Birdlife

Birdlife

Rame Head is replete with bird life all the year round. Here are just a few of the birds one might see on a walk over the headland.

The Short-Eared Owl – also known as ‘Shortie’ (Asio flammeus) is unusual in that it is out and about in the daytime. It is easiest to spot in the winter months, when migrant birds may join the native population. It will fly low over the ground to search for the voles that make up 90% of its diet. The Short-Eared Owl will also prey on smaller birds like Pipits. It is of a similar size to a Barn Owl, but has longer wings with a wingspan of up to 1m. 

The Yellowhammer (Emberiza citronella) – like many other farmland birds that enjoy open countryside with bushes and hedgerows – has declined in recent years and now has a Red conservation status. It is still regularly spotted at Rame Head, where it can be found throughout the year. The sparrow-sized, bright yellow bird will often be seen perched on the top of bush, singing away. In the winter it often forms part of a mixed-species flock, and was in the past regularly observed flying with the endangered Cirl Bunting.

It is the white throat of this little male warbler that gives the Whitethroat (Curruca communis) its name. It is a seasonal visitor to much of the UK, arriving in April and leaving our shores again in October, heading as far away as South Africa. The male whitethroats arrive in the UK about 10 days earlier than the females in order to set up territories before their potential partners arrive. The males build nests out of roots and twigs and the females decide which one to opt for.

The handsome Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanth) is another summer visitor, likely to arrive from Africa in March and leave again in September. It’s about the size of a robin, and has black cheeks, white stripes above the eyes, a blue back and a pale rust-coloured chest. It enjoys open, rocky terrain and is mainly a ground-dwelling bird, often seen running or hopping

along. The Wheatear’s song is fast and chirpy. Its common name is a corruption of the original, somewhat impolite name “white-arse”.

Another migratory species that will make landfall on Rame Head is the Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla). Bramblings are very gregarious, especially in winter, and will often be seen in very large flocks, frequently joining up with chaffinches. The bird is indeed about the size of a chaffinch. When in breeding plumage, the males are very distinctive with a black head, orange breast and white belly. In flight, a long white rump will be evident. Bramblings mostly eat seed in winter and insects in summer. It will build its nest in a tree fork and decorate the exterior with moss or lichen to make it less conspicuous.

A Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) makes a noise that perfectly reflects its name – its call sounds just like two stones being hit together! A little smaller than a robin, a Stonechat has a big head and a short tail. The male has a black head (more prominent in summer) and an orange breast. It is one of the easier birds to spot as it will often be found perching on top of gorse bush, flicking its wings and making its characteristic call. The Stonechat mainly eats invertebrates such as insects and worms but will feed on seeds and fruit like blackberries in the colder months. The Stonechat is a year-round resident.

The melodious song of the Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) is always a treat. A year-round resident, the slim and long-tailed member of the finch family get its name from its favourite food – linseed – which is also known as flax seed. The Linnet favours rough open ground with shrubs and hedgerows. Although it is a widespread species, its numbers are in serious decline and dropped by 57% across the UK between 1970 and 2008, probably as a result of the growth of intensive agriculture.  The Linnet nests in groups in the April to August breeding season. In the winter it will join other finches and form large foraging flocks.

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