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Birdwatching

24 January 2025

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A lesser spotted woodpecker, northern lapwing, hawfinch and woodcock are among 15 rare birds found on the Longleat estate.

The details are released as the estate supports the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend along with incredible close up camera footage of rarely seen birds; sparrowhawk - pictured, little egret and spotted flycatcher.

Dr Tom Lewis, Longleat’s Conservation Manager, said: “We have a number of surveys which take place on the estate, and we found 85 species in 2024. In the UK we use the Red List to grade the conservation need of each species, there are three levels Red, Amber and Green. Amber. We recorded 15 species that are on the UK red list which is a list of those declining rapidly and 24 on the amber list of those declining. ”

“It’s really exciting to have this evidence as we work to build our approach to conservation. The results will inform our habitat management and provide a benchmark so we can make comparisons in the future which is vital to measure the impact of the conservation work we undertake.

“The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is a great way of monitoring the birds we are seeing in the countryside and in more urban areas.

“People are asked to spend an hour recording what birds they see; there are many different ways we can all help support the bird population from introducing a water feature to a non-lawn area with bramble and or stinging nettles and other wild flowers

“Small changes can make a big difference to our wildlife and just enabling wild flowers or nettles to grow, you will be amazed at the extra wildlife you attract.

“As a result of work we have done at Longleat we have already seen beavers, water voles and pine martens making their home here.

“But it’s also important to make sure if you are feeding birds, you are taking great care. Bird feeders, like the one I have at home should be cleaned at least once a week – this stops diseases spreading between different species.”

Longleat holds exclusive Conservation Talks for Members throughout the year –

And there will be the opportunity to make garden feeders for birds during Longleat’s Winter Wonders Week in February half term.

Click on the link to find out more about the Big Garden Birdwatch

The full list of birds found on the estate

Common name	UK Red List Status	Native Status
Barn owl Tyto alba		Native
Blackbird Turdus merula		Native
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla		Native
Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus	Amber	Native
Blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus		Native
Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Amber	Native
Buzzard Buteo buteo		Native
Canada goose Branta canadensis		Non-native
Carrion crow Corvus corone		Native
Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis	Amber	Native
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs		Native
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita		Native
Coal tit Periparus ater		Native
Collared dove Streptopelia decaocto		Native
Common reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus		Native
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo		Native
Crossbill Loxia curvirostra		Native
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus	Red	Native
Dipper Cinclus cinclus	Amber	Native
Dunnock Prunella modularis	Amber	Native
Eurasian treecreeper Certhia familiaris		Native
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris	Red	Native
Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla		Native
Gadwall Mareca strepera	Amber	Native
Garden warbler Sylvia borin		Native
Goldcrest Regulus regulus		Native
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis		Native
Goshawk Accipiter gentilis		Native
Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus		Native
Great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major		Native
Great tit Parus major		Native
Green woodpecker Picus viridis		Native
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris	Red	Native
Grey heron Ardea cinerea		Native
Grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea	Amber	Native
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes	Red	Native
Herring gull Larus argentatus	Red	Native
Hobby Falco subbuteo		Native
House martin Delichon urbicum	Red	Native
Jackdaw Corvus monedula		Native
Jay Garrulus glandarius		Native
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus	Amber	Native
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis		Native
Lesser black-back gull Larus fuscus	Amber	Native
Lesser spotted woodpecker Dryobates minor	Red	Native
Little egret Egretta garzetta		Native
Little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis		Native
Little owl Athene noctua		Non-native
Linnet Linaria cannabina	Red	Native
Long-tailed tit Aegithalos caudatus		Native
Magpie Pica pica		Native
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	Amber	Native
Mandarin duck Aix galericulata		Non-native
Marsh tit Poecile palustris	Red	Native
Mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus	Red	Native
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus	Amber	Native
Mute swan Cygnus olor		Native
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus	Red	Native
Northern Shoveller Spatula clypeata	Amber	Native
Nuthatch Sitta europaea		Native
Peregrine Falco peregrinus		Native
Ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus		Native
Pied wagtail Motacilla alba		Native
Raven Corvus corax		Native
Red kite Milvus milvus		Native
Redwing Turdus iliacus	Amber	Native
Reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus	Amber	Native
Robin Erithacus rubecula		Native
Rook Corvus frugilegus	Amber	Native
Short-toed treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla	Amber	Native
Siskin Spinus spinus
Song thrush Turdus philomelos	Amber	Native
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus	Amber	Native
Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata	Red	Native
Starling Sturnus vulgaris	Red	Native
Stock dove Columba oenas	Amber	Native
Swallow Hirundo rustica		Native
Swift Apus apus	Red	Native
Tawny owl Strix aluco	Amber	Native
Teal Anas crecca	Amber	Native
Tufted duck Aythya fuligula		Native
Wigeon Anas penelope	Amber	Native
Willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus	Amber	Native
Woodcock Scolopax rusticola	Red	Native
Wood pigeon Columba palumbus	Amber	Native
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes	Amber	Native

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Birdwatching

24 January 2025