MISSING in the South East!
The following 3 birds are most at risk, and MISSING in YOUR region!
Turtle Dove -96%
Willow Warbler -81%
House Martin -56%
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Songbirds Are Friends Not Food
#FriendsNotFood
Please help us find them by looking out of your window, or going for a walk or hike in your local area.
Download and share our handy ‘missing’ posters below.
They help to find out important facts about the species:
1. Appearance
2. Where it's found
3. What it eats & how to feed them
4. How to help them
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Willow Warbler -81%
(Phylloscopus trochilus)
Alert Status: Amber
Identifying Features: Willow warblers are small birds with grey-green backs and pale under parts. They have a yellow tinged chest and throat and pale supercillium (the stripe above the eye). Similar features to a chiff chaff but often with paler legs.
Average Length: 10-11.5 cm
Average Lifespan: 2 years
Average Wingspan: 16-22 cm
Beak type: Insects
Eats: Small insects and spiders, fruit and berries in Autumn
Nesting: The domed nest, made from grass, rotten wood, moss and roots, is on the ground among shrubs or grass. The nest has a side entrance and is lined with fine roots and feathers.
Where to see: Willow warblers are widespread and can be seen in suitable habitat across most of the UK.
Turtle Dove -96%
(Steptopelia turtur)
Alert Status: Red
Identifying Features: The turtle dove is a dainty dove, smaller and darker than the collared dove and slightly larger than a blackbird. Its upperparts are distinctively mottled with chestnut and black and its black tail has a white edge.
Average Length: 25-27 cm
Average Lifespan: 2 years
Average Wingspan: 49-55 cm
Beak type: Seeds
Eats: Fruits and seeds of wildflowers and cereals
How to feed: Turtle doves are generally ground feeders, although you may see them on a bird table and even at a hanging feeder.
What to feed: Small seeds and grains
Nesting: Like the nests of most pigeons, the Turtle Dove's nest is a flimsy platform of fine twigs.
Where to see: The turtle dove is mainly a bird of southern and eastern England, although it does reach as far as Wales. Best looked for in woodland edges, hedgerows and open land with scattered bushes.
House Martin -56%
(Delichon urbicum)
Alert Status: Amber
Identifying Features: The house martin is a small bird with glossy blue-black upper parts and pure white under parts. It has a distinctive white rump with a forked tail and, on close inspection, white feathers covering its legs and toes. They can sometimes be enticed in to our gardens by providing muddy patches from which they can collect mud for their nests.
Average Length: 12-15 cm
Average Lifespan: 2 years
Average Wingspan: 25-29 cm
Beak type: Flat and wide.
Eats: Flies, beetles and aphids caught on the wing.
Nesting: They nest in colonies, building mud cups under the eaves of houses. The nests are frequently used for several years, often by the same adult birds or juveniles. Artificial nests can be purchased from some bird food suppliers.
Where to see: You'll find house martins across the UK, although they are scarce in far N and W of Scotland.