England has many coastal birds (including of course seagulls and puffins, which each have a post of their own). Also read the post on England’s wading birds (herons, egrets & bitterns) that often can be found near coastal areas. In this post, we’ll focus on the main ‘wild coastal birds’ that you may see, on seaside walks.
Keep at least 50 metres away from them, as causing they to fly away wastes energy, that could be spent feeding (they also need extra space at high tide). Always keep dogs away from coastal birds, as disturbing nests could cause them to abandon chicks.
Most of these birds don’t visit gardens. But for all birds, keep feline friends inside at dawn and dusk, when birds are likely feeding. If used, choose plain quality birdhouses that are sited correctly (never tin coloured birdshouses, these can overheat and attract predators). Also read how to prevent birds flying into windows.
Meet Critically Endangered Curlews
Curlews are highly endangered (half the breeding population has been lost in the last 25 years), and it’s thought that 2 of our 8 species have gone extinct (most are found on Scottish islands).
Curlew are easy to recognise due to their distinct curved beaks, and give out haunting ‘cur-lee’ calls near the sea or wet grasslands.
The best way to protect these tall waders is to protect and restore our wetlands, most of which have been lost to industrial farming and purchase of peat in garden centres. Our high rainfall means that with help, creating new wetlands is relatively easy. As well as helping to wildlife habitats, wetlands also help to reduce the risk of flooding.
You can download free posters (also in Welsh) from Curlew Action to help protect these endangered lovely feathered friends.
Whimbrels and their Seven Whistles
Whimbrels have one of the most intriguing call, as it sounds like seven whistles. These birds have curved beaks and are smaller versions of curlews that breed on moorland and uplands, mostly seen at the coast when migrating. They eat insects, snails and slugs (and when migrating, switch to eating shrimp, molluscs and crustaceans).
You can tell them apart from whimbrels as they have blue-grey legs, shorter bills and a white wedge on their backs and tails (which you can see when they are in flight).
Whimbrels have mottled brown plumage, a trait shared with many shorebird relatives. This provides excellent camouflage against the sandy and rocky shores they frequent. But what truly sets them apart is their long, down-curved beak, designed perfectly for foraging.
One of nature’s great travellers, whimbrels are known for their impressive migratory journeys. They breed in the Arctic tundra and migrate to warmer climates, often covering thousands of kilometres to winter in South America, Africa, and Australia.
The seven whistle call is hauntingly beautiful, and follows a distinct pattern. Like all bird calls, it’s used mostly to attract a mate, and this is a mesmerising courtship song in particular. Wide-open spaces enhance the call’s resonance, so it travels further over the water and flat land. This is why shorebirds who live nearer forests develop shorter, sharp calls that cut through the foliage.
Turnstones (strongmen of the bird world!)
Turnstones are medium-sized sandpipers, often found around rocky shores and gravel beaches. Named after their habit of ‘flipping’ large stones to find food. They are so strong, they can even lift big stones as heavy as them.
They are not native to England, but migrate here at different times. So can be seen throughout the year, depending on whether they have flown from Europe (spring/summer) or Canada/Greenland (early summer or autumn).
Turnstones have beautiful chequered black/chestnut patterns on their backs, with white patches elsewhere. But in winter, they change colour to dark brown with black patterns, retaining white bellies and chins. Common sandpipers have green-brown backs (rock sandpipers have longer legs than turnstones, and much lighter plumage).
These birds eat a wide variety of food, and have been even known to eat discarded chips, washed up bodies and artificial sweeteners. So it’s really important to take beach litter with you, as this is a species at risk of eating harmful items left behind (like plastic waste or cigarette butts), believing them to be food for chicks.
Cormorants (very good at fishing!)
Cormorants are spotted year-round, their feathers are not waterproof so can often be seen stretching out their wings to dry off, after using their excellent fishing skills to dive into the sea. They use their long hook-tipped bills to swim underwater to eat, and tend to nest on low coastal cliffs or more recently, have started to fly inland to roost in trees (near lakes) and flooded gravel pits.
Large and black with white patches on their thighs during summer breeding, the younger birds are dark brown. They look similar to (more numerous) shags, but the latter birds are smaller and are not seen away from coastal areas. They also have small ‘tufted crests’ dark green plumage and more narrow bills (with yellow gapes).
Sanderlings (run like clockwork toys!)
Sanderlings are medium-sized sandpipers that feed in flocks at the tide edge, mostly eating insects, crustaceans, fish, worms and jellyfish. They are not native to England, arriving from Greenland and Siberia in winter (sometimes on journeys of over 20,000 miles) and also ‘pass’ by during spring/summer migrations.
They are less stocky than knot birds and you’ll often see them scampering on their three toes (due to missing a hind toe, wildlife experts say they kind of ‘run like a clockwork toy’). Currently an ‘amber’ listed species, they are common on the Solent coast, where you’ll find them probing in the mud on sandy beaches for food.
Choughs (‘national birds’ of Cornwall)
Cornish choughs are similar to jackdaws. They are small black crows with glossy feathers, the difference being their long red legs and beaks. A real conservation success story, choughs have come back from near extinction and are now successfully breeding, as the national birds of Cornwall.
Choughs live on short grassland and coastal heaths, and use their long red bills to eat beetle larvae and leatherjackets. They have a loud ‘chee-ow’ song, and are mostly found on cliff faces and rock ledges, but also nest in empty buildings.
The male chough is a good dad, who sticks around to raise the chicks! In fact, he pairs for life with his lady friend, and usually they return to the same breeding site each year.
Like most wildlife, the main threat to Cornish choughs has been modern agriculture practices. But Cornish conservationists have done a wonderful job, increasing the population by 60%, by helping to preserve habitats locally.
