The Top 10 Most Common Birds in the UK
You might be thinking that it’s the pigeon that makes it to the top of this list but you would be very wrong. In fact, the humble pigeon barely makes it into the top 10! So what makes it to the top? Read on and find out…
The Top 10 Most Common Birds in the UK
10 – Song Thrush (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 3,500,000)
Info Source: The song thrush is a thrush that breeds across much of Eurasia. It has brown upperparts and black-spotted cream or buff underparts and has three recognised subspecies. Its distinctive song, which has repeated musical phrases, has frequently been referred to in poetry.
9 – Wood Pigeon (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 4,000,000)
Info Source: The common wood pigeon is a large species in the dove and pigeon family. It belongs to the Columba genus and, like all pigeons and doves, belongs to the family Columbidae.
8 – Robin (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 4,200,000)
Info Source: The term robin is also applied to some birds in other families with red or orange breasts. These include the American robin, which is a thrush, and the Australasian robins of the family Petroicidae, the relationships of which are unclear.
7 – House Sparrow (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 4,400,000)
Info Source: The house sparrow is strongly associated with human habitations, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, and deserts away from human development.
6 – Hedgerow Sparrow (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 4,800,000)
Info Source: The dunnock is a small passerine, or perching bird, found throughout temperate Europe and into Asia. Dunnocks have also been successfully introduced into New Zealand. It is by far the most widespread member of the accentor family, which otherwise consists of mountain species.
5 – Bluetit (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 5,000,000)
Info Source: Eurasian blue tits, usually resident and non-migratory birds, are widespread and a common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands with a high proportion of oak. They usually nest in tree holes, although they easily adapt to nest boxes where necessary.
4 – Starling (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 5,500,000)
Info Source: Starlings have strong feet, their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Several species live around human habitation and are effectively omnivores.
3 – Chaffinch (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 6,700,000)
Info Source: The common chaffinch, usually known simply as the chaffinch, is a common and widespread small passerine bird in the finch family. The male is brightly coloured with a blue-grey cap and rust-red underparts.
2 – Blackbird (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 7,000,000)
Info Source: The common blackbird is a species of true thrush. It is also called Eurasian blackbird, or simply blackbird where this does lead to confusion with a similar-looking local species.
1 – Wren (Estimated Numbers of Breeding Pairs: 10,000,000)
Info Source: The wrens are mostly small, brownish passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. About 80 species of true wrens in roughly 20 genera are described. Only the Eurasian wren occurs in the Old World, where in Anglophone regions, it is commonly known simply as the “wren”, as it is the originator of the name.
