Serin (Serinus serinus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Small and compact, green and yellow bird. Smaller than Linnet and Siskin, with heavily streaked flanks, and stubby, deep and grey bill. Rump yellow in adults, but immature birds lack yellow tones in plumage altogether. Wing-bars narrow and much less marked than in Siskin, forehead in males bright yellow. Fairly long-winged with deeply forked tail. Flight light and bouncing. Song-flight of male characteristic, with butterfly-like gliding and slow-motion wing-beats.
Sound:Song a hectic, jingling, continuous trill, like the pouring of broken glass. The highest notes are constantly modulated to form vague motifs. Timbre comparable to Corn Bunting. Ringing trill also used as contact call, with slightly falling pitch "trrilrlitlitlit". Alarm call a short, redpoll-like "weee-eeet", with an accented high-pitched middle part.
Contact call, song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCVery large, mostly unmistakable bird. Grey upperparts, white underparts and yellow/yellowish bill. Keeps neck retracted when flying (as opposed to crane). May be mistaken for Purple Heron, but back of neck grey, not brown. Bill heavy and dagger-shaped. Neck thicker and less angular than in Purple Heron. Unmarked cheeks.
Sound:Quite vocal. Most common call a short, far reaching and extremely harsh, rasping sound. At breeding ground a varied repertoire of harsh and clattering sounds.
Flight call:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC