Field Guide: Six Birds You Will Definitely Mistake for Something Else

Every wildlife tour needs a field guide. Ours, written by Juniper Fitch, is more of a field suggestion. Below you will find six birds that visitors often misidentify, along with her notes on how to tell them apart.

One: the sparrow

Small, brown, quick and usually in a group. Juniper says: “It is a sparrow, or possibly a very small hawk.” If the bird hops, it is a sparrow. If it hops with menace, it is a small hawk.

Two: the pigeon

Large, grey, and walking about like a landlord. The pigeon is often mistaken for a seagull, a dove or an unhappy businessman. It can be identified by the way it ignores you completely. Juniper has been staring at one pigeon for three years. It has not blinked.

Three: the blackbird

Black, with a yellow beak, and a confident singing voice. Often confused with a crow, a raven or a large shadow. A blackbird will always appear when you have stopped looking.

Four: the robin

A small bird with a red chest, known for being friendly to gardeners and rude to everyone else. It can be recognised by its habit of puffing up, as though it has just heard a bad rumour.

Five: the magpie

A black and white bird of considerable intelligence. It will observe you with an expression of knowing, and may take something shiny. Do not wear a ring on a tour.

Six: the mysterious blur

This is any bird that moves too quickly to identify. Juniper records it as “possibly a hawk”, and everyone is satisfied. It is the most common sighting on our tours and also the most thrilling.

Tips for identification

• Look at the beak, then at the tail, then at the wall
• Count the number of birds and add one for luck
• If it is singing, it is likely a bird
• If it is not singing, it is likely also a bird
• If it is in your bowl, it is not a bird

Final note

Identification is an art, not a science. We have found that confidence is more important than accuracy, and that a loud “ah” will settle most disputes.