Wildlife In
Wildlife In
The Park
Below is just some of the Wildlife that you may see when visiting Netherton Park.
If you click on one of the animals below more information will be displayed about it.
Albino blackbirds are not uncommon and most simply have white patches. Completely white individuals seldom survive, as they are more conspicuous to predators. Blackbirds are 25cm in length. Males are jet-black with a bright yellow beak and eye-ring. Females have brown plumage with a brown beak and juveniles are mottled, with a rufous hue. Blackbirds forage for insects and worms, as well as feeding on berries and fruit. They spend a lot of time on the ground searching for food, but they sing from a prominent perch. They are highly territorial during the breeding season. Blackbirds utilise a variety of nest sites including trees, bushes, hedges and buildings, or may even nest directly on the ground. The female builds the nest from sticks, twigs and leaves, and lines it with mud and grass. She normally lays four or five eggs, which are incubated for 12-15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents for two weeks in the nest, and then looked after for a further three weeks. Blackbirds are noisy birds, especially during roosting time when they emit a loud dik-dik-dik. They have a loud and pleasing warbling flute-like song, and a noisy chatter when disturbed.
Blue tits have a wingspan of 12-14cm, a body length of 12cm and weigh about 11g. They have yellow under-parts with blue wings, a blue tail and a blue cap. Adults have white cheeks, but those of the juveniles are yellow. When they are excited, they raise the short crest on their nape. They feed on small insects, spiders, fruits, seeds and nectar. Blue tits forage for food in the tree canopy, although they do spend some time on the ground searching for food, especially in the winter. Blue tits are not considered to be globally threatened. They are generally very common throughout their range. There may be 3,300,000 pairs in Britain today. Blue tits have a range of calls, including seeseedu and cherrrr-errr-err, but the song is a cheerful tsee-tsee-tsu-tsuhuhu.
Great spotted woodpeckers are the most widespread and numerous woodpecker in the UK. There are around 14 races. There life span is about 10 years. The average size of a fully grown adult is about length: 22-23cm, wingspan: 34-39cm, weight 70-90g. This species is smaller than the green woodpecker but much larger than the lesser spotted woodpecker. They have pied plumage, with white shoulder patches standing out against a black back. There are red patches under the tail and on the vent, and they have a black crown and a black moustache which joins the crown. The male has a small red patch on the nape, and juveniles have a red crown, and pinkish under parts. They mainly feed on insects, especially beetles and their larvae, but they also feed on seeds and nuts. They sometimes take the eggs and chicks of hole-nesting birds. They are not often seen on the ground, but are occasional visitors to bird tables. Great spotted woodpeckers are a resident species in the UK. They have an undulating flight. Great spotted woodpeckers search for food by working up tree trunks, sharply tapping the bark. They prise off fragments and extract food from crevices with the tip of their sticky tongue. They emit a loud 'kick kick' call. They also can be heard drumming on wood.
Great tits are distinguished from blue tits by their larger size and black cap. Great tits have a wingspan of 14-16cm, a body length of 14cm and weigh 14-22g. Great tits have blue and yellow plumage with a black cap. Both sexes have a black stripe running down the middle of the chest, but the stripe is much broader in the males. They forage in the trees and on the ground, feeding on insects, spiders, seeds, nuts, buds and fruit. Great tits live in family groups for a short time after breeding, and then join mixed flocks of other species in the late summer and through to spring. Great tits have a wide range of loud calls (more than 80 have been recorded), including a distinctive teacher, teacher song.
Greenfinches are 14cm in length and have a wingspan of 16-18cm. They are large yellow-green finches (females are browner than the males) with yellow edges to the wings and tail. They have a stout bill and pink legs. Greenfinches feed on a variety of seeds including dog's mercury, elm, yew, rose, bramble, chickweed, dandelion and burdock. They occasionally feed on insects and spiders, particularly when feeding nestlings. They are sociable and are often found in small flocks, sometimes mixed with similar species including sparrows and yellowhammers. They roost communally in hedgerows. Greenfinches build an untidy nest of sticks lined with feathers, which are often grouped in small colonies. They generally have two broods a year and lay 4-5 eggs. Greenfinches are not considered to be globally threatened. They are doing well in Britain with a breeding population estimated at 500,000 pairs. Greenfinches emit bell-like trills and chirrups, as well as a nasal tswee and chi-chi-chi-chit flight call.
