Tag Archives: birds

Common European Birds And Population Decline

Here is a small list of birds commonly found in Europe that have seen their numbers drop. In 2014 a study revealed that bird populations across Europe have been falling dramatically. According to the study there are over 420 million fewer birds in Europe than 30 years ago, which is a startling figure!

The house sparrow suffered the biggest losses, at 147 million.


Photo credit : ibc.lynxeds.com


Photo credit : housesparrow.org

The starling also saw its population decrease.


Photo credit : chirpsandcheeps.com


Photo credit : Will Stuart (Flickr.com)

And the European skylark population dropped by nearly 50% over the last 30 years.


Photo credit : Brian McCombe (Flickr.com)


Photo credit : theguardian.com

If you want to read more about why bird populations are declining, then check out Exeter University’s web site for all the details concerning their study.

10 Beautiful Birds – Part I

This is a small list of 10 beautiful birds, in no particular order. Some are quite rare, while others can be found in many places in Europe and North America.

Painted Bunting

Latin name : Passerina ciris

Mostly found in the south of the United States, and in northern Mexico. Currently facing threats due to a loss of natural habitat.

Photo : Dan Pancamo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/pancamo/)

Blue Jay

Latin name : Cyanocitta cristata

Stable population, can be found in most of the United States, and in southern Canada.

Photo : Birds Flight (http://birdsflight.com/blue-jay-facts-what-blue-jays-eat-where-blue-jays-live/)

Scarlet Tanager

Latin name : Piranga olivacea

Not easy to find, they usually remain near the tops of trees. Medium-sized song bird, found in the eastern United States, and during the winter in South America.

Photo : Journeys with Judy (http://journeyswithjudy.blogspot.com)

Gouldian Finch

Latin name : Erythrura gouldiae

Northern Australia is a well known location for these rather small birds. Their nests are often located no more than 1 km from a water source.

Photo : Herman Tse (https://www.flickr.com/photos/hermantyc/)

Golden Pheasant

Latin name : Chrysolophus pictus

The adult male can be over 1 m in length. The females are not as long at about 60 to 80 cm. Originally from western China, small populations can now be found in England as well.

Photo : Alpha Coders (http://wall.alphacoders.com/)

(Common) Kingfisher

Latin name : Alcedo atthis

The Kingfisher can be found in most of Europe, India and China. The bird flies low over water at high speed, with its wings showing high frequency motion.

Photo : 7 Themes (http://www.7-themes.com)

Rainbow Lorikeet

Latin name : Trichoglossus moluccanus

Australian parrot. The species has also been introduced to New Zealand and Hong Kong. Visually, the male and female Rainbow Lorikeet are hard to distinguish.

Photo : Echidna Walkabout (http://echidnawalkabout.wordpress.com)

(Common) Peacock

Latin name : Pavo cristatus

It is hard not to include the Peacock, certainly one of the most beautiful creatures on Earth. Part of the pheasant family.

Photo : Wallpaperssfree (http://wallpaperssfree.com)

Greater Striped Swallow

Latin name : Cecropis cucullata

A large swallow that mostly breeds in the south of the African continent. It prefers dry land, hills and mountains. Its diet consists of insects, and the occassional small fruits.

Photo : Linda de Volder (https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindadevolder/)

Inca Tern

Latin name : Larosterna inca

Yes, that is a real moustache. The Inca tern breeds in coastal areas, prefering rocky cliffs and sandy beaches. It is most commonly found on the east coast of South America.

Photo : Alpha Coders (http://wall.alphacoders.com)