This is not so much science as a bit of fun. This morning in the Daily Mail, I read it because it's part of my job not out of choice, was an article about choosing the national bird of Britain. This is apparently the brain child of David Lindo, the Urban Birder. The Mail makes many references to the majestic birds that other nations have as their symbol, the bald eagle of the US and Zambia's African fish eagle. These sound impressive birds, but national birds aren't always great: South Africa has the blue crane, it's a nice enough bird to see when your driving through the Overberg but it's hardly imperious. But I digress.
Here is Liindo's top 10 list (in a random order decided by the Mail):
1. Mute Swan Cygnus olor - pretty, but I've seen them attack rowers and they're very scary.
2. Red Kite Milvus milvus - having grown up in Thame, Oxfordshire, these birds fill me with joy. Hearing their cry on a summers day and watching them swoop over the garden or ride a thermal makes me think of home. A strong contender from me.
3. Hen harrier Circus cyaneus - lovely bird, but I've never seen one. I'd personally swap them for peregrines in this list, but that's because they're one of my favourite birds.
4. Puffin Fratercula sp. - they're great, and watching them fly is awesome but for some reason to me they feel Scandinavian, no idea why!
5. Barn owl Tyto alba - eerily majestic, but as we had a resident in our 'gym' in the Kalahari they will always remind me of Africa not Britain.
6. Wren Troglodytidae sp. - cheerful and cheeky, always fun to watch, a bit to much of an LBJ for a national bird (LBJ = little brown jobbie)
7. Kingfisher Alcedo atthis - nothing quite like the flash of blue on a river bank, but they're the symbol of cheep Indian beer at curry houses!
8. Robin Erithacus rubecula - boom, my vote! Cheeky little robin in the garden or the park, singing his heart out and they're pretty tenacious too.
9. Blackbird Turdus merula - I love black birds, seeing them whizz across suburbia calling as they swoop into a bush - reminds me of home.
10. Blue tit Parus caeruleus - very pretty, but perhaps a bit too pretty for us Brits. Lots of good research has been done on them though!
But there is one bird that isn't on the list and you could argue, given it's cultural importance to the UK - it's in the first song in the English language* - it should be. The cuckoo Cucculus canorus. Bringing me onto the awesome book that I've just bought written by Nick Davies about cuckoos: Cuckoo - cheating by nature. So excited to read it!!
Here is Liindo's top 10 list (in a random order decided by the Mail):
1. Mute Swan Cygnus olor - pretty, but I've seen them attack rowers and they're very scary.
2. Red Kite Milvus milvus - having grown up in Thame, Oxfordshire, these birds fill me with joy. Hearing their cry on a summers day and watching them swoop over the garden or ride a thermal makes me think of home. A strong contender from me.
3. Hen harrier Circus cyaneus - lovely bird, but I've never seen one. I'd personally swap them for peregrines in this list, but that's because they're one of my favourite birds.
4. Puffin Fratercula sp. - they're great, and watching them fly is awesome but for some reason to me they feel Scandinavian, no idea why!
5. Barn owl Tyto alba - eerily majestic, but as we had a resident in our 'gym' in the Kalahari they will always remind me of Africa not Britain.
6. Wren Troglodytidae sp. - cheerful and cheeky, always fun to watch, a bit to much of an LBJ for a national bird (LBJ = little brown jobbie)
7. Kingfisher Alcedo atthis - nothing quite like the flash of blue on a river bank, but they're the symbol of cheep Indian beer at curry houses!
8. Robin Erithacus rubecula - boom, my vote! Cheeky little robin in the garden or the park, singing his heart out and they're pretty tenacious too.
9. Blackbird Turdus merula - I love black birds, seeing them whizz across suburbia calling as they swoop into a bush - reminds me of home.
10. Blue tit Parus caeruleus - very pretty, but perhaps a bit too pretty for us Brits. Lots of good research has been done on them though!
But there is one bird that isn't on the list and you could argue, given it's cultural importance to the UK - it's in the first song in the English language* - it should be. The cuckoo Cucculus canorus. Bringing me onto the awesome book that I've just bought written by Nick Davies about cuckoos: Cuckoo - cheating by nature. So excited to read it!!
*
Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu,
Groweth sed, and bloweth med,
And springeth the wode nu,
Sing cuccu!
Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu,
Groweth sed, and bloweth med,
And springeth the wode nu,
Sing cuccu!
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