MISSING in Wales!
The following 3 birds are most at risk, and MISSING in YOUR region!
Swift -72%
Greenfinch -71%
Starling -65%
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Songbirds Are Friends Not Food
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
#FindOurFriends
Greenfinch -71%
(Carduelis chloris)
Swift -72%
(Apus apus)
Starling -65%
(Sturnus vulgaris)
Alert Status: Green
Identifying Features: Mostly olive green with a yellow tinge to the underbelly with yellow to the outer wings. Usually brighter in summer.
Average Length: 15cm
Average Lifespan: 2 Years
Average Wingspan: 25-28 cm
Beak type: Seeds
Eats: Seeds, wild fruit & berries
How to feed: Hanging feeders & bird tables
What to feed: Sunflower hearts, black sunflower seeds, seed mixtures
Nesting: Usually in colonies in dense shrubs, constructed of twigs & grass lined with fine roots & hair
Where to see: Common UK birds found in woodland, hedges and gardens.
Alert Status: Amber
Identifying Features: The swift is an aerial bird, plain sooty brown, but in flight against the sky it appears black. It has long, scythe-like wings and a short, forked tail.
Average Length: 16-18 cm
Average Lifespan: 9 years
Average Wingspan: 42-48 cm
Beak type: Flat and wide
Eats: They feed exclusively on insects and spiders caught on the wing.
Nesting: Swifts nest in holes - often inside old buildings or sometimes in specially-designed swift nestboxes - so you'll never see them building a nest outside. The nest is made from grasses, leaves, and feathers - all collected while flying - and bonded together with saliva. Breeding is the only time Swifts stop flying; their entire lives are spent in the air.
Where to see: Look up in the sky in summer, often very high. They never perch on wires like swallows. You might see parties of them careering madly at high speed around rooftops and houses, often low, especially towards dusk.
#What3Birds
#FriendsNotFood
Alert Status: Red
Identifying Features: Smaller than blackbirds, with a short tail, pointed head, triangular wings, starlings look black at a distance but when seen closer they are very glossy with a sheen of purples and greens.
Average Length: 22 cm
Average Lifespan: 5 years
Average Wingspan: 37 – 42 cm
Beak type: Generalist
Eats: Insects, spiders, worms and fruit
How to feed: Bird tables, feeders
What to feed: Starlings seem to feed on just about anything: berries, fruit, scraps, suet. However, they feed only invertebrates - not "junk" food - to their young
Nesting: The male builds the nest from grass in a hole in a wall, tree or building, but the female lines it with feathers, wool and moss. The male may decorate the nest with leaves and petals in order to deter parasites and improve his chances of attracting a mate.
Where to see: Starlings are conspicuous and widespread in the UK, occurring everywhere except for the highest parts of the Scottish Highlands. They are most abundant in southern England and are more thinly distributed in upland areas with moorland. Still one of the UK's commonest garden birds. In winter, huge roosts can be found in plantations, reedbeds and city centres.