Birds of Madiera listed by their systematic.

The only endemic species listed in Wikipedia are European turtle-dove (or Madeira Laurel Pigeon) and the Madeira firecrest. A third species, Zino's Petrel, is endangered and rarely seen. There are more endemic subspecies, but this software doesn't support subspecies so far. Check out the Madeiran chaffinch. avibase has a checklist. A number of species are missing here, like the white-faced whistling duck. A total of 75 species is included, 50 of them have been observed.

Class aves (Birds / Vögel):

Order Anseriformes (Ducks, geese and swans / Vögel):

Family Anatidae (Waterfowl / Entenvögel):

Subfamily Anatinae (Dabbling ducks plus extinct):

Tribe Anatini (Dabbling ducks / Schwimmenten):

Genus Anas (Ducks):

Mallard / Stockente (Anas platyrhynchos)

Alternate classification: Anas platyrhynchos f. domestica

Also known as: Northern mallard

Profile Wikipedia A-Z Animals Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Stockente Weibchen. 2024-08-02 15:56:02 Greifensee Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 10.375
ISO 640
Exposure 1/1250
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-05-20.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa.
Common waterbird at Pfäffikersee
Etymology:

Der heutige Name kann als Hinweis auf ihre Brutplätze verstanden werden, zu denen auf Stock gesetzte Weiden, Weidengebüsch oder auch Reisighaufen gehören. ['Stock' wird weiter erklärt: Als Stockausschlag bezeichnet man bei Bäumen und Sträuchern Triebe, die nach dem Verlust der primären Sprossachse neu aus dem Stumpf oder Stubben (der dann „Stock“ genannt wird) austreiben.] [Link]

The name 'was derived from the Old French malart or mallart for "wild drake"' [Link]
Vocalization:

Female: A distinct coarse, laughing quacking; "haaa ha ha ha ha ha", with first note accented and then descending in pitch. Male: a more silent, very nasal "rriib". [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 03-12 - 07-29
Migration in: 02-01 - 05-01
Migration out: 07-29 - 12-31

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=50-65 cm, wingspan=81-98 cm, weight=750-1450 g
Habitats: River and lake
Details

Eurasian teal / Krickente (Anas crecca)

Alternate classification: Nettion crecca, Anas crecca crecca

Also known as: Common teal, Eurasian green-winged teal, Green-winged teal

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Krickente Männchen, Klingnauerstausee. 2022-02-05 12:51:34 Klingnauer Stausee (man-made lake) NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 1/1600
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-01-26.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
Wintergast am Teich am Aa-Bach beim Südende des Pfäffikersee
Etymology:

Die hellen «krrik»-Rufe der stimmfreudigen Erpel verhalfen dieser Art zu ihrem deutschen Namen. [Link]
Vocalization:

Male: characteristic, short, highly resonant and metallic "plytt". A bit similar to Pintail, but higher pitched and lacking accompanying whistling sound. Female: various quacking sounds generally quicker paced, more nasal and noticeably higher pitched than Mallard. [Link]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=34-38 cm, wingspan=58-64 cm, weight=200-450 g
Habitats: River and lake

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Wintergast am Teich am Aa-Bach beim Südende des Pfäffikersee Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ Krickente Ruf von XenoCanto XC619133-Krickente von Peter Bosman, Belgium. (song)

Calls: Wintergast am Teich am Aa-Bach beim Südende des Pfäffikersee Blup blup, fast wie vom Computer generiert, fur mich nohe Noten (obwohl Sonogram nur 2.5 KHz zeigt)

Call attributes: Call melody: simple rhythmic, slow, Frequency: low (1-3 KHz),
Details

Genus Mareca:

American wigeon / Nordamerikanische Pfeifente (Mareca americana)

Alternate classification: Anas americana

Also known as: American widgeon

Profile Wikipedia Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: American wigeon Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Anas_americana_-_drake.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America.
General:

The American wigeon (Mareca americana), also known as the baldpate, is a species of dabbling duck found in North America. Formerly assigned to Anas, this species is classified with the other wigeons in the dabbling duck genus Mareca. It is the New World counterpart of the Eurasian wigeon. Mareca is from the Brazilian-Portuguese word Marréco for a small duck and americana refers to America.^[2]^[3] [more]

Other Details

Details

Subfamily Anserinae (Gänse):

Tribe Cygnini (Swans / Schwäne):

Genus Cygnus (Swans):

Mute swan / Höckerschwan (Cygnus olor)

Also known as: Höckerschwäne

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

The crowd hanging out at the one island by La Sauge - mute swans, a carrion crow, cormorants, yellow-legged gulls, and two Eurasian curlews at the left. 2025-04-21 14:04:37 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 8.625
ISO 250
Exposure 1/400
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-02-12.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.
Common waterbird at Pfäffikersee, very common on Lake Zurich.
Vocalization:

Silent compared to other swans. A repertoire of snorting, grunting and hissing sound when interacting. No far carrying sounds. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=145-160 cm, wingspan=208-238 cm, weight=7000-14000 g
Habitats: River and lake
Details

Order Pelecaniformes (Ibis, herons and pelicans):

Family Ardeidae (Herons / Reiher):

Genus Ardea (Great herons):

**Great egret / Silberreiher (Ardea alba)**

Alternate classification: Casmerodius albus, Egretta alba, Egretta albus, Casmerodius albus

Profile Wikipedia A-Z Animals Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Silberreiher in Deutschland, von WikiCommons Von Andreas Eichler, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59954907 Source: OTHER Wikicommons 2016.10.30--Silberreiher.jpg
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-02-24.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
Auf dem Heimweg von Schwanden haben wir bei Benken ganz weisse Reiher gesehen. Laut ornitho.ch waren sie Silberreiher.
Bei den meisten Quellen heisst es, sie sind in der Schweiz nur Durchzüger oder Wintergäste. Aber laut Balzari und Gygax, brüten auch einige Vögel am Lac Neuchatel seit 2013.
Vocalization:

Silent outside breeding ground. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Migration in: 03-01 - 05-31
Migration out: 08-09 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=85-102 cm, wingspan=140-170 cm, weight=960-1030 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Calls: Auf dem Heimweg von Schwanden haben wir bei Benken ganz weisse Reiher gesehen. Laut ornitho.ch waren sie Silberreiher.
Bei den meisten Quellen heisst es, sie sind in der Schweiz nur Durchzüger oder Wintergäste. Aber laut Balzari und Gygax, brüten auch einige Vögel am Lac Neuchatel seit 2013.
Calls:

In colonies various harsh calls like a dry, and mechanical "kerrrrrrr", and a very nasal "geet" or "ga-geet ga-geet" are heard. [Link] 1: Partly an awkward quack: uck uck. Rattles. Deep-toned urrr. Higher-toned trill.
2: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

♫ XC751146 - Great Egret - Ardea alba - call and flight call - Shanghai, China. (flight call)

Call attributes: Call melody: non-musical, slow, Frequency: low (1-3 KHz),
Details

**Grey heron / Graureiher (Ardea cinerea)**

Also known as: Gray heron, Fischreiher

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Graureiher in der Birke am Luppmen - gute Beleuchtung mit Canon M Modus und selber wählen. 2024-09-08 12:37:59 Luppmen Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 6
ISO 100
Exposure 1/60
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-05-07.

