Birds to look out for

Find out about the birds you're most likely to see during Big Schools' Birdwatch.

Learn more about last year's most-seen birds in our bird guide.

The most commonly seen birds

Blackbird

Their bright orange-yellow beaks and eye-rings make adult male blackbirds one of the most striking garden birds.

Starling

Smaller than blackbirds, starlings look black at a distance but up close they are glossy with a purple and green sheen.

House sparrow male and female artwork

House sparrow

Noisy and gregarious, these cheerful exploiters of our waste have managed to colonise most of the world.

Robin illustration

Robin

The UK's favourite bird - with its bright red breast it is familiar throughout the year and especially at Christmas!

Black-headed gull

Black-headed gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in groups or flocks where there is lots of food.

Common gull

It looks like a small, gentler version of the herring gull, with greenish legs and a yellow bill.

Carrion crow

The all-black carrion crow is one of our cleverest and most adaptable birds. They are usually found alone or in pairs.

Magpie

Magpie

With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there is nothing else quite like the magpie in the UK.

Woodpigeon

The UK's largest and commonest pigeon, it is largely grey with a white neck patch and white wing patches.

Blue tit (Parus caeruleus) showing aggressive behaviour

Blue tit

A colourful mix of blue, yellow, white and green makes the blue tit one of our most recognisable garden visitors.

Blue leaf texture background

Top tips

Some birds can be tricky to tell apart. Our simple photo guide highlights ways to tell the difference between some of the most commonly confused birds you'll see during your Birdwatch.

Spot the difference!

Carrion crow perched on wall at Marburg castle

Crows and jackdaws

Members of the crow family can seem a tricky bunch to tell apart.

Dunnock on garden lawn, Co. Durham

House sparrows and dunnocks

Little brown birds can be tricky to tell apart. But with our help, you'll soon know your dunnocks from your sparrows.

Starling Sturnus vulgaris, adult male in hedge of Wild privet Ligustrum vulgare, Bedfordshire, England,

Starling vs blackbird

Starlings and blackbirds are two lovable garden birds that can be confused.

Telling gulls apart

Gulls can be tricky to tell apart from one another. To help you, we've highlighted the four gulls you're likely to see.

Need a bit more help?

Girl birdwatching

Try our interactive bird identifier. Fun and simple!

What's that bird?
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