What birds live in Oxfordshire?

Answer 1

Oxfordshire doesn't have a huge variety of birds, however taking into consideration the fact that there is no sea and very few hills it is surprising how many birds are present.

There are lots of great places to see birds, R.S.P.B Otmoor is a good place to start as it combines lakes with reed-beds and fields providing a diverse range of habitats.

The many lakes in the county ensure that all of the commoner species of duck present in the UK can be seen on the water in Oxfordshire, however sea ducks are very rare and seldom seen. Other waterbirds like Grebes and Herons are often present aswell. Divers and some species of gull which are very numerous on the coast are seldom seen this far inland. Wild geese are hard to find and if they land rarely stay for any length of time, merely stopping off on migration. However introduced and feral wildfowl like Canada and Greylag Geese can be seen regularly where there is sufficient habitat like Port Meadow, Oxford.

Summer visiting game birds that prefer fields of crops to mountains are more regular here than in other places. Pheasants and Partridges are common in autumn and winter when they are released for shooting and can be seen throughout the year however in depleted numbers.

Oxfordshire has a diverse array of Birds of Prey, the Red Kite is commonly seen however is unusual in other parts of the country. Most of the other raptors that breed in Oxfordshire are established throughout the United Kingdom and other scarcer species pass through on migration (Osprey).

Waders occur beside lakes or floods however in less numerous numbers than on the coast and rarer waders like the Avocet are never witnessed. Sea birds are incredibly scarce and Petrels, Shearwaters, Skuas and Gannets are seen only on very rare occasions, often after big storms. Cormorants however are sometimes seen flying over or even swimming and diving in lakes.

All species of owl which are known to breed in England can be seen in Oxfordshire, however the Long Eared Owl is quite scarce and thinly distributed. Mice, Voles and Beetles are abundant in fields, providing sufficient food. Suitable nesting places in the form of old buildings or trees aren't hard to find either.

Wood Pigeons, sometimes in huge flocks are very common and the rarer Stock Dove is also present, sometimes joining congregations of Pigeons to feed. Collared Doves are seen around Villages and Feral Pigeons in large Town Centres.

There are no extensive forests so woodland birds like Nightjar are uncommon, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers amongst others are seldom seen. There are however a lot of small patches of woodland, which are enough to sustain steady populations of the commoner warblers and Thrushes.

Finches and Tits are common and often seen near houses along with good numbers of Sparrows and Wagtails. Gardens are very popular with birds and because of the open countryside there is often a very diverse range of species. Commoner Bunting, Pipits and Larks are more often seen than in other places due to the suitable habitat and extensive fields and hedgerows.

Crows occur in good numbers as there is enough room to support them all. Starlings sometimes forming roosts thousands strong (Otmoor) while Rooks also have suitable habitat in the form of copses with which to build Rookeries.

In conclusion the fact that the county is entirely landlocked has a very big negative impact on the diversity of Coastal birds, this is aided by the fact that there are few major reservoirs and no large river or estuary. Very few hilly or mountainous areas mean that Red Grouse and other birds that prefer higher altitudes are not found. Positive things can also be found however, the fact that there are no major cities means there is lots of countryside attracting birds like the elegant Quail. There are no busy roads so elusive birds which prefer calm areas are also able to visit.