Bird ID Course: Gardens

How to identify
The male chaffinch is one of the most colourful garden birds with a blue-grey crown, brown back and pink breast. Females are brown, but are less streaky than female house sparrows, and have white shoulder patches and wingbars.

Did you know?
The chaffinch is also known as the 'bachelor finch': the males spend the winter near to their breeding territories, while the females migrate further south.

How to identify
The great tit is a familiar garden bird with a black head, white cheeks, green back, yellow belly and black stripe down its breast. Some say its shrill song sounds just like a bicycle pump being used!

Did you know?
Male great tits have a broad black stripe on the belly, whereas females have a much thinner black stripe. The stripe on the male is an indicator of status and whether the male will be a good choice as a father. The wider the stripe, the more attractive the male is to females.

How to identify
The dunnock is a streaky brown-and-grey bird, with a dark grey head and a thin bill. On the ground, it moves with a shuffling motion.

Did you know?
The dunnock is also known as the 'hedge sparrow' even though it's not actually a sparrow, but a member of a small family of birds called accentors.