These large and striking birds can be spotted standing motionless at the water's edge, waiting patiently for prey. The longest recorded age is 25 years. The average size of a fully grown adult is about length: 84-102cm, wingspan: 155-175cm. Grey herons are large, long-legged birds with a long s-shaped neck. The back and wings are grey; and the neck and underparts are white. They have a white head with a wispy crest of long black feathers. The yellow bill is long and pointed. They feed on fish, amphibians, molluscs, insects and even small rodents and birds. Grey herons wade through shallow water searching for prey such as small fish and amphibians. When they have found a suitable location, they will stand motionless waiting for the right moment to stab the prey with its beak. Herons fly with the head drawn back and feet trailing behind. The wing beats are slow and the curved wings form an m-shape. Some individuals migrate to Western Europe over winter. Grey herons are not listed on the IUCN Red List. Many die of starvation during particularly cold winters. The commonest call is a loud, croaking 'kah-ark', which is often heard at dusk when they are flying to their night-time roosts. They also produce 'knocking' sounds when they are in a colony.
Grey squirrels are an alien species and were introduced to the UK from the USA in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. Their success has been to the detriment of our native red squirrels. There life span is up to 9 years. The average size of a fully grown adult head and body length: 23-30 cm, Tail length: 19-25cm, Weight (adult): 400-600g. Grey squirrels live in a compact, spherical nest (drey), 30-60cm in diameter, with an outer frame of twigs, and dry leaves and grass inside. They are diurnal, active from before sunrise to after sunset. The peak of activity is in the autumn. Their range covers 2-10 hectares.
House sparrows are decreasing alarmingly in Britain, with 64 per cent lost in the last 25 years. House sparrows have a wingspan of 14-16cm and weigh 27-39g. They have a body length of 15cm. Male house sparrows have streaked brown plumage with pale cheeks, a grey crown and black bib. The females are paler and without the patterned head. House sparrows feed mainly on seeds, but will also eat other vegetable matter and insects. Sparrows are social and gregarious, and are often found in small flocks. Communal roosts are important for them. They feed on the ground and in vegetation, but will also chase flying insects in flight. House sparrows breed in spring and summer and the untidy nest of grass and straw is generally built inside buildings or other holes, and sometimes free-standing in bushes. The clutch of 3-5 eggs are incubated by both parents for 12-14 days and the chicks fledge after 15 days. House sparrows are not considered to be globally threatened. Despite recent declines in their populations, there are probably still more than 3,000,000 pairs breeding. They emit a series of chirps and twitters, strung together as a rudimentary song.
Magpies have a strong bill with a sharp cutting edge, which can be used for cutting flesh, digging up invertebrates, or picking fruit. Their main diet in summer is grassland invertebrates, such as beetles, flies, caterpillars, spiders, worms and leatherjackets. In winter they eat more plant material, such as wild fruits, berries and grains, with household scraps and food scavenged from bird tables or chicken runs, pet foods etc. They will eat carrion at all times and catch small mammals and birds. Occasionally, magpies prey on larger animals such as young rabbits. Their average life expectancy is three years, but some live much longer than this: the oldest recorded is 16 years. The magpie makes harsh chattering and chacking calls.
Mallards are the most familiar of all ducks and are the ancestor of the domestic duck. The life span of a Mallard is up to 20 years in captivity. The average size of a fully grown male is a length 50-60cm, wingspan: 81-95cm. The breeding male (drake) of this species is a very distinctive and easily recognised bird. The body is black, grey and white, the rump is black and the tail feathers are white. The drake's head is dark iridescent green that shines bluish in some lights. The wings are grey, white and black and have bars of iridescent green on them. Females (hens) are light brown with darker brown patches on some of the feathers. They also have the iridescent bars on the wings. During the summer, the drakes moult and take on the same coloration as the hens. The chicks are brown and yellow. Mallards feed on small plants and animals. Mallards feed by leaning forward into the water so that their tails stick upwards and their necks stretch down into the water. This is called ‘dabbling’. While submerged, the ducks will feed on the small plants and animals they find there. Mallards feed both day and night. Semi-domesticated mallards are common in parks and villages around ponds and rivers. These ducks are very tame and feeding them scraps of bread is a popular activity among both children and adults. Mallards are able to take off from water quite steeply using their wings to push against the surface to help launch them. They are also able to land at quite a steep angle and this allows them to land in relatively small bodies of water. Most mallards in Europe are resident, except in the North and East where they migrate in winter to avoid ice. Mallard ducks make a very familiar ‘quack’ noise. The drake's call is louder and higher pitched than the female’s. Most domestic ducks (with the exception of the Muscovy duck) are descended from mallard ducks. Many domesticated ducks have interbred with wild ducks and it is quite difficult to find a pure mallard.
