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Britain's National Bird
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On the radio again.
I always thought it was the wren - the only bird to feature on our coinage.
Small, almost insignificant, dull but extremely noisy,...
..the British don't have a national bird 
Obviously we all like a nice tit, but who gets your vote?
Mr ddc |
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"I always thought it was the wren - the only bird to feature on our coinage.
Small, almost insignificant, dull but extremely noisy,...c"
I protest! I protest! Almost insignificant? Wrens have loud but very complex songs and can sing in duet. You gotta love a wren. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Is it not the illusive 'blue bird'?
For me it gas to be the blackbird. The song, especially in spring is something I love to hear. Along with that of the robin and wren. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The puffin or pheasant, - nothing like a bit of colour on your average grey old day.
Failing that, Raquel Welsh!  .
Wasn't she Italian  "
.
The welsh surname always fools me! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The puffin or pheasant, - nothing like a bit of colour on your average grey old day.
Failing that, Raquel Welsh! .
Wasn't she Italian "
I didn't used to think so - but lovely plumage!  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Another vote for the robin, although the sea gull is probably the most abundant bird native to our shores."
Technically, there is no such bird.
What many of us refer to as a Seagull is in fact a Herring Gull.
Other British Gulls commonly referred to as 'seagulls' are the Black Headed Gull, the Glaucous Gull, the Common Gull and the Kittiwake to name but a few
British Seagull, on the other hand, is an outboard motor manufacturer.
(My parents are both members of the RSPB - hence the anal nature of my post)  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Another vote for the robin, although the sea gull is probably the most abundant bird native to our shores.
Technically, there is no such bird.
What many of us refer to as a Seagull is in fact a Herring Gull.
Other British Gulls commonly referred to as 'seagulls' are the Black Headed Gull, the Glaucous Gull, the Common Gull and the Kittiwake to name but a few
British Seagull, on the other hand, is an outboard motor manufacturer.
(My parents are both members of the RSPB - hence the anal nature of my post) "
Lol
So which species of bird is native only to Britain then?
Surely the nation emblem should come from that list.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The male Blackbird,s are stunning now with there bright yellow bill as they are starting there court ship and fighting for there territory with other male,s got 3 par,s in our garden"
Yes I do agree about the blackbird Pairs will be nesting anyday now if not Already doing so its the early nesters That the weather can catch out, I love To hear a blackbird in full song in the Day, this last few weeks mistle thrush Have been in full song too, along with robin.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"So which species of bird is native only to Britain then?
Surely the nation emblem should come from that list.
"
This is what i'm wondering about.
I doubt any bird is native only to British shores. Think I might consult Google.
What about the Magpie though? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"So which species of bird is native only to Britain then?
Surely the nation emblem should come from that list.
This is what i'm wondering about.
I doubt any bird is native only to British shores. Think I might consult Google.
What about the Magpie though?"
The last I heard from down under, they were debating weather it should legal
to shoot them, although they were an introduced species of bird - yet look different from ours, so probably not native to Britain. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Had a quick look and drawn up a list of contenders.
The criteria I have applied is that they must be resident breeders.
Mute Swan (Native to much of Europe and Asia)
Mallard (Americas, Europe, Asia and North Africa)
Golden Eagle (One of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere)
Common Kestrel (Native to Europe, Asia, Africa and some parts of North America)
Merlin (Found across the Northern Hemisphere)
Peregrine Falcon (Can be found almost anywhere)
Stock Dove (looks like a pigeon - and is, in fact the largest of the pigeon family. Very widespread)
Wood Pigeon (Europe and Asia)
Barn Owl (Most widely distributed species of Owl)
Tawny Owl (Europe and Asia)
Common Kingfisher (Europe, Asia and North Africa)
Eurasian Magpie (Europe, Asia and Northwest Africa)
Rook (Central Europe and Asia)
Carrion Crow (Western and Central Europe and Eastern Asia)
Common Raven (Northern Hemisphere)
Common Blackbird (Europe and Eastern Asia)
This probably explains why we don't have a national bird, as we're such a small island (in comparison to the rest of the planet), no bird is native ONLY to Great Britain.
The reason why the United States has the Bald Eagle as their national bird is probably due to it being native to the continent of North America only (not that i've actually checked if that is the case though) |
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By *ugby 123Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod O o O oo |
"I always thought it was the wren - the only bird to feature on our coinage.
