Birds spotted at La Basse Cour on Normandy-Pays de Loire border
Winter Visitors to la Basse Cour
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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 song
2. Troglodyte mignon
(Wren)
10cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play wren song
3. Pouillot fitis
(Willow Warbler)
Phylloscopus trochilus
11cm
Mar-Nov
***
Play willow warbler song
4. Mésange Bleue
(Blue tit)
Parus caeruleus
12cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play blue tit song
5. Mésange Noire
(Coal tit)
Parus ater
12cm
Jan-Dec
*
Play coal tit song
6. Mésange Nonnette
(Marsh tit)
Parus palustris
12cm
Jan-Dec
*
7. Tarin des aulnes
(Siskin)
Carduelis spinus
12cm
Jan-Dec
**
Play siskin song
8. Chardonneret
(Goldfinch)
Carduelis carduelis
13cm
Jan-Dec
**
Play goldfinch song
9. Mésange à longue queue
(Long-tailed Tit)
Aegithalos caudatus
14cm
Jan-Dec
*
Play long-tailed tit song
10. Accenteur mouchet
(Dunnock)
Prunella modularis
14cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play dunnock song
11. Rouge-gorge
(Robin)
Erithacus rubecula
14cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play robin song
12. Rouge-queue noir
(Black redstart)
Phoenicurus ochrurus
14cm
Jan-Dec
**
13. Fauvette à tête noire
(Blackcap)
Sylvia borin
14cm
Apr-Oct
*
14. Mésange Charbonnière
(Great Tit)
Parus major
14cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play great tit song
15. Moineau Domestique
(House Sparrow)
Passer domesticus
15cm
Jan-Dec
***
16. Verdier
(Greenfinch)
Carduelis chloris
15cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play greenfinch song
17. Pinson des Arbres
(Chaffinch)
Fringilla coelebs
15cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play chaffinch song
18. Martinet noir
(Swift)
Apus apus
16cm
May-Aug
***
Play swift song
19. Martin-pêcheur
(Kingfisher)
Alcedo atthis
17cm
Jan-Dec
*
20. Bergeronnette Grise
(White Wagtail)
Motacilla alba
18cm
Mar-Nov
***
Not the same as the pied wagtail, which has black back
21. Bergeronnette des ruisseaux
(Grey Wagtail)
Motacilla cinerea
18cm
Jan-Dec
***
22. Gros-bec casse-noyaux
(Hawfinch)
Coccothraustes coccothraustes
18cm
Jan-Dec
*
23. Hirondelle rustique
(Swallow)
Hirundo rustica
19cm
Mar-Sept
***
Play swallow song
24. Chevalier guignette
(Common Sandpiper)
Actitis hypoleucos
20cm
*
Only seen twice, for two days in 2006 and again 2008
25. Etorneau sansonnet
(Starling)
Sturnus vulgaris
22cm
Jan-Dec
***
26. Pic épeiche
(Greater Spotted Woodpecker)
Dendrocopus major
23cm
Jan-Dec
**
Play greater spotted woodpecker song
27. Grive musicienne
(Song Thrush)
Turdus philomelos
23cm
Mar-Oct
*
Slightly smaller than a blackbird
Play song thrush song
28. Merle Noir
(Blackbird)
Turdus merula
25cm
Jan-Dec
***
Play blackbird song
29. Grive draine
(Mistle thrush)
Turdus viscicorus
27cm
Jan-Dec
**
Slightly larger than a blackbird
Play mistle thrush song
30. Grèbe castagneux
(Little grebe)
Tachybaptus ruficollis
25-30cm
Jan-Dec
*
First seen summer 2008
31. Pic Vert/Pivert
(Green Woodpecker)
Picus viridis
32cm
Jan-Dec
**
Often seen picking for ants in the lawn as well as on tree trunks
32. Tourterelle turque
(Collared Dove)
Streptopelia decaocto
32cm
Jan-Dec
**
Play collared dove song
33. Pigeon biset
(Stock Dove)
Columba livia f. domestica
33cm
Jan-Dec
**
34. Coucou
(Cuckoo)
Cuculus canorus
33cm
Apr-
**
Frequently heard in spring and summer, rarely seen