Description

Frequent visitor.
Normally in the fields looking for food, also seen flying over or standing in the Luppmen (brook).
Vocalization:

Quite vocal. At breeding ground a varied repertoire of harsh and clattering sounds. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 02-01 - 08-29
Migration in: 02-01 - 04-11
Migration out: 07-10 - 10-27

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=90-98 cm, wingspan=175-195 cm, weight=1020-2073 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Frequent visitor.
Normally in the fields looking for food, also seen flying over or standing in the Luppmen (brook). Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2024-11-01 08:26:54 Birdweather-Gray Heron call. Greater Fehraltorf (call)

Calls: Frequent visitor.
Normally in the fields looking for food, also seen flying over or standing in the Luppmen (brook).
Calls:

Most common call a short, far reaching and extremely harsh, rasping sound. [Link] General: Mechanical-sounding sort-of-a-quack
Call:

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. [Link]

♫ XC876171 - Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - call - Manyeleti Game Reserve, South Africa. South Africa (call)

Call attributes: Call melody: non-musical, slow, Frequency: low (1-3 KHz), Special sounds: rasp.
Details

Genus Egretta (Plumed egrets):

**Little egret / Seidenreiher (Egretta garzetta)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Seidenreiher? 2025-03-05 19:05:49 Fehraltorf Canon EOS R7 24-240mm Shutter speed 8.625
ISO 5000
Exposure 1/400
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2022-02-05.

Description

General:

The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. The genus name comes from the Provençal French Aigrette, "egret", a diminutive of Aigron," heron". The species epithet garzetta is from the Italian name for this bird, garzetta or sgarzetta.^[2] [more]
Vocalization:

Sometimes utters a dry, rasping "kerrr" when flushed, but is mostly silent away from breeding ground. In colonies a peculiar gurgling and vibrating sound is heard; "ghala-la-la-la". [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Migration in: 09-28 - 10-07
Migration out: 09-28 - 10-05

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=55-65 cm, wingspan=88-95 cm, weight=350-550 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ XC799679 - Little Egret - Egretta garzetta - call that sounds like its vomiting - Catalunya, Spain. Spain (call)

Calls: Sort of a quack, brighter and higher than grey heron, with a bit of wawa.

Call attributes: Call melody: non-musical, slow, Frequency: low (1-3 KHz),
Details

Order Passeriformes (Passerine / Singvögel):

Suborder Passeri (Sperlingsvögel):

Superfamily Sylvioidea:

Family Sylviidae (Old world warblers / Grasmücken):

Subfamily Acrocephalinae:

Genus Acrocephalus:

Eurasian reed warbler / Teichrohrsänger (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)

Alternate classification: Turdus scirpaceus

Also known as: Common reed warbler

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Teichrohrsänger. 2024-05-22 18:14:47 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-27.

Description

2-5 repetitions of each sound. Is the tone a bit lower than the other reed warblers?

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 04-11 - 10-18
Breeding: 05-10 - 08-18
Migration in: 04-11 - 05-31
Migration out: 07-29 - 10-18

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=13 cm, wingspan=17-21 cm, weight=10-16 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: Weird, squeaky, urgent. Slower than Sumpfrohrsaenger.
2-5 repetitions of each sound. Is the tone a bit lower than the other reed warblers?
Song:

Gleichmässiges Tempo! Man kann den Takt schlagen dazu.(Metronomsänger) Oft 2-3x wiederholte kurze Motive. Viele schnarrende Töne. [Link]

By far easiest to identify by song: Characteristic, almost metric and even rhythm, very different from Sedge Warbler. Squeaky timbre with many, almost bizarre, harmonics. Phrases generally repeated 2-3 times. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: sings 30 seconds or longer, fast, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz) Special sounds: weird
♫ XC653035 - Eurasian Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus - song. (song)

Details

Subfamily Sylviinae:

Genus Sylvia:

Black cap warbler / Mönchsgrasmücke (Sylvia atricapilla)

Also known as: Eurasian blackcap, Eurasian blackcap

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Mönchsgrasmücke Weibchen vom Büro daheim aus gesehen. 2024-08-24 08:08:33 Fehraltorf Canon EOS R7 24-240mm Shutter speed 69/8
ISO 1600
Exposure 1/400
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2019-08-30.

Description

On a tree branch, but not usually on the treetop.
Etymology:

Grayish bird with black cap (or brown in the case of females), for which reason the German name refers to them as monks. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-20 - 08-09
Migration in: 02-20 - 05-10
Migration out: 08-18 - 10-27

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=13 cm, wingspan=20-23 cm, weight=16-25 g
Habitats: Forest, Agricultural

Vocalisation

Song: They sometimes sing like a blackbird on speed - also non-stereotypic, seemingly improvised, in short bursts. Our local guy ends most of his songs with the same seven notes, which I find a good way to confirm the identification. In Ticino we often heard the 'Leiern' sound - the warblers would sing just the first 3 notes of a longer song, then stop. The order varied; high-medium-low I call 'Figaro' as in the opera, low-high-medium 'whiskey bar', as it sounded to me like the Kurt Weill lyrics, 'O-oh-show me-the-way to-the-next whis-ke-bar' - but the warbler usually stopped after 'way' or 'next' The British authors of The Sound Approach claim to hear 'a warblel and a whistle'.
On a tree branch, but not usually on the treetop.
Song:

Mit schwätzendem Vorgesang, (kann auch kurz sein oder ganz fehlen) der dann in klare, kräftige, zum Ende hin in wehmütige Flötentöne übergeht (Überschlag) [Link]

Song pleasing, varied and loud. Sometimes very similar to Garden Warbler. A typical phrase starts with soft, staccato chattering and mimicry, which after a few seconds changes to a much louder, pure and resonant stream of notes for about 3-5 seconds. No fixed motif, but may end phrases with recurring notes. Often deviates from the characteristic type of song, and identification from song alone may be impossible. May sing first part of song for extended periods without ever reaching the characteristic ending. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: improvised melodic (hml), fast, Frequency: 2-5 KHz Special sounds: mimicry Singing season: 03-01 - 07-31 Dawn chorus start: 45 minutes before dawn.
♫ 2021-03-31 19:12:00 Lugano (song)

♫ 2023-06-20 07:52:22 Tenero, lokaler Mönchsgrasmücke Gesang endet meistens mit hlhl oder hlhlh.

Source: Zoom H6/H2n Bolle di Magadino (song)

♫ 2024-05-15 05:27:28 Dawn chorus am Luppmen - Amsel 2m06, Mönchsgrasmücke 4m, 8+m, Kohlmeise, Hausrotschwanz, Aaskrähe.

