All wading birds in England have long legs and bills, mostly eating ‘aquatic organisms’ which include worms to crustaceans.
England’s wading birds all live in marshy land like wetlands, or sometimes coastal areas. They have long legs to easily wade in deep water, with unique bills that move from side to side, scooping up insects, worms and tiny crustaceans in muddy water. Using their bills like chopsticks!
The best way to help all wading birds is to protect wetland areas. So support local organic farmers that protect wildlife corridors, and avoid companies that use pesticides, as these kill insects, the main diet for wading birds.
Avocets (above) are elegant wading birds with unique upturned curved beaks, which they use to build ground nests surrounded by water, as well as to feed. A conservation success story, these highly protected black-and-white birds are the emblem for the RSPB.
- Curlews are also critically endangered wading birds. They have mottled brown feathers and blue legs. This is a real conservation issue, due to lack of habitat and modern farming methods.
- Dunlins are grey in winter, and brown in breeding season. Like curlews, they have downward-curving bills. Little stints are similar, but smaller.
- Black-tailed godwits have large bodies and bills, and streaky feathers. Bar-tailed godwits are smaller with striped bars on their tails and upturned bills.
- Knots migrate from the Arctic each autumn. They are grey and white, and fly in large flocks.
- Redshanks have red legs and bills, with a unique loud ‘pipping’ call when alarmed. Spotted redshanks have longer legs and bills, and calls ‘chew-it!’ rather than ‘pipping’. Also look out for greenshanks.
- Little ringed plovers are wetland birds that have golden rings on their eyes. The migrate from Africa in spring and return in autumn. Ringed plovers are larger and often found near the coast. Golden plovers have beautiful patterns and calls like flutes. Grey plovers are larger too, and found near coasts and estuaries.
- Ruffs are less easy to spot. The larger males wear a ‘ruff’ around their necks. They have small heads and pointed beaks.
- Common snipes have long bills and round bodies. It uses a ‘sewing machine’ method to investigate marshes for food, and then ‘hums’ by shaking its feathers. Jack snipes are smaller and only seen in England in winter. He ‘pumps his body up and down’ as he walks!
Oystercatchers are not officially wading birds, but easy to know from their bright red bills and black/white feathers. Avocets also have black and white feathers, and prefer southern England. Black-winged stilts have started to visit England for warmer climates.
Herons, Bitterns & Egrets
Herons, egrets and bitterns are all similar wading birds, but how do you know which is which? All three are members of the Ardeidae family:
These common wading birds have long necks and legs (and long toes to distribute weight, across soft mud). Found everywhere on earth (apart from Antarctica) they can be striking grey to muted blue, and adapt to both freshwater and saltwater habitats. As they patiently wait for their next meal, using their pointed beaks.
- Herons (like cranes) indulge in elaborate courtship dances where they stretch their necks, flare their plumage and perform aerial flights.
- Egrets are smaller and less noisy than herons, with stunning white plumage. Then are more social and often preen each others’ feathers. They live in similar environments. Although they tend to stick to wetlands, whereas herons can even be spotted in coastal regions.
- Secretive bitterns are harder to spot, as these secret birds often hide their streaky brown feathers amongst reeds and marshes. These solitary birds live amid dense vegetation, but in spring you may hear their distinctive ‘booming’ call.
All Wading Birds Need Wetland Habitats
If our wetlands were more protected, it would be less likely that they would visits parks and gardens to eat ducklings and fish pond inhabitants. In recent years, many wetlands have been lost to farmland and urban building, so the birds lose their nesting and feeding grounds.
Water pollution from pesticides and raw sewage waste are also big issues, as is climate change that leads to rising temperatures and changing weather patterns, affecting food (droughts and floods also disrupt nesting seasons). Bitterns in particular are endangered, with just 200 or so breeding pairs in the UK.
The best way to help all herons, egrets and bitterns is to protect out wetlands. So support small organic farmers that protect wildlife corridors. Avoid companies that use pesticides that kill the creatures that wetland birds feed on.
Herons and egrets both cover great distances, though bitterns are less migratory – but still may move to find food elsewhere. Read more at Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust.
How to Humanely Deter Herons from Ponds
Herons are often an issue near ponds, but dummy herons rarely work (herons hunt together, so think they’ve found a mate). And heron deterrent discs have holes in which hedgehog spikes could get caught. And netting can trap wildlife.
It’s sad to say, but herons do kill fish and ducklings. So if you have a pond, herons will try to find them. You may have to accept it’s nature. Two possible solutions are tall plants at the edge (to obscure views of fish) and a solar fountain to agitate the water (so herons are less likely to see them).
Spoonbills (with spatula-shaped bills!)
Spoonbills are wonderful birds, that are named after their spatula-shaped bills. They may look bizarre, but the bills have an important purpose, to let the birds swing their beaks sideways, to eat in shallow pools of water. To find tasty treats like beetles, small fish and tadpoles.
Spoonbills are very rare in England. They were once thought to be extinct, but numbers have recovered, and they are mostly found on the north Norfolk coast.
Spoonbills mostly live in wetlands, where their bills are useful for sifting through water and mud. They can scoop and filter food, finding crustaceans, insects and aquatic invertebrates with surprising ease. Spoonbills are found worldwide, from the icy coasts of Siberia to the lush wetlands of Africa. Some spoonbills migrate vast differences to find suitable habitats for each season.
Some species like the Spoon-Billed Sandpiper are near extinction, due to habitat loss, climate change and human actions. The battle for survival is urgent, so let’s protect their habitats and campaign for better legal protection for these amazing birds.
Cranes (England’s tallest birds!)
Cranes are England’s tallest birds! These birds were almost extinct due to loss of habitat and hunting, but thankfully due mostly to restoration of peatlands and wetlands, numbers are recovering.
Cranes are graceful grey birds with long necks and curved tail feathers. Mostly found in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Somerset, they are known for their beautiful courtship dances.
Over the border, American whooping cranes are also very tall, with sandhill cranes (above) preferring marshy areas. Some cranes are such good fliers, that they can cross the Himalayas. However many birds do die of fatigue (or get eaten by birds of prey) on the journey.
The crane mating dance is known worldwide. Each bird walks around each other with wings spread, using quick steps. Then leaps up in the air, to bow to each other. Sometimes they pick up grass blades or sticks, and throw them in the air, to show their love!
Lapwings (critically endangered waders)
Lapwings are known for their striking black and white plumage, and distinct calls. Populations have decreased by over half since the late 1960s. This is mostly due to wetlands being built over, and pesticide use. Laptops are near extinction in the west of England.
Often spotted in grasslands and wetlands, Lapwings require specific conditions to thrive. Grasslands provide food and camouflage against predators, while wetlands supply rich feeding grounds.
Lapwings breed from March to July. They nest on the ground, laying eggs in shallow scrapes. This means their nests are vulnerable to predators and human activity. Disturbed nests could lead to chicks being abandoned.
