#Birds of Ireland

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Birds of Ireland: Collared dove
The collared dove is one of the more recent doves and pigeons to arrive in Ireland: it was unheard of here before 1957 and is now widespread and common

Mon, 19 May, 2025

Did other birds copy owls' state-of-the-art navigation system?
Did other birds copy owls' state-of-the-art navigation system?
A new harrier biology study says these large daylight-hunting hawks have evolved an auditory system similar to owls

Thu, 15 May, 2025

Kingfisher in Northumberland Park
Birds of Ireland: Kingfisher
In flight, kingfishers look like a blue flash; they have a low, straight, buzzing flight with occasional gliding. They dive from branches and other perches over water

Mon, 12 May, 2025

eurasian skylark
Larks — nearly invisible in a sunny sky but worth listening for
'The music soars within the little lark, And the lark soars.' Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Wed, 07 May, 2025

Why do sand martins sometimes reject last year's nest burrows?
Why do sand martins sometimes reject last year's nest burrows?
The sand martins are back from Africa now and it seems to be a lottery whether they return to previously dug tunnels or whether they dig new ones

Thu, 01 May, 2025

Adult nestling barn swallows (Hirundo rustica)
Birds of Ireland: Swallow
Swallows are summer migrants from Africa to Ireland, arriving here in spring and departing in autumn. If the weather is good they will often rear two or even three broods of young.

Sun, 27 Apr, 2025

Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocora
Clever, playful, and communicative — lots to like about the crow family
Each of the seven crow species that occur in Ireland have a lot of very similar traits, including an impressive ability to reason and to learn

Wed, 23 Apr, 2025

Common Swift (Apus apus).
Birds of Ireland: Swift
Swifts are so adapted to an aerial existence that they cannot take off from level ground or perch on a wire or twig. Their tiny feet and claws are designed for clinging onto vertical surfaces

Sun, 20 Apr, 2025

Anja Murray: Off-leash dogs can cause havoc with wild birds
Anja Murray: Off-leash dogs can cause havoc with wild birds
Dogs running through areas where birds are feeding or nesting can stress, exhaust and even kill threatened species

Wed, 16 Apr, 2025

Couple of rooks / crows collecting nesting material
Birds of Ireland: Rook
Rooks have have black plumage with a purple-blue sheen — and they have untidy-looking feathers around their thighs (like ‘shaggy trousers’)

Sun, 13 Apr, 2025

Two,Eurasian,Magpies,,Pica,Pica,,On,Moss,Covered,Branch,In
Birds of Ireland: Magpie
Glossy black and white bodies and wings with a beautiful iridescent blue-green sheen on their back and tail feathers, both sexes of magpies appear similar

Sun, 30 Mar, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Oystercatcher
Birds of Ireland: Oystercatcher
If you can spot a large group of waders 'wheeling' over an estuary it can be a great sight

Sun, 23 Mar, 2025

Hedgerows are a haven for nesting birds — and are protected during nesting season
Hedgerows are a haven for nesting birds — and are protected during nesting season
Legal restrictions on cutting hedgerows between March and August 31 are to protect bird life during the nesting season, and to protect vegetation and wildlife habitats during the months of growth and reproduction

Thu, 20 Mar, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Lapwing
Birds of Ireland: Lapwing
Did you know that the lapwing was declared Ireland's national bird back in 1990?

Sun, 16 Mar, 2025

Dunlin feeding on the shore
Birds of Ireland: Dunlin
A dunlin is about the size of a starling and both sexes are similar — they have a relatively long, thin, slightly downcurved dark beak and relatively long dark legs.

Mon, 10 Mar, 2025

Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)
Anja Murray: Shy — and red-listed — woodcock still on legal hunting list
In 2023, the Government reviewed which birds can legally hunted in Ireland and when. The review resulted in four species of duck being removed from the quarry list — birds that can be shot during open season. Many expected that woodcock would also be removed from this list because of its red-listed conservation status, but not so

Wed, 26 Feb, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Redshank
Birds of Ireland: Redshank
Usually seen on estuaries and wetland, redshanks are very noisy when disturbed

Mon, 24 Feb, 2025

Linnet In Habitat
Birds of Ireland: Linnet
A linnet's flight call is squeaky — like a wet cork rubbed against glass

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Grey Heron
Birds of Ireland: Grey Heron
The sounds of grey herons at nest during day and at night are like a fairy-tale monster or someone getting sick! 

Mon, 10 Feb, 2025

Climate change affecting British birds
Birds of Ireland: Chaffinch
A chaffinch's song lasts about three seconds and is repeated; it starts with buzzing notes, slows, descends into a jumble, and finally a flourish

Tue, 04 Feb, 2025

A murmuration of European Starlings in flight across a beautiful blue sky.
Birds of Ireland: Starling
And 'Tip of the Week' is about identifying the different kinds of bird call, whether it's the contact call or the alarm call...

Sun, 26 Jan, 2025

Birds of Ireland: Song Thrush
Birds of Ireland: Song Thrush
Song thrushes can be seen here all year round and typically in woodland, farmland, and gardens across the country.

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Robin
Birds of Ireland: Robin
Robins can be seen here all year round and are a common breeding species.

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Eurasian wren
Birds of Ireland: Wren
Wrens are a tiny, rusty-brown bird, smaller than a blue tit. They often cock their tails up so high it almost touches the back of their heads.

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Nordic birds flocking to British shores
Birds of Ireland: Siskin
Siskins can be seen here all year round and are a common breeding species. Their habitat is farmland, gardens, and woodland.

Tue, 14 Jan, 2025

Latest

Mick Clifford
Mick Clifford

News

Most Read

Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited