territory for feeding and raising young, and they choose a territory which they can meet their needs for food, water, shelter, and nesting sites.

The size of the territory will vary by species and what those needs are, including how sociable birds can be. Some bird species such as the White tailed Eagle need large territories with little competition, while other birds such as Guillemots crammed on sea cliff ledges, have much more communal needs and are more apt to share territory with larger flocks.

As mentioned earlier, birds singing is 1 way of laying claim to their territory others include nest building which may define the birds ‘boundary, while the Great Spotted Woodpecker use drumming as an alternative to singing.

Display such as puffing up coloured feather patches, tail flicking and wing spreading are all part of claiming territory. These postures and actions also show off a bird’s strength and health to a potential mate.

As a last resort, aggressive birds may directly chase intruders or competitors out of their territory. This is frequent in areas where many birds are seeking to claim the same space, or when a dominant male is discouraging younger males that are struggling to claim their first territory.

The level of aggression a bird shows defending its territory also vary based on the species and their interaction with one another. A Robin will chase away other Robins from its territory, but it won’t mind a House Sparrow sharing the same space because the two species do not compete for food sources and are not bothering one another.

In fact the Robin is one of only a handful of species that maintain a territory all year as males do not migrate in the winter and studies have shown that they will violently attack a taxidermists’ stuffed Robin which has been deliberately left in its territory.

The Grey Wagtail with sulphur yellow

The Grasshopper Warbler is difficult to observe.