• Garden birds Identifier

This bird guide in the hand is worth hours staring cluelessly at two birds in a bush

Starling

Noisy and gregarious, starlings spend a lot of the year in flocks. At their most attention-seeking in murmuration.

House sparrow

House sparrows fill their nests with hairs, string, paper and even feathers plucked from a live pigeon.

Great tit

Known for being a bruiser at the bird table. Joins forces with blue tits in winter to scour for food.

Blackbird

Males live up to their name but the females are actually brown, often sporting spots and streaks on their breasts.

Robin

Sings nearly all year round. All day too: it’s usually one of the first in the dawn chorus and last to stop in the evening.

Chaffinch

Although one of Britain’s most abundant birds, it’s unlikely you’ll spot it on your feeder – it prefers to hop about under hedges.

Blue tit

Not just blue but also yellow, white and green, making this colourful tit one of the most recognisable visitors to our garden.

Song thrush

Got a musical earworm? The song thrush’s habit of repeating song phrases distinguishes it from singing blackbirds.

Wood pigeon

A tale of two pigeons: the country variety is shy, while its city brethren is tame and approachable.