Small, almost insignificant, dull but extremely noisy,...c
I protest! I protest! Almost insignificant? Wrens have loud but very complex songs and can sing in duet. You gotta love a wren."
I doooo  |
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"Had a quick look and drawn up a list of contenders.
The criteria I have applied is that they must be resident breeders.
Mute Swan (Native to much of Europe and Asia)
Mallard (Americas, Europe, Asia and North Africa)
Golden Eagle (One of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere)
Common Kestrel (Native to Europe, Asia, Africa and some parts of North America)
Merlin (Found across the Northern Hemisphere)
Peregrine Falcon (Can be found almost anywhere)
Stock Dove (looks like a pigeon - and is, in fact the largest of the pigeon family. Very widespread)
Wood Pigeon (Europe and Asia)
Barn Owl (Most widely distributed species of Owl)
Tawny Owl (Europe and Asia)
Common Kingfisher (Europe, Asia and North Africa)
Eurasian Magpie (Europe, Asia and Northwest Africa)
Rook (Central Europe and Asia)
Carrion Crow (Western and Central Europe and Eastern Asia)
Common Raven (Northern Hemisphere)
Common Blackbird (Europe and Eastern Asia)
This probably explains why we don't have a national bird, as we're such a small island (in comparison to the rest of the planet), no bird is native ONLY to Great Britain.
The reason why the United States has the Bald Eagle as their national bird is probably due to it being native to the continent of North America only (not that i've actually checked if that is the case though)"
utter bullshit ...... try the scottish crossbill |
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Corvids underrepresented in that official list! Ravens are a lovely bird (and have the Tower of London link), but Jackdaws and Hooded Crows are lovely too. Jays are gorgeous to see.
Obviously representative of the British Empire would be the Robin (with the bright red plumage of the soldiers at the height of our worldwide presence, 16th-19th century), vicious territorial little buggers too. Migratory, but we'll gloss over that because they don't claim welfare.
The wren suits us - a tiny drab little thing, with a disproportionately loud voice.
Also appropriate the Magpie, as we've been known to nick stuff wherever we found it (like, you know, the Elgin Marbles, India, etc.)
We all like the Blackbird too, of course, but with its scientific name of Turdus Turdus it's just a bit too appropriate for modern Britain ) |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Corvids underrepresented in that official list! Ravens are a lovely bird (and have the Tower of London link), but Jackdaws and Hooded Crows are lovely too. Jays are gorgeous to see.
Obviously representative of the British Empire would be the Robin (with the bright red plumage of the soldiers at the height of our worldwide presence, 16th-19th century), vicious territorial little buggers too. Migratory, but we'll gloss over that because they don't claim welfare.
The wren suits us - a tiny drab little thing, with a disproportionately loud voice.
Also appropriate the Magpie, as we've been known to nick stuff wherever we found it (like, you know, the Elgin Marbles, India, etc.)
We all like the Blackbird too, of course, but with its scientific name of Turdus Turdus it's just a bit too appropriate for
modern Britain )"
Very funny post |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My apologies if your favourite or chosen bird wasn't in the list I compiled.
It wasn't intended to be an exhaustive list - or it would probably have ended up being three times as long as there are over 500 species of bird recognised on British shores - some migrant visitors, others resident.
Some seem more iconic to some than they are to others. |
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"Another vote for the robin, although the sea gull is probably the most abundant bird native to our shores.
Technically, there is no such bird.
What many of us refer to as a Seagull is in fact a Herring Gull.
Other British Gulls commonly referred to as 'seagulls' are the Black Headed Gull, the Glaucous Gull, the Common Gull and the Kittiwake to name but a few
British Seagull, on the other hand, is an outboard motor manufacturer.
(My parents are both members of the RSPB - hence the anal nature of my post) "
Being in Leigh on Sea might have something to do with it too.
Which ones nick your chips? |
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"Another vote for the robin, although the sea gull is probably the most abundant bird native to our shores.
Technically, there is no such bird.
What many of us refer to as a Seagull is in fact a Herring Gull.
Other British Gulls commonly referred to as 'seagulls' are the Black Headed Gull, the Glaucous Gull, the Common Gull and the Kittiwake to name but a few
British Seagull, on the other hand, is an outboard motor manufacturer.
(My parents are both members of the RSPB - hence the anal nature of my post) "
I always thought they were called shite hawks.
I would vote for the Red Kite, or Sparrowhawk. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"On the radio again.
I always thought it was the wren - the only bird to feature on our coinage.