Red foxes have become the most widespread dogs in the wild, having overtaken grey wolves to the top spot. They are often included in folklore, with a reputation for being sly and cunning. There are around 40 subspecies of Red Fox. In the wild, red foxes seldom live for more than seven years, but in captivity they live for up to 15 years. The average size of a fully grown adult head and body length: 50-90cm, Tail length: 30-50cm, Standing height: 35-45cm, Weight: 6-10kg. Red foxes are opportunist feeders and eat insects, earthworms, fruit, berries, wild birds, small mammals and scraps left by humans. Red foxes are primarily active at dusk and night. They are solitary, but they very occasionally group together in a pack. Foxes forage alone in different parts of their territory, which may extend from 25 to 5,000 acres (10-2,000 hectares), depending on the habitat. Territories are marked by faeces and urine.
The robin is Britain's national bird, selected by public ballot nearly 40 years ago. Robins are small birds with a body length of 14cm. They have a distinctive red face and breast, and brown wings and back. The red breast is bordered by a thin grey-blue border. Male and females look alike but juveniles have a spotted, scalloped plumage with no red. They mainly feed on insects and spiders, but they also eat seeds, fruits and berries. Although shy birds over much of their range, robins have learnt to make use of gardeners in Britain and watch the owners as they dig up their gardens. They then take advantage of the newly-exposed soil to forage for worms and other invertebrate prey. Robins are notoriously aggressive towards each other. Both males and females are territorial and the red breast is fluffed out in display. They will even attack a bundle of red feathers or their own reflection, mistaking it for another individual. Robins have a rich and warbling song, sometimes described as mournful in winter but cheerful in spring. Other calls include a thin seee and a hard tic-tic-tic.
Serotine bats are one of the largest British species, and are one of the first to emerge in the evening. There life span is recorded at a maximum age of 19 years. The average size of a fully grown adult has a body length: 6.2-8.2cm, wingspan: 32-38cm, weight: 15-35g. Serotines are relatively large bats. They have long dark-brown fur, with a yellow-brown underside. The ears and nose are black, and the wing membranes are dark-brown. They emerge at early dusk to feed on moths and beetles. They sometimes make two foraging trips a night. In the summer, serotines roost in tree hollows and attics. In the winter, they hibernate in tree hollows, caves, old mines and cellars. They have a relatively slow, looping flight. The mating season begins at the end of August, and the nursery roosts are occupied from April-May. In Europe, the females give birth to one young, but in Asia, they typically have two and occasionally three young. The young can fly after three weeks but do not become independent of their mothers until they are five weeks old. They leave the nursery roosts at the end of August.
Song thrushes are famous for smashing open the shells of snails on a stone anvil to get to the flesh inside. Song thrushes are medium-sized birds of about 22cm. They have brown upper-parts and their white breast is speckled with brown spots and streaks. Thrushes feed on slugs, snails, insects, worms, berries and fruits. Thrushes often stand with their head on one side, scrutinising the ground for food. Thrushes are not considered to be globally threatened, although they have decreased in number in the UK, with 52 per cent lost over 25 years and the population estimated to have declined to less than a million pairs. Song thrushes have a loud musical song with phrases often repeated, as well as a short sip call in flight and a loud click alarm call.
Wood pigeons are large and portly grey birds, with a white band across the wings, white patch at the side of the neck and a dark band on the tail. They have a pinkish brown neck and upper breast. They are mainly vegetarian, feeding on flowers, young leaves, seeds, herbs, grasses, grain and berries, but they also occasionally eat invertebrates. Many farmers consider wood pigeons to be pests due to their habit of raiding crops. The birds often feed in large flocks where abundant food is available. Wood pigeon nests are very scanty and are placed in trees and bushes. The two eggs are incubated for 17-19 days by both parents. The chicks fledge after about 16-35 days. Wood pigeons are not considered to be globally threatened. There are probably almost 2,500,000 pairs breeding in Britain. Their call sounds like coo-coo-coo, coo-coo.
At a length of 9.5-10cm, wrens are the second smallest birds in the UK, after the firecrest/goldcrest. They are russet-brown with a paler underside. The wings, tail and flank are barred, as is the back, but less distinctly. They are rotund with a short, upturned tail. Wrens have a pale eye stripe. The different sexes and ages look similar. Wrens are ground feeders, rummaging through the undergrowth for insects and spiders. Wrens are mainly sedentary in the UK, although some migrate from the continent (usually Scandinavia) from October to April. Wrens are diurnal, but will sometimes remain active after sunset. They are not social during the day, but may roost together at night, especially during the winter. As many as ten have been found packed into a coconut shell, and 46 were counted in a single nest box. They fly rapidly and close to the ground. The wren has an incredibly loud voice for such a small bird. The song is a long, excited verse, with many trills and metallic ringing tones. The call is a sharp tic-tic-tic, which accelerates into a rattle when the bird is alarmed. Wrens sing mostly from cover, and sound like no other British bird.