Source: Zoom H6/H2n Luppmen (song)

Calls: On a tree branch, but not usually on the treetop.
Calls:

„täck“ oft wiederholt [Link]

Alarm call a hard "check", similar to Lesser White-throat. Sometimes with an additional hoarse and nasal "cherrrr". [Link] 1: General: Sputtery/stoney, but may have other calls too.
Call:

The Blackcap may generate a perplexing variety of territorial calls, though the typical contact call is a hard, tongue-clicking "teck teck" which has a scolding quality to it. It's not dissimilar to the 'pebble-clacking' call of the Stonechat. [Suffex Wildlife Trust]

♫ XC546030 black cap warbler so-called tac and djii call. (call)

2: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

♫ XC548858-20200411 Eurasian Blackcap, alarm call part of advertising song, male, Flughafen Belpmoos, Bern, Switzerland. Switzerland (alarm call)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: high (3-9 KHz), Special sounds: sputter/pebble-clatter.
Details

Genus Curruca:

Spectacled warbler (Curruca conspicillata)

Alternate classification: Sylvia conspicillata

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Spectacled warbler Source: WIKIPEDIA Sylvia_conspicillata_Gran_Canaria.jpg

Description

General:

The spectacled warbler (Curruca conspicillata) is a species in the typical warbler genus, Curruca. The specific conspicillata is from Latin conspicillum, a place to look from, equivalent to "spectacled".^[2] [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Regulus:

Goldcrest / Wintergoldhähnchen (Regulus regulus)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wintergoldhähnchen im Hönggerwald. 2024-04-14 08:24:44 NIKON D3100 ISO 3200
Exposure 0.004
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-07-13.

Description

I'd often heard the high-pitched song and call in the woods by Fehraltorf but had doubts I'd ever see one (they're the smallest bird in Switzerland, fairly shy, and I seemed to only hear them in very tall trees). I didn't see one until hiking at the Pragelpass. And finally in October 2020, I saw them near Rumlikon and at the Pfaeffikersee, where I took the new profile picture. In December I saw five of them cruise through the bushes beside our house, hopping from branch to branch, snapping up insects - something I'd never have believe in spring 2020.
Said to be the smallest bird in Switzerland, but it's basically the same size as the Firecrest.

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-01 - 08-18
Migration in: 03-01 - 05-01
Migration out: 08-18 - 11-06

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=9 cm, wingspan=13-15 cm, weight=4-7 g
Habitats: Forest

Vocalisation

Song:

Vogelwarte.ch says high-pitched song that gently rises and falls. This song starts out with a repeated note. [Link]
I'd often heard the high-pitched song and call in the woods by Fehraltorf but had doubts I'd ever see one (they're the smallest bird in Switzerland, fairly shy, and I seemed to only hear them in very tall trees). I didn't see one until hiking at the Pragelpass. And finally in October 2020, I saw them near Rumlikon and at the Pfaeffikersee, where I took the new profile picture. In December I saw five of them cruise through the bushes beside our house, hopping from branch to branch, snapping up insects - something I'd never have believe in spring 2020.
Said to be the smallest bird in Switzerland, but it's basically the same size as the Firecrest.
Song:

Kurze Reihe von sehr hohen, leisen Tönen in auf-absteigender Tonhöhe, an das „W“-im Namen erinnernd. [Link]

Song: a very high-pitched, undulating series of arpeggiated notes moving down and up again, repeated 4-5 times ending with a marked "conclusion" (like "trying to start a tiny motor and failing"). Timbre of song similar to contact call. [Link] Song attributes: Mnemnoic: W=Winter=v.a. runter, dann wieder hoch, plus melodischer Schluss Melody: stereotype melodic, slow, Frequency: 6-8 KHz
Calls: I'd often heard the high-pitched song and call in the woods by Fehraltorf but had doubts I'd ever see one (they're the smallest bird in Switzerland, fairly shy, and I seemed to only hear them in very tall trees). I didn't see one until hiking at the Pragelpass. And finally in October 2020, I saw them near Rumlikon and at the Pfaeffikersee, where I took the new profile picture. In December I saw five of them cruise through the bushes beside our house, hopping from branch to branch, snapping up insects - something I'd never have believe in spring 2020.
Said to be the smallest bird in Switzerland, but it's basically the same size as the Firecrest.
Calls:

'sisisi' [Link]

Contact call a very high pitched "zit zit zit", only similar to Firecrest and treecreepers. Treecreepers usually calls with longer "zzzziiiiit" repeated at regular intervals, while Goldcrest calls in phrases with two to four calls in series in an uneven rhythm. Firecrest contact calls lower pitched than Goldcrest, and in a softer tone (but quite similar). [Link] Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording. - but really OWN

♫ 2024-09-12 16:40:00 (1) Wintergoldhähnchen whoop Ruf im Biotop. Greater Fehraltorf (call)

Call attributes: song Frequency: ,
Details

Madeira firecrest / Madeiragoldhähnchen (Regulus madeirensis)

Alternate classification: Regulus ignicapillus madeirensis

Profile Wikipedia Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Madeira firecrest Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Madeira_firecrest.jpg
First observed in Madeira on 2023-03-11.

Description

General:

The Madeira firecrest, Madeira kinglet, or Madeiracrest (Regulus madeirensis) is a very small passerine bird endemic to the island of Madeira. It is a member of the kinglet family. Before it was recognised as a separate species in 2003, it was classified as a subspecies of the common firecrest. It differs in appearance and vocalisations from its relative, and genetic analysis has confirmed it as a different species. The Madeiran bird has green upperparts, whitish underparts and two white wingbars, and a distinctive head pattern with a black eye stripe, short white supercilium, and a crest that is mainly orange in the male and yellow in the female. [more]

Other Details

Details

Family Hirundinidae (Swallows / Schwalben):

Genus Hirundo:

Barn swallow / Rauchschwalbe (Hirundo rustica)
Profile Wikipedia A-Z Animals Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Rauchschwalbe, Ascona. 2024-09-04 18:20:44 Locarno
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-16.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
Die langen Schwanzfedern vom Rauchschwalbe und anderen geben auch dem Schmetterling Schwalbenschwanz seine deutschen Namen.
Etymology:

In früheren Jahrhunderten flogen sie vielfach durch die Öffnungen im Giebel ein und aus, durch die auch der Rauch des Herdfeuers abzog. So erhielten sie den Namen Rauchschwalben. [Link]
Appearance and identification:

Rauchschwalbes Bauch ist etwas braun rot, nicht weiss wie der von der Mehlschwalbe - was wahrscheinlich Quelle der zwei Namen ist. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 03-01 - 10-27
Breeding: 04-20 - 09-17
Migration in: 03-01 - 05-31
Migration out: 08-18 - 10-27

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=17-19 cm, wingspan=32-34 cm, weight=16-22 g
Habitats: Settlement

Similar species

Looks similar to: Common house martin.

