Birds of all shapes and sizes

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Did you know that birds come in different shapes and sizes!

Despite their smaller size, wee birds are the ones you are most likely to see. 

There are lots of them! They are sociable birds that sometimes live near where people live.

A whitethroat standing on a thin branch.Birds can be named after their colours or features. For example, this is a 'Whitethroat' - any guesses why?





What birds can you remember seeing in your garden or local park? What do you think they like about your garden?



Whitethroat's song (click play above)





Whitethroats like to be in gardens, parks and playgrounds. If one was in your garden, what sort of food would he find to eat?(click here to reveal)

Whitethroats like to eat insects, berries and fruit. Are any of these in your gardens or local parks?



Are small birds only found in gardens and parks?

If you live in the countryside, maybe your garden is a big field! There are small birds that like to live here and on farms. One of them is the 'Skylark!'

A grey-brown skylark sitting on a rock in a field.


These birds are brown and cream coloured. They can hide very well in wheat fields.

Skylark's song (click play above)









Skylarks aren't in the Highlands all year. They visit to eat seeds. What time of year do they visit? (when are crops really big?)(click here to reveal)

Skylarks often visit in the summer! This way, there are lots of big, tall crops for them to pick seeds out of. In the colder seasons, they eat spiders and insects mostly.

Did you know: Skylarks fly vertically straight up like a kite. Fields are flat, so this is how they view it from the sky.Skylarks have a unique way of flying! Watch the video below to see! 

Warning: Make sure your speaker volume is not too high before playing, the skylark's chirps are quite loud.






How small are small birds?

The 'Willow Warbler' is a very small bird. They are smaller than most coffee mugs!


A willow warbler sitting on the top of a tree


Willow Warblers are a small bird you might not see in your garden. You need to look in a forest! 

But only in the summer! You won't see them much in the UK during the other seasons.

Willow Warbler's song (click play above)











We can add these birds to our collection! That's six birds so far! 

Are you starting to see their similarities and their differences?