Small, almost insignificant, dull but extremely noisy,...
..the British don't have a national bird
Obviously we all like a nice tit, but who gets your vote?
Mr ddc"
Im a British National Bird!!!! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Another vote for the robin, although the sea gull is probably the most abundant bird native to our shores.
Technically, there is no such bird.
What many of us refer to as a Seagull is in fact a Herring Gull.
Other British Gulls commonly referred to as 'seagulls' are the Black Headed Gull, the Glaucous Gull, the Common Gull and the Kittiwake to name but a few
British Seagull, on the other hand, is an outboard motor manufacturer.
(My parents are both members of the RSPB - hence the anal nature of my post)
Being in Leigh on Sea might have something to do with it too.
Which ones nick your chips?"
Big birds them herring gulls especially when up and close by I got a good Photograph once that way, I remember Being at brixham at the end of the Harbour and unravelling the fishing Line from a fulmar`s wing once which Had become tangled on the line of a Fishing rod two german/dutch lads were Asking for my assistance as one of them swung the bird across to me, I held fulmar steady in one hand at the same time holding his neck steady so He could,nt take a lump out of my hand then I released the bird which was a nice feeling, fulmars are quite long Lived and beautiful birds as long as they don,t feel threatened because as A defence technique they will throw up a fowl mixture of smelling stomach content to keep you away especially When on their nests..  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Another vote for the robin, although the sea gull is probably the most abundant bird native to our shores.
Technically, there is no such bird.
What many of us refer to as a Seagull is in fact a Herring Gull.
Other British Gulls commonly referred to as 'seagulls' are the Black Headed Gull, the Glaucous Gull, the Common Gull and the Kittiwake to name but a few
British Seagull, on the other hand, is an outboard motor manufacturer.
(My parents are both members of the RSPB - hence the anal nature of my post)
Being in Leigh on Sea might have something to do with it too.
Which ones nick your chips?Big birds them herring gulls especially when up and close by I got a good Photograph once that way, I remember Being at brixham at the end of the Harbour and unravelling the fishing Line from a fulmar`s wing once which Had become tangled on the line of a Fishing rod two german/dutch lads were Asking for my assistance as one of them swung the bird across to me, I held fulmar steady in one hand at the same time holding his neck steady so He could,nt take a lump out of my hand then I released the bird which was a nice feeling, fulmars are quite long Lived and beautiful birds as long as they don,t feel threatened because as A defence technique they will throw up a fowl mixture of smelling stomach content to keep you away especially When on their nests.. "
Luckily this bird did not try this with me perhaps they only do it on there nests in defence.. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"we have flocks of clown faced parakeets around here..bright green! i love them,thought i was seeing things first time i spotted one!"
ring Necked parakeets when their in full flight they can travel fast when on a journey we do get them occasionally in derbyshire but they are still wanderers Here I,ve never seen one their not everyones cup of tea but people seem to tolerate them or their Numbers would have dropped big time by now I just hope that their feeding habits don,t cause to much damage on fruit on trees etc, the bullfinch is a beautiful bird a resident here long before The ring necked parakeet was released or escaped from captivity here (the latter I think) and when there were big orchards in kent the Bullfinch because of his likeing To the apple blossoms there numbers were culled big time by fruit farmers But I don,t think orchards like that Still remain now, thou I might be wrong.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"*didnt know there was just 1 breeding pair left! "
yes I was very saddened to hear that only recently And down to yes of course man ILLEGALLY
And if they can get away with it they Will proper criminals in my mind Includeing game keepers where there is some Illegal profit to be made.  |
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"I always thought it was the wren - the only bird to feature on our coinage.
Small, almost insignificant, dull but extremely noisy,...c
I protest! I protest! Almost insignificant? Wrens have loud but very complex songs and can sing in duet. You gotta love a wren."
Who said I was talking about wrens?
(I can't tell you how hard it was to find three published facts about wrens for my 'Humphrey Lyttelton'-esque OP!)
Personally I don't see why we need a bird, I thought we already had the bulldog.
I like the wren, and the robin, they used to share the year in Celtic times, though the robin cheated in the nation's psyche by getting Christmas!
I just don't see how either 'represent' British values.
Gotta agree with Samantha Fox though, I still have her single
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"The Shite-Hawk (Otherwise known as red kite)"
Wrong.. The Shite hawk is widely known as a Seagull..
Hope its the Swan that wins as we see them flying often and its amazing to watch such a huge bird actually Flying..  |
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