Vocalisation

Song: General: Squeaky with occasional buzzes, usually heard in flock.
Song:

Kann melodisch sein wenn einzeln gehört statt viele zusammen. [Link]
Die langen Schwanzfedern vom Rauchschwalbe und anderen geben auch dem Schmetterling Schwalbenschwanz seine deutschen Namen.
Song:

Characteristic calls and song. Song a sparkling, squeaky energetic improvisation with interspersed contact calls, often with diagnostic ending; an electric and drawn-out "su-eerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr". [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic, fast, Frequency: 2-6 KHz
Calls: Die langen Schwanzfedern vom Rauchschwalbe und anderen geben auch dem Schmetterling Schwalbenschwanz seine deutschen Namen.
Calls:

Contact call a short and sharp "weet" or "kee-weet". [Link]

♫ XC898815 - Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica - flight call. (flight call)

Call attributes: flight call Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz),
Details

Genus Delichon:

Common house martin / Mehlschwalbe (Delichon urbicum)

Alternate classification: Delichon urbica

Also known as: Northern House Martin, Northern house martin, Western house-martin

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

MerlinBirdID meint Mehlschwalbe. 2022-05-21 10:11:56 Switzerland NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-08-10.

Description

This one is a swallow in German but a martin in English.

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 03-23 - 10-27
Breeding: 05-21 - 09-28
Migration in: 03-23 - 06-09
Migration out: 08-18 - 10-27

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=12 cm, wingspan=26-29 cm, weight=15-23 g
Habitats: Settlement

Similar species

Looks similar to: Barn swallow.

Vocalisation

Song: Song:

Mehlschwalbe klingt weniger melodisch als der Rauchschwalbe [Link]

Merry improv of chirping, contact call [Link]
This one is a swallow in German but a martin in English.
Song:

Song a merry improvisation of chirping, contact call-like sounds (sometimes recalling a budgerigar). [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic, fast, Frequency: 2-7 KHz
♫ XC730813 - Common House Martin - Delichon urbicum - song and call according to recordist Fernando Aranguren Jiménez, recorded in Spain. Spain (song)

Calls: This one is a swallow in German but a martin in English.
Calls:

Contact call a rolling "krreet". Similar to Sand Martin but noticeably dryer, more rolling and less raucous. Typically varies the pitch of the call more. Warning call a sharp and plaintive "tsreee". [Link] 1: Heard from in the air, loud, with lots of chirps!
2:

♫ XC742347 - Common House Martin - Delichon urbicum - flight call, recorded in Spain. Spain (flight call)

♫ 2020-08-10 14:45:28 Luppmen (flight call)

Call attributes: Call melody: simple rhythmic, fast, Frequency: 4-7 KHz,
Details

Superfamily Passeroidea:

Family Passeridae (Sparrows / Sperlinge):

Genus Petronia:

Rock sparrow / Steinsperling (Petronia petronia)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Steinsperling, Ponta de Sao Lourenco, Madeira. 2023-03-10 15:29:04 Madeira NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in Madeira on 2023-03-10.

Description

General:

Der Steinsperling (Petronia petronia) ist eine Vogelart aus der Familie der Sperlinge. Er kommt im Süden Eurasiens sowie im Norden Afrikas vor. [more]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=14 cm, wingspan=28-32 cm, weight=26-35 g
Details

Family Fringillidae (Finken):

Subfamily Fringillinae:

Genus Fringilla:

Common chaffinch / Buchfink (Fringilla coelebs)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Buchfink. 2024-05-22 16:23:57 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge Canon EOS R7 Shutter speed 83/8
ISO 800
Exposure 1/1250
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2019-06-04.

Description

Heard everywhere locally but less often seen. In winter 2020-2021 it often accompanied tits to our feeder (2021-2022 less often). While they grabbed sunflower seeds, the chaffinch would hunt for food on the ground or in bushes.
On Dec 8 2021, was surprised to see flocks of collared doves, chaffinches and a few sparrows in a harvested corn field as it was snowing. I wasn't aware that chaffinches formed flocks, but the Merlin BirdID app told me 'forms flocks in winter'.
I've caught it on stubby branches of an evergreen, in a lone tree in a farmyard, and in Brittany even on a lightpost. And I seem to see one every time I go to Zurich, so they're happy in an urban setting.
Etymology:

Als Kontakt- und Alarmruf dient «pink», von dem wahrscheinlich die deutsche Bezeichnung «Fink» herkommt. [Von BirdLifes Schweizer 'bird song' Website]
Appearance and identification:

Interesting tidbit: the chaffinch is one bird that can change colors without molting. Its new feathers in autumn are grayish, but by late spring the edges of the feathers have worn away, revealing the chaffinch's brightest colors of the year. [Lovette and Fitzpatrick's Handbook of Bird Biology]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-01 - 07-31
Migration in: 02-20 - 04-15
Migration out: 09-10 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=14 cm, wingspan=24-28 cm, weight=18-29 g
Habitats: Forest
Social groups can include up to 10 members.

Vocalisation

Song: General: A medium long phrase that slowly descends (I think of it bouncing down a staircase), then usually takes a jump up before a final descent.
Song:

In Bavaria the mnemonic for the typical chaffinch song is: „Ich hätte gerne ein Weizenbier“, i.e. "I'd like another Weizenbier". [DasHaus]
Heard everywhere locally but less often seen. In winter 2020-2021 it often accompanied tits to our feeder (2021-2022 less often). While they grabbed sunflower seeds, the chaffinch would hunt for food on the ground or in bushes.
On Dec 8 2021, was surprised to see flocks of collared doves, chaffinches and a few sparrows in a harvested corn field as it was snowing. I wasn't aware that chaffinches formed flocks, but the Merlin BirdID app told me 'forms flocks in winter'.
I've caught it on stubby branches of an evergreen, in a lone tree in a farmyard, and in Brittany even on a lightpost. And I seem to see one every time I go to Zurich, so they're happy in an urban setting.
Song:

Song a falling 5 sec. phrase "zitt-zitt-chep-chepp-chu-chu-churrurrwitt". Structurally similar to Willow Warbler, but with a conclusive, ascending and accented ending, and with a much harder, finch-like, timbre. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic (mmmmmmmmLlhH), slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz) Singing season: 02-01 - 07-31 Dawn chorus start: 10 minutes before dawn.
♫ 2024-04-30 12:55:00 Fehraltorf - Buchfink Gesang-Variante, steigt am Schluss - mmmmmmmmLlhH. Fehraltorf (song)

♫ 2024-06-25 08:29:58 Mettmenalp, 11-Sekunden-Version, MerlinBirdID meint Buchfink-Rufe l,l,lhh l,hh.

