Mary Allen
Many native bird species live in our gardens. Some garden birds, such as the blackbird or the magpie, show up almost every day. Other native birds are rather shy fellows. But if you know where to look and have a little patience, you will see these garden birds too. Here we present 10 well-known garden birds in a profile.
Blackbird
Name: Turdus merula
Family: Thrushes (Turdidae)
Description: black with an orange-yellow bill (male); dark brown (female)
Singing: melodic; often in bad weather
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: parks, gardens, forests
Food in nature: worms, snails, and insects; in winter also berries, fruits and seeds
So you can add: raisins, nuts, tit dumplings, apples, mealworms; Blackbirds eat from the ground
Nest: trees, bushes, on buildings
Other: one of the most common garden birds, not very shy
Wagtail
Name: Motacilla alba (Motacillidae)
Family: stilts and pipiters
Description: black and white plumage, long tail
Loud: long, two-syllable tones
Occurrence: March to November
Habitat: open area near water; often in rural areas
Food in nature: spiders, insects, small fish
Nest: building niches (e.g. in garden sheds), crevices in the rock, uprooted tree stumps, climbing plants
This is how you can add: soft and fatty food from the floor
Other: Is also called “Wippstiärtken” because the tail feathers constantly make rocking movements.
Blue tit
Name: Parus caeruleus
Family: Titmouse (Paridae)
Description: green with yellow chest, blue wings and tail feathers, blue cap, black band around eyes and cheeks
Loud: deep trilling
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: garden with older trees (requires tree hollows), parks, forests (especially oak forest)
Food in nature: prefers small insects, larvae, lice, also eats seeds
Here’s how you can add: Tit dumplings, sunflower seeds (in winter); Forage hanging in a tree
Nest: tree hollows, nest boxes, cracks in the wall
Other: The blue tit can be distinguished from the great tit by the blue color on its wings, tail feathers, and head.
Chaffinch
Name: Fringilla coelebs
Family: Finches (Fringillidae)
Description: Males: blue-gray cap, red-brown chest, and cheeks; Females: green-brown
Loud: falling tone sequence or single tones
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: forest, garden with many trees; Tree tops and bushes
Food in nature: seeds, insects during the breeding season
So you can add: grain mix, peanut fragments, hemp and poppy seeds, sunflower seeds; Offer food in feeding columns or birdhouses
Nest: in forked branches and higher bushes
Other: The most common species of finch. Seen on the cover picture of this post.
Great spotted woodpecker
Name: Dendrocopos major
Family: Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Description: black-white-red plumage, males have red plumage on the neck
Loud: drums, single notes
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: deciduous and coniferous forests, parks, avenues, gardens with many trees
Food in nature: wood insects, conifer seeds
So you can add: grain mix, nuts, tit dumplings, mealworms
Nest: breeding caves in rotten trees
Other: Easily confused with the middle woodpecker. However, this one has a red crown, while the great spotted woodpecker is black there.
Jay
Name: Garrulus glandarius
Family: Corvidae
Description: pink-brown body, black and white wings with blue feathers, white rump
Loud: hoarse calls
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: Forests, avenues, parks, gardens on the edge of the forest
Food in nature: diverse. Acorns and nuts are stored, and insects are mainly eaten during the breeding season
So you can add: peanut fragments, hazelnuts, walnuts; Corn kernels; Offer food in bird feeders
Nest: treetop
Miscellaneous: The jay can imitate other birds with its voice and thus also warn other animals of birds of prey
Magpie
Name: Pica pica
Family: Corvidae
Description: black and white plumage
Loud: rarely sings, harsh calls
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: light forests, open areas, parks, gardens, cities, and villages
Food in nature: insects, earthworms, bird eggs, waste and carrion, seeds, berries, and fruits
Nest: spherical, self-made nests in tall trees or hedges
Other: These common garden birds were once critically endangered.
Tree Sparrow
Name: Passer montanus
Family: Sparrows (Passeridae)
Description: gray-brown plumage, white neck ring, black cheek patch
Loud: monosyllabic, high “chip”
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: agricultural areas, light forests, outskirts
Food in nature: seeds, insects for rearing
So you can add: grain mixes, peanuts, sunflower seeds; Fat dumplings; Feeding column or bird feeder
Nest: in fruit trees and bushes, on buildings
Other: Differs from the house sparrow in its white neck ring and black cheek patch.
Bullfinch
Name: Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Family: Finches (Fringillidae)
Description: gray back, blackhead, white rump; Males: red belly and chest; Females: chest and belly gray-brown
Loud: soft singing from pipes, trills, and flutes
Occurrence: all year round
Habitat: dense bushes and trees, parks and gardens with evergreen plants
Food in nature: seeds; Berry; Buds and insects for young birds. Loves the snowball red berries.
So you can add: grain mix, peanut fragments, hemp and poppy seeds, sunflower seeds; Offer food in feeding columns or birdhouses
Nest: in conifers
Other: Shows no territorial behavior towards conspecifics. In winter they can occasionally be seen in groups at feeding stations.
Girlitz
Name: Serinus serinus
Family: Finches (Fringillidae)
Description: yellow-green plumage with dark stripes on the back
Loud: high-pitched vocals
Occurrence: March to August
Habitat: semi-open landscapes with open areas and loose trees and bushes
Food in nature: seeds, buds in spring
You can feed it: forest bird food or canary food
Nest: in dense trees, shrubs and climbing plants
Other: Originally from the Mediterranean region. Often found on the outskirts.