It's springtime, which in the UK means the return of the dawn chorus. When we think of UK birds, we often think of songbirds like the thrush, the blackbird, or the woodpigeon. But did you know that the UK is also a stopover point for birds from all over the world?
In fact, we share bird species with both the far north and the Mediterranean, many of whom are present in the UK during the spring months as part of their migratory patterns. Some arctic-breeding birds are at the southern edge of their range here, while others migrate to spend the winter round our coasts and on our shores, taking advantage of the milder climate.
As a continuation of our exhibition from summer 2024, Arctic Mirage, we're catching up with some of the arctic birds in our collections.
Snow Buntings
Plectrophenax nivalis
This arctic songbird also breeds in small numbers at the tops of mountains in Scotland, although it is declining there due to climate warming. These examples are all in non-breeding plumage. The male, on the right of the ‘rocks’, would be black and white in summer.
Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus
The gyr is the largest falcon species and so well-adapted to the cold it can live all year on the tundra. It chases down birds in level flight, rather than stooping, and also catches prey on the ground. Its plumage can vary from almost white to nearly black. This dark-coloured bird in our collection is a juvenile.
Snowy Owl
Nyctea scandiaca
This arctic owl has bred in Shetland, but in their usual tundra habitat they depend on lemmings for food and travel widely when lemming populations crash. Their thickly feathered feet are an adaptation to the cold. Only males are as white as this one, the larger females having black barring over most of their body.
Brent Geese (Watercolour by Allen W. Seaby)
Branta bernicla
Most of the wild geese seen around the UK coasts in the wintertime breed on the tundra during the brief arctic summer.
The Brent geese which winter in the UK are from two different populations: dark-bellied ones from Siberia come to southern England, while light-bellied ones from Greenland and Norway are found in the north.
Allen Seaby, who painted these geese in flight, was Professor of Fine Art at Reading University from 1921 to 1933. He specialised in painting birds and illustrated important books including, in later life, the Ladybird series 'British Birds and their nests'.
Arctic Skua
Stercorarius parasiticus
Nesting on moors and tundra near other seabirds, skuas are not always good neighbours. They rob terns and puffins as the other birds are bringing food to their chicks, but are very aggressive in defending their own territories from intruders. Their fierce defence of nesting areas may benefit other species that share those habitats.
The tail of our skua, pictured here, is bent after being stored in a box that was too small – the feathers can be steamed to straighten them!
Little Auk
Alle alle
Svalbard in Norway is home to about 90% of the world’s breeding population of this tiny seabird. Most spend the winter on the North Sea, although they are sometimes blown inland during storms. This one was found in Mapledurham in 1957.
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arctica
This bird came from Iceland and is mounted on a block of the local lava. The base is labelled ‘lundi’, which is Icelandic for ‘puffin’. In the UK, puffins mainly nest on islands, including Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel (so named by Viking raiders).
Red-throated Divers
Gavia stellata
A few of these striking birds nest in the north of Scotland, but most of the ones seen off the English coast in winter come from Greenland, Finland or Scandinavia. The bird on the left is in breeding plumage – the red throat is shown off during territorial displays.
A Changing Climate
Climate change affects us all, including the arctic birds that make the UK their home. Climate warming means cold-weather species are retreating further north, or higher up mountains, as climate is affected by altitude as well as latitude. The arctic-alpine flora of the Cairngorms in Scotland, where snow buntings breed, is disappearing and the birds are literally running out of mountain. To see how we're doing our part to fight climate change, and how our museum's collections can inspire you to take action for a greener future, check out Our Green Stories.