Source: Zoom H6/H2n Mettmenalp, GL (call)

♫ 2021-04-19 14:29:22 Fehraltorf (song)

Calls: Heard everywhere locally but less often seen. In winter 2020-2021 it often accompanied tits to our feeder (2021-2022 less often). While they grabbed sunflower seeds, the chaffinch would hunt for food on the ground or in bushes.
On Dec 8 2021, was surprised to see flocks of collared doves, chaffinches and a few sparrows in a harvested corn field as it was snowing. I wasn't aware that chaffinches formed flocks, but the Merlin BirdID app told me 'forms flocks in winter'.
I've caught it on stubby branches of an evergreen, in a lone tree in a farmyard, and in Brittany even on a lightpost. And I seem to see one every time I go to Zurich, so they're happy in an urban setting. 1: General: Repeated ascending note, faster than the long starling whoops, about 2/seconds - compare with the black redstart. There are many different calls, the Marler book describes the 'chink' call as functioning as a mobbing and separation call. At XenoCanto I find calls described as "ping", "pik" (same thing?), "pchew", "duit", "huit", "ti-huit".
Call:

Der sogenannte Regenruf der Männchen, „schrrüt“, der selbst in benachbarten Ortsteilen deutlich variieren kann, erklingt nur während der Brutzeit. Als Regenruf wird er bezeichnet, weil er kurz vor oder sogar während des Regens zu hören ist, wenn die anderen Vögel verstummen. [DasHaus]
Rain call from XenoCanto

♫ Rain call from XenoCanto Recorded by Paul Driver in Mundford, Norfolk, UK (rain call)

2: Call:

Als Alarmsignal dient ein mehrsilbiges „pink“. [DasHaus]
Ping call from XenoCanto

♫ Ping call from XenoCanto XC460303 common chaffinch ping call. (alarm call)

Call attributes: rain call Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: 3-5 KHz, Special sounds: whoop.
Details

Subfamily Carduelinae:

Genus Serinus (Canaries):

Atlantic canary / Kanarengirlitz (Serinus canaria)

Alternate classification: Serinus canarius

Also known as: Wild canary, Island canary, Common canary

Profile Wikipedia Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Kanarengirlitz, Ponta de Sao Laurenco. 2023-03-10 15:20:00 Madeira NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 1/1250
First observed in La Palma on 2022-03-08.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.
It's unusual that the name of a bird refers to dogs. Wikipedia writes: The name Islas Canarias is likely derived from the Latin name Canariae Insulae, meaning "Islands of the Dogs", a name that was evidently generalized from the ancient name of one of these islands, Canaria – presumably Gran Canaria. According to the historian Pliny the Elder, the island Canaria contained "vast multitudes of dogs of very large size".
The common canary kept as a pet is subspecies Serinus canaria forma domestica.

Other Details

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
It's unusual that the name of a bird refers to dogs. Wikipedia writes: The name Islas Canarias is likely derived from the Latin name Canariae Insulae, meaning "Islands of the Dogs", a name that was evidently generalized from the ancient name of one of these islands, Canaria – presumably Gran Canaria. According to the historian Pliny the Elder, the island Canaria contained "vast multitudes of dogs of very large size".
The common canary kept as a pet is subspecies Serinus canaria forma domestica. Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2023-03-11 11:58:22 Quinta San Antonio da Serra, Madeira - Kanarengirlitz Gesang.

Source: Zoom H6/H2n Madeira (song)

Details

Genus Carduelis:

European goldfinch / Stieglitz (Carduelis carduelis)

Also known as: Distelfink

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Stieglitz. 2024-05-16 10:55:11 Kaltbrunner-Riet Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 10.375
ISO 160
Exposure 1/1250
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2019-09-22.

Description

One of the more colorful birds in our area, but fairly shy and skittish, so you don't see them much. Supposedly a bit smaller than a sparrow or a great tit, but to me they look bigger and heavier?
Well hidden in the tree branches; at thistles or sunflowers.
Name stammt angeblich vom Gesang: ein steigernder sti-ge-litt.
My first (multilingual) notes: Stieglitz like Grünfink, fast, high, occasional trills. Occasionally ends a bit with falling note like buchfink
Mir wurde erst in St. Moritz in Juli 2021 bewusst wie ähnlich der Stieglitz wie ein Grünfink klingt - beide können lange Gesang mit Trillern und rauhen sinkenden Toenen singen, und ich habe Stieglitz v.a. durch dieses Stöhnen für Grünfink gehalten.

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-20 - 09-07
Migration in: 03-12 - 05-10
Migration out: 08-29 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=12 cm, wingspan=21-25 cm, weight=14-19 g
Habitats: Settlement

Vocalisation

Song: General: Hectic sing-song, quite chaotic in feeding groups. But kept as songbird, so I guess more melodic when singing solo. A bit like a black cap warbler (Mönchsgrasmücke).
Gesang hat eine Struktur (und ist langsamer als der Girlitz): Zuerst eine kleine Melodie hoch und runter; dann vielleicht ein Grünfink-Triller, dann 4 wiederholte Noten oder ein neues Melodiechen. (Oder kommen diese Elemente eher zufällig?)
Song:

Melodie geht meistens 2-3 Sekunden hoch und runter, meistens mit einer wiederholten 1-Noter mit ~6x die gleiche Note. [Link]
One of the more colorful birds in our area, but fairly shy and skittish, so you don't see them much. Supposedly a bit smaller than a sparrow or a great tit, but to me they look bigger and heavier?
Well hidden in the tree branches; at thistles or sunflowers.
Name stammt angeblich vom Gesang: ein steigernder sti-ge-litt.
My first (multilingual) notes: Stieglitz like Grünfink, fast, high, occasional trills. Occasionally ends a bit with falling note like buchfink
Mir wurde erst in St. Moritz in Juli 2021 bewusst wie ähnlich der Stieglitz wie ein Grünfink klingt - beide können lange Gesang mit Trillern und rauhen sinkenden Toenen singen, und ich habe Stieglitz v.a. durch dieses Stöhnen für Grünfink gehalten.
Song:

Contact-call distinct, and also constitutes a major part of the song. A sharp and explosive "witt", or "tzee-witt". Sometimes given as a single syllable, di- or trisyllabic, or as continuous series. The song is comprised of rapid series of the contact call, interrupted by drawn-out melodic notes and trills. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic (Llmh), fast, Frequency: 2-7 KHz Special sounds: rattle, fluting Singing season: year round Only pauses singing while molting and thus endangered. Dawn chorus start: 20 minutes before dawn.
♫ XC638230 - European Goldfinch - Cardülis cardülis. Europe (song)

Calls: One of the more colorful birds in our area, but fairly shy and skittish, so you don't see them much. Supposedly a bit smaller than a sparrow or a great tit, but to me they look bigger and heavier?
Well hidden in the tree branches; at thistles or sunflowers.
Name stammt angeblich vom Gesang: ein steigernder sti-ge-litt.
My first (multilingual) notes: Stieglitz like Grünfink, fast, high, occasional trills. Occasionally ends a bit with falling note like buchfink
Mir wurde erst in St. Moritz in Juli 2021 bewusst wie ähnlich der Stieglitz wie ein Grünfink klingt - beide können lange Gesang mit Trillern und rauhen sinkenden Toenen singen, und ich habe Stieglitz v.a. durch dieses Stöhnen für Grünfink gehalten.
Calls:

