Normandy B & B

Garden Birds at "La Basse Cour" North of the Pays de la Loire

Birdwatching in Normandy and Western France North of the Loire

Bird Spotting Guide Book:
A Birdwatching Guide to France North of the Loire, Crozier

Film loading: this may take a while depending on speed of connection - the rest of the page is viewable during loading of the video Flash Player required to view video
Feathered Visitors to la Basse Cour
Name in French (name in English) Latin name Size Season	Frequency of sighting * frequent occasional * rare
1. Roitelet huppé (Goldcrest) Regulus regulus 9cm Jan-Dec *		Play goldcrest call
2. Troglodyte mignon (Wren) 10cm Jan-Dec ***		Play wren call
3. Pouillot fitis (Willow Warbler) Phylloscopus trochilus 11cm Mar-Nov **		Play willow warbler call
4. Mésange Bleue (Blue tit) Parus caeruleus 12cm Jan-Dec ***		Play blue tit call
5. Mésange Noire (Coal tit) Parus ater 12cm Jan-Dec *		Play coal tit call
6. Mésange Nonnette (Marsh tit) Parus palustris 12cm Jan-Dec *
7. Tarin des aulnes (Siskin) Carduelis spinus 12cm Jan-Dec ***		Play siskin call
8. Grimpereau des jardins (Short-toed Treecreeper) Certhia brachydactyla 12cm Jan-Dec *
9. Chardonneret (Goldfinch) Carduelis carduelis 13cm Jan-Dec ***		Play goldfinch call
10. Mésange à longue queue (Long-tailed Tit) Aegithalos caudatus 14cm Jan-Dec **		Play long-tailed tit call
11. Accenteur mouchet (Dunnock) Prunella modularis 14cm Jan-Dec ***		Play dunnock call
12. Rouge-gorge (Robin) Erithacus rubecula 14cm Jan-Dec ***		Play robin call
13. Rouge-queue noir (Black redstart) Phoenicurus ochrurus 14cm Mar-Oct ***
14. Rouge-queue à front blanc (Redstart) Phoenicurus phoenicurus 14cm Apr-Oct *
15. Fauvette à tête noire (Blackcap) Sylvia atricapilla 14cm Apr-Oct *
16. Mésange Charbonnière (Great Tit) Parus major 14cm Jan-Dec ***		Play great tit call
17. Moineau Domestique (House Sparrow) Passer domesticus 15cm Jan-Dec ***
18. Verdier (Greenfinch) Carduelis chloris 15cm Jan-Dec ***		Play greenfinch call
19. Pinson des Arbres (Chaffinch) Fringilla coelebs 15cm Jan-Dec ***		Play chaffinch call
20. Pinson du Nord (Brambling) Fringilla montifringilla 15cm Jan-Dec *		Play brambling call
21. Gobe-mouche gris (Spotted Flycatcher) Muscicapa striata 15cm Apr-Sep *		Play Flycatcher call
23. Martinet noir (Swift) Apus apus 16cm May-Aug ***		Play swift call
24. Martin-pêcheur (Kingfisher) Alcedo atthis 17cm Jan-Dec *
25. Bergeronnette Grise (White Wagtail) Motacilla alba 18cm Mar-Nov ***		Not the same as the pied wagtail, which has black back
26. Bergeronnette des ruisseaux (Grey Wagtail) Motacilla cinerea 18cm Jan-Dec **
27. Gros-bec casse-noyaux (Hawfinch) Coccothraustes coccothraustes 18cm Jan-Dec *
28. Hirondelle rustique (Swallow) Hirundo rustica 19cm Mar-Oct ***		Play swallow call
29. Chevalier guignette (Common Sandpiper) Actitis hypoleucos 20cm Jun-Aug *		Only rarely, passing through
30. Etorneau sansonnet (Starling) Sturnus vulgaris 22cm Jan-Dec ***
31. Pic épeiche (Greater Spotted Woodpecker) Dendrocopus major 23cm Jan-Dec **		Play greater spotted woodpecker call
32. Grive musicienne (Song Thrush) Turdus philomelos 23cm Mar-Oct *		Slightly smaller than a blackbird Play song thrush call
33. Merle Noir (Blackbird) Turdus merula 25cm Jan-Dec ***		Play blackbird call
34. Grive draine (Mistle thrush) Turdus viscicorus 27cm Jan-Dec ***		Slightly larger than a blackbird Play mistle thrush call
35. Grèbe castagneux (Little grebe) Tachybaptus ruficollis 25-30cm Mar-Sept ***		First breeding pair 2010
36. Pic Vert/Pivert (Green Woodpecker) Picus viridis 32cm Jan-Dec ***		Often seen picking for ants in the lawn as well as on tree trunks
37. Chouette hulotte (Tawny Owl) Strix aluco 38cm Jan-Dec ***		Play tawny owl call
38. Tourterelle turque (Collared Dove) Streptopelia decaocto 32cm Jan-Dec ***		Play collared dove call
39. Pigeon biset (Feral Town Pigeon) Columba livia f. domestica 33cm Jan-Dec **
40. Coucou (Cuckoo) Cuculus canorus 33cm Mar-Oct **		Frequently heard in spring and summer, harder to see!
41. Geai des chênes (Jay) Garrulus glandularius 34cm Jan-Dec **
42. Poule d'eau (Moorhen) Gallinula chloropus 35cm Jan-Dec ***
43. Epervier d'Europe (Sparrowhawk) Accipiter nisus 30-35cm Jan-Dec *		Occasionally perches in apple tree or on barn
44. Pigeon Ramier (Wood pigeon) Columba palustris 40cm Jan-Dec ***		Play wood pigeon call
45. Pie Bavarde (Magpie) Pica pica 45cm Jan-Dec ***
46. Corbeau Freux (Rook) Corvus frugilegus 47cm Jan-Dec *
47. Corneille Noire (Carrion Crow) Corvus corone 47cm Jan-Dec ***
48. Faisan de Colchide (Pheasant) Phasianus colchicus 80cm Jan-Dec *
49. Colvert (Mallard) Anas platyrhynchos 55-60cm Jan-Dec ***
50. Buse variable (Buzzard) Buteo buteo 55cm Jan-Dec ***		Often seen in flight or perching on fences
51. Héron Pourpré (Purple Heron) Ardea purpurea 80-90cm Jun - Sept *
52. Héron Cendré (Grey Heron) Ardea cinerea 90-100cm Jan-Dec ***