To borrow... Feel free to borrow this guide for your visit today, but do return it so that others can enjoy it too. Stowe's bird guide Which birds can you spot when you're out and about? You might want to use some binoculars; there are some in our shop if you'd like to buy a pair. Here's a list of some of the birds you might spot. Birdwatching is one of your 50 Things to do before you're 11 ¾ Barn Owl Its heart-shaped face collects sound in the same way as human ears, making its hearing one of the most sensitive of any creature tested. Blackbird They arguably have the most beautiful song of all the birds. They especially like to sing after rain. Blue Tit These are easy to spot, with their blue caps and yellow chests. Look out for younger blue tits in spring and summer-these have yellow cheeks rather than white. Blackcap The male has a black cap while the female has a chestnut one. The blackcap has a beautiful song, earning it the name the 'northern nightingale'. Buzzard The UK's most common bird of prey. It flies in a shallow V shape with a fanned tail. Canada Goose These often form noisy flocks and can be seen all year round.
Carrion Crow These are very clever birds and can be quite fearless. They generally like being on their own. Chaffinch This colourful bird has a loud song and you're unlikely to see it on a bird feeder. It prefers gathering the seeds from the ground. Chiffchaff These are beautiful olivebrown coloured birds which can catch flies while flying. Coal Tit This is not as colourful as its relatives. It tends to gather food to store for later. Collared Dove Spot their black collar. They also have bright red eyes and feet. Cuckoo These are only around in the summer. They lay eggs in other nests, leaving other birds to raise their young. Dunnock These are often seen on their own and tend to be quite quiet. Garden Warbler Quite a plain bird that has a song which is long and mellow. Goldcrest They have thin beaks which allow them to pick insects out from between pine needles.
Goldfinch These have long, thin beaks to access seeds from thistles and teasel. Great Tit It is the UK's largest tit and has a distinct twosyllable song. Great Spotted Woodpecker These are roughly the size of a blackbird and you can spot them in trees, often trying to hide. Green Woodpecker They love to eat ants and you can often see them feeding on the ground. Greenfinch These have a wheezing song and are decreasing in number. Grey Heron These gangly birds are very distinct and you can spot them near lakes or ponds. Grey Wagtail Not as grey as the name suggests! These are summer residents of the UK. Greylag Goose These are the UK's largest goose. They are ancestors of the domestic goose. House Martin They make their nests from mud, often on houses, as the name suggests!
House Sparrow These are noisy and sociable birds and are also in decline. Jackdaw These have a silver sheen and pale eyes, making them distinguishable from crows. Jay These are colourful, shy birds. They eat acorns and even bury them for the winter like squirrels. Kestrel They have pointed wings and long tails. They're often seen hovering by roadsides. Kingfisher They hunt fish in slow moving or still water. They are very bright, but fly very quickly so you'll be lucky to spot one! Long-tailed Tit As the name suggests, they have very long tails! They're even longer than their bodies! Magpie They look black and white, but actually their tails have a green gloss and their wings a purpleblue sheen. Mallard The male has a green head with yellow beak, while the females are mainly brown. Marsh Tit Despite the name, these are actually found in parks, gardens and woodland.
Mistle Thrush These are large, aggressive and powerful and have fluty songs. Moorhen These can be seen any time of day or year and like ponds and lakes. Nuthatch These have a striking colour and are generally found near or in woodland. Pheasant These are game birds, introduced to the UK for shooting. Pied Wagtail You can often spot these wagging their tails up and down. Raven Ravens are the largest member of the crow family. Red Kite These have reddishbrown bodies and have been saved from extinction by longrunning breeding programmes. Robin A classic Christmas bird, but actually they are around all year. The males and females have the same colouring. Rook These look different from carrion crows as they have thicker beaks which are a grey-white colour.
Song Thrush They like to eat snails, bashing them against rocks to break their shells. They repeat the same note in their songs. Sparrowhawk Like most birds of prey, the females are larger than the males. They like hunting in thick woodland. Starling These have beautiful green and purple coloured feathers. Swallow They spend most of their time flying and have striking tails. Swan The mute swan (above) lives here all year round. In winter you might see Whooper or Bewick Swans. Swift These are superb fliers - they even sleep while they fly! Treecreeper These are small birds that live in trees. They have beaks shaped like frowns. Wood Pigeon A very common bird. It has a distinct cooing and also makes a familiar clattering sound when it flies off. Wren For such a small bird, it certainly has a loud voice! It is dumpy and rounded.