Other calls: A harsh budgerigar or house martin-like "trrrtt-trrrrt". [Link]

Wild melody (remember these birds are also kept as songbirds in cages. the German name Stieglitz imitates its call (sti-ge-lit) - though I don't hear that! [Link]
Xeno-Canto recording

♫ Xeno-Canto recording Adult call recorded in the UK. Europe (call)

Xeno-Canto recording

♫ Xeno-Canto recording Record in Lège-Cap-Ferret, France byStanislas Wroza and described by him as a 'tik' call and a flight call. Europe (flight call)

Call attributes: Call melody: stereotype melodic, fast, Frequency: 2-8 KHz,
Details

Genus Spinus (Siskins):

Eurasian siskin / Erlenzeisig (Spinus spinus)

Alternate classification: Carduelis spinus, Carduelis spinus

Also known as: Erlenzeisige

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Erlenzeisig beim Orstockhaus, Braunwald xxxx. 2022-07-15 11:38:46 Gumen NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 1/2000
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-02-12.

Description

Also lives in North America!
Gelb aber schwarz/weiss auf dem Kopf, bauch/flügel wie weiss mit schwarzen Streifen, mehr braun bei weibchen?

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 02-20 - 07-20
Migration in: 02-20 - 05-01
Migration out: 09-07 - 12-07

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=12 cm, wingspan=20-23 cm, weight=11-18 g
Habitats: Mountain

Vocalisation

Song:

bird-song.ch sagt Gesang zwitschernd und trillernd und ähnlich wie Girlitz - ich finde auch, es hat das hohe chaotische von den mit ab und zu was rohem. [Link]
Also lives in North America!
Gelb aber schwarz/weiss auf dem Kopf, bauch/flügel wie weiss mit schwarzen Streifen, mehr braun bei weibchen?
Song:

Distinct calls and song. The contact call is also prominent in the improvised song. Other typical sounds in the song includes a peculiar wheeze, like someone sucking their teeth, and lots of expert mimicry. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: sings 30 seconds or longer, fast, Frequency: high (3-9 KHz) Special sounds: mimicry
♫ XC714393 - Eurasian Siskin - Spinus spinus. (song)

Calls: Also lives in North America!
Gelb aber schwarz/weiss auf dem Kopf, bauch/flügel wie weiss mit schwarzen Streifen, mehr braun bei weibchen?
Calls:

Most often heard is the sharp and disyllabic contact call: "doo-lee", with both notes descending. Sometimes given a in monosyllabic manner "dlyy". [Link] Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

♫ XC941264 - Eurasian Siskin - Spinus spinus - 2-note swooping call. (call)

Call attributes: song Frequency: ,
Details

Genus Chloris:

European greenfinch / Grünfink (Chloris chloris)

Alternate classification: Carduelis chloris, Carduelis chloris

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Grünfink im Profil vom Esstisch aus fotografiert in Fehraltorf. 2023-01-16 10:54:12 Fehraltorf NIKON D5600 ISO 3200
Exposure 1/400
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2019-08-01.

Description

Vogelewarte.ch: Neben Haussperling und Amsel ist er einer der zahlreichsten Vögel der Städte und Dörfer. Ich habe Monate lang nur eins in Pfäffikon gehört, dann ein Schwarm im Fehraltorfer Industriegebiet. Endlich in Juli 2020 ist eine Gruppe zu uns gezogen und entweder im Birkenbaum oder hinter der Kinderkrippe zu hören gewesen. Im Birkenbaum habe ich endlich eins fotografieren können.
In Laubbäumen

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-01 - 08-09
Migration in: 02-20 - 04-20
Migration out: 09-28 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=15 cm, wingspan=24-27 cm, weight=17-34 g
Habitats: Settlement

Similar species

Song or calls similar to: Tree pipit.

Vocalisation

Song: General: Sequence of 4-6 rhythmic elements at different pitches. A sort of trill is often start or end of the sequence (can also be a call!), and there are slides.
Vogelewarte.ch: Neben Haussperling und Amsel ist er einer der zahlreichsten Vögel der Städte und Dörfer. Ich habe Monate lang nur eins in Pfäffikon gehört, dann ein Schwarm im Fehraltorfer Industriegebiet. Endlich in Juli 2020 ist eine Gruppe zu uns gezogen und entweder im Birkenbaum oder hinter der Kinderkrippe zu hören gewesen. Im Birkenbaum habe ich endlich eins fotografieren können.
In Laubbäumen
Song:

Song composed of various sequences of linked sounds, repeated in a vibrating manner; "trrrrrrrrr", "chechechecheche". Sometimes resembles Brambling when making the wheezy "rrrrrrrrr" sound, but differs in being harsher and by "pulling" the pitch downwards (or sometimes upwards) at the end. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic (h m m), fast, Frequency: 2-7 KHz Special sounds: trill, rasp Singing season: 01-01 - 07-31 Dawn chorus start: 15 minutes before dawn.
♫ 2021-07-31 10:22:32 Fehraltorf (song)

♫ 2024-09-09 07:03:00 (1) Grünfink triller ruf, kohlmeise kleiner melodischer ruf lh oder lhlhl, beide rufe abwechselnd oder gleichzeitig. Greater Fehraltorf (call)

Calls: Vogelewarte.ch: Neben Haussperling und Amsel ist er einer der zahlreichsten Vögel der Städte und Dörfer. Ich habe Monate lang nur eins in Pfäffikon gehört, dann ein Schwarm im Fehraltorfer Industriegebiet. Endlich in Juli 2020 ist eine Gruppe zu uns gezogen und entweder im Birkenbaum oder hinter der Kinderkrippe zu hören gewesen. Im Birkenbaum habe ich endlich eins fotografieren können.
In Laubbäumen
Calls:

Contact call a fairly resonant "chep-chep", resembling Redpoll, but less nasal and with a fuller tone. Also a sharp, drawn, ascending "kooeee", (perhaps not obviously recognized as a finch). [Link] 1: Raspy descending note. XenoCanto submitter of Bavaria called this an alarm call, but it's also called a 'wheeze' and it's part of the song as well.

♫ XC919412 - European Greenfinch - Chloris chloris - alarm call, aka wheeze. Europe (alarm call)

2: Birdid.no says 'Also a sharp, drawn, ascending "kooeee", (perhaps not obviously recognized as a finch).' You can say that again, listen to zilpzalp-like recording of 31.08.2024

♫ 2024-08-31 08:35:00 Evtl grünfink whoop call. Wildert Weiher (call)

3: .

♫ XC195946 - Eurasian Wren call - Troglodytes troglodytes. (call)

♫ XC871583 - European Greenfinch - Chloris chloris - one-note call from a Kelly of Ireland. Europe (call)

4: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

♫ XC900345 - European Greenfinch - Chloris chloris - described as flight call. Europe (flight call)

Call attributes: alarm call Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz), Special sounds: swoop, rasp.
Details

Genus Linaria:

Common linnet / Bluthänfling (Linaria cannabina)

Alternate classification: Carduelis cannabina, Carduelis cannabina

Also known as: Eurasian linnet

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Bluthänfling. 2023-05-27 13:11:50 Amden Hinder Hoechi NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in Mallorca on 2022-04-15.

Description

Etymology:

Herkunft: von der Hanf-Pflanze (Cánnabis), deren Samen zu seiner Nahrung gehören [Link]
Rote Stirn, Bauch; Kopf grau, Kinn weiss.
Appearance and identification:

The summer male has a grey nape, red head-patch and red breast. Females and young birds lack the red and have white underparts, the breast streaked buff. [Link]
Gesang für mich ähnlich wie Grünfink.

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-20 - 08-18
Migration in: 03-01 - 05-10
Migration out: 09-17 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=13 cm, wingspan=21-25 cm, weight=15-22 g
Habitats: Agricultural

Vocalisation

Song: General: Ähnlich wie ein Rohrsänger aber nur kurze Segmente mit klaren Pausen.
Song: Nabu: Sein Gesang umfasst trillernde, kurze und musikalische pfeifende Laute, unter anderem „piUU“, „trrüh“ und „tu-ki-jüüh“. [Link]
Song:

Gesang ist fast Rohrsänger-artig, relativ hoch und zirpend. Manchmal mit kleinen Pausen. bird-song Aufnahme where kurz, llll mhllll [Link]
Rote Stirn, Bauch; Kopf grau, Kinn weiss.
Gesang für mich ähnlich wie Grünfink.
Song:

Song a varied, sweet stream of contact calls, mimicry and trills with a staccato feel. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic, fast, Frequency: 2-7 KHz Special sounds: mimicry
♫ XC705526 - Common Linnet - Linaria cannabina cannabina - song, recorded in England. (song)

Calls: Rote Stirn, Bauch; Kopf grau, Kinn weiss.
Gesang für mich ähnlich wie Grünfink.
Calls:

Flight-call a quick and "bouncing" "gig-gig" or "tchett-tchett". Most often disyllabic utterances, while Twite seems to vary more the number of syllables. Tone harder and more bouncing. Most easily recognized by the frequently interwoven, disyllabic contact calls. [Link] Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

♫ XC910816 - Common Linnet call - Linaria cannabina. (call)

Call attributes: song Frequency: ,
Details

Family Motacillidae (Stelzenverwandte):

Genus Anthus:

Berthelot's pipit / Kanarenpieper (Anthus berthelotii)
Profile Wikipedia Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Berthelot's pipit at viewpoint. 2025-02-15 16:11:35 Canary Islands Canon EOS R7 24-240mm Shutter speed 8.625
ISO 160
Exposure 1/400
First observed in La Gomera on 2022-03-16.

Description

General:

Der Kanarenpieper (Anthus berthelotii) ist eine Singvogel art aus der Familie der Stelzen und Pieper. Er ist auf den Kanarischen Inseln, den Ilhas Selvagens und auf Madeira endemisch, wo er trockene, gras- und buschbestandene Habitate bewohnt und die einzige dort brütende Pieperart ist. Er ist ein Standvogel, von dem es bislang keinerlei Nachweise als Irrgast außerhalb seines Verbreitungsgebiets gab. Der Bestand wird grob auf 20.000–100.000 Brutpaare geschätzt und die Art ist laut IUCN nicht bedroht (“least concern”). Das Artepitheton ehrt den französischen Naturforscher Sabin Berthelot. [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Motacilla:

White wagtail / Bachstelze (Motacilla alba)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Bachstelze von Fanel-Platform aus. 2024-05-22 18:04:14 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge
First observed in Iceland on 2015-06-05.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.

The white wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which also includes pipits and longclaws. The species breeds in much of Europe and the Asian Palearctic and parts of North Africa. It has a toehold in Alaska as a scarce breeder. It is resident in the mildest parts of its range, but otherwise migrates to Africa. In Ireland and Great Britain, the darker subspecies, the pied wagtail or water wagtail^[2] (M. a. yarrellii) predominates. In total, there are between 9 and 11 subspecies. [more]

Seasonal behavior

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=18 cm, wingspan=25-30 cm, weight=17-25 g
Habitats: Settlement
Interesting behavior: Wags its tail when calling.

Vocalisation

Song: General: Usually just calls. This song is just a few chirpy slurs, sometimes rising-rising-falling.
Song:

Zirpt wie ein Sperling aber weniger Noten. Lh lh lh [Link]
Song:

Song either slow and primitive, consisting of sharp falling notes given by perched birds, or longer fast and energic bursts in excited song-flight. [Link] Song attributes: Mnemnoic: Plaetschert wie ein Bach Melody: stereotype melodic, slow, Frequency: 2-7 KHz
♫ XC694995 - White Wagtail - Motacilla alba - song recorded in Spain. Spain (song)

Calls: Calls:

Contact calls short and sharp. Usually with disyllabic, "bouncing" quality, and with each syllable only accented, not clearly separated from the other (see Grey Wagtail). [Link] bird-song.ch: zweisilbig «zilipp» oder einsilbig «zipp»

♫ XC644775 - White Wagtail - Motacilla alba alba - call, recorded in Estonia. (call)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: 3-7 KHz,
Details

Grey wagtail / Gebirgsstelze (Motacilla cinerea)

Also known as: Gray wagtail, Bergstelze, Gebirgstelze

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Gebirgsstelze am Wissbach. 2024-04-27 09:16:16 Schachen, Tobel Wissbach till Degersheim NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2022-02-05.

Description

Yellow breast and butt end, white belly, light grey head and back, white eye stripe and stripe above black beard, dark wings with 3 white V's, long tail.

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 03-23 - 08-29
Migration in: 02-20 - 04-01
Migration out: 08-18 - 10-27

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=18-19 cm, wingspan=25-27 cm, weight=14-22 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song:

BirdID says Song simple but variable. I hear trills up to 2 seconds long and chirps. Another description says a series of calls, not very melodic. I noted zwitx3, sometimes hhhhhll. [Link]
Yellow breast and butt end, white belly, light grey head and back, white eye stripe and stripe above black beard, dark wings with 3 white V's, long tail.
Song:

Song simple but variable. Sometimes with more elaborate song-flight like White Wagtail. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: stereotype melodic, fast, Frequency: high (3-9 KHz) Special sounds: trill
♫ XC767550 - Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea - song with trills and a cheek-cheek. (song)

♫ XC757193 - Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea - one-note song recorded in Germany. Germany (song)

Calls: Yellow breast and butt end, white belly, light grey head and back, white eye stripe and stripe above black beard, dark wings with 3 white V's, long tail.
Calls:

Contact call short, metallic and with a clipped ending. Often disyllabic, "tzeet-tzeet", with each syllable more separated than in White Wagtail, and timbre more "dirty". Often starts with the contact call, followed by short melodic phrases. [Link] 1: Birdweather hat ein-Noter aufgenommen.

♫ XC854585 - Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea - 2-note call. (call)

2: Ich habe zwei-noter lh lhhh notiert, wahrscheinlich von Birdweather?

3: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording. - but really OWN

♫ 2024-09-09 08:24:00 Gebirgsstelze bei 5 minuten durch geflogen, evtl Flugruf. Greater Fehraltorf (flight call)

♫ 2024-09-09 08:24:00 Gebirgsstelze bei letzen 30 Sekunden durch geflogen, evtl Flugruf. Greater Fehraltorf (flight call)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz),
Details

Family Sturnidae (Starlings / Stare):

Genus Sturnus:

**Common starling / Star (Sturnus vulgaris)**

Also known as: European_Starling, European starling, European starling

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Star am Aabach, Wetzikon. 2021-03-10 09:52:20 Wetzikon NIKON D5600 ISO 450
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-11.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America (introduced), Africa.
Learned on BBC's Winterwatch: the movement of a swarm of starlings is called a murmuration! Check out this this video or even an entire half hour
In trees or in the fields by the cows.
Frequently seen here, for instance by their nests under the eaves of one of the Toblerone houses. Introduced to North America from Europe by Eugene Schieffelin.
Eine der Vogelarten, die gleichzeitig zwei Töne singen kann!
Vocalization:

Among the best of imitators. Mimics birds, animals and mechanical noises. Often makes several sounds at the same time. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-01 - 07-20
Migration in: 01-21 - 04-11
Migration out: 09-07 - 11-26

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=21 cm, wingspan=37-42 cm, weight=60-90 g
Habitats: Agricultural

Vocalisation

Song: I find their individual song amusing, with its (long) whoops and weird noises. As a group, they're just noisy!
Learned on BBC's Winterwatch: the movement of a swarm of starlings is called a murmuration! Check out this this video or even an entire half hour
In trees or in the fields by the cows.
Frequently seen here, for instance by their nests under the eaves of one of the Toblerone houses. Introduced to North America from Europe by Eugene Schieffelin.
Eine der Vogelarten, die gleichzeitig zwei Töne singen kann!
Song:

Song a highly varied mix of falling whistles, bill-clappering and various masterful mimicry. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: improvised melodic, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz) Special sounds: whoop, mimicry, weird Singing season: 01-01 - 09-30 Dawn chorus start: 15 minutes before dawn.
Calls: Learned on BBC's Winterwatch: the movement of a swarm of starlings is called a murmuration! Check out this this video or even an entire half hour
In trees or in the fields by the cows.
Frequently seen here, for instance by their nests under the eaves of one of the Toblerone houses. Introduced to North America from Europe by Eugene Schieffelin.
Eine der Vogelarten, die gleichzeitig zwei Töne singen kann!
Calls:

Other calls; a harsh "chaee" and a short sharp "tink". [Link] I hear this occasionally and really enjoy it - a long rising 'whoop', as I call it', starting low at 1 1/2 KHz and rising to 6 1/2 KHz!

♫ 2021-08-23 17:26:09 Fehraltorf (call)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: 1-6 KHz, Special sounds: whoop.
Details

Family Turdidae (Thrushes / Drosseln):

Genus Turdus:

**Common blackbird / Amsel (Turdus merula)**

Also known as: Eurasian blackbird

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wunderschöner junge Amsel. 2024-05-29 07:27:36 Levanto Canon EOS R7 24-240mm Shutter speed 9
ISO 6400
Exposure 1/500
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2019-06-04.

Description

The first bird I loved listening to

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=24-25 cm, wingspan=34-38 cm, weight=80-125 g
Habitats: Settlement
Interesting behavior: Flaps its wings when calling.

Vocalisation

Song: Other: Gut zu erkennen ist die Amsel. Sie singt melodiös, erklärt Heller, «zuerst flötend und dann gegen Schluss so schnirpslig». Die Amsel singe gerne dort, wo sie gut gehört werde, etwa vor Hauswänden, die den Schall nicht schlucken. Ich wollte schauen was schnirpslig heisst, aber diese ist diese einzige Verwendung, die Google kennt! Der flötende Teil ist relativ tief, 1.5-3 KHz, der schnirpslige aber 2.5-7 KHz. (Schnirpslig ist ein schones Wort das der Redner erfunden hat - Google findet nur diese eine Webseite mit dem Wort!) [Von der SRF Webseite:]
The first bird I loved listening to
Song:

Melodisch flötend dazwischen auch zerquetschte Töne. Die Elemente werden nicht wiederholt. Singt von Singwarte aus. Ca. 100 verschiedene Strophentypen. [Link]

One of the most appreciated song birds. Very melodious and resonant, with long mellow notes and a large register. Less high pitched sounds than Song Thrush, and seldom repeats a phrase. Timbre fuller than both Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush. Well defined pauses between phrases, giving the song a relaxed pace. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: improvised melodic (lmh), slow, Frequency: 1-7 KHz Special sounds: flourish Singing season: 02-01 - 07-31 Dawn chorus start: 45 minutes before dawn.
♫ 2023-02-23 17:40:48 Repetitiver, einfallsloser Amsel den ich für einen Misteldrossel gehalten habe, dazu eine Kohlemeise der lmh singt und ich mit einer Tannen-meise gewechselt habe.

Source: Zoom H6/H2n (song)

♫ 2024-05-15 05:27:28 Dawn chorus am Luppmen - Amsel 2m06, Mönchsgrasmücke 4m, 8+m, Kohlmeise, Hausrotschwanz, Aaskrähe.

Source: Zoom H6/H2n Luppmen (song)

Calls: The first bird I loved listening to
Calls:

Je nach Situation, „duck duck duck“, „tix-tix-tix“ in rascher Folge, „srieh“ (auch als Flugwarnruf) [Link]

Large repertoire of calls. Most characteristic is a hysterical rattle often given when flushed. Sometimes preceded by a hard "tok tok", which then accelerates into a panicky arpeggio-like crescendo. Contact call a thin redwing-like "srrreee". Alarm calls: a sharp "tink, tink" or a very high pitch falling whistle. [Link] 1: Sharp-edged call, mostly one note.

♫ XC919083 - Common Blackbird - Turdus merula - 1-note alarm call in Estonia. (alarm call)

Alarm rattle

♫ Alarm rattle Had never heard something like this, but I saw a black bird land in a tree by the Luppmen and shortly thereafter a blackbird started singing, so I check xeno-canto for something similar. Sometimes called an alarm rattle. (alarm call)

♫ XC931182 - Common Blackbird - Turdus merula - alarm call swoop from Sweden. (alarm call)

2: Loud falling series of notes, unlike anything else you hear from a blackbird, sometimes called an alarm rattle

Call attributes: alarm call Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz),
Details

Genus Erithacus:

**European robin / Rotkehlchen (Erithacus rubecula)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Rotkehlchen - sie singen endlich wieder. 2021-10-24 09:57:40 Neeracherried NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-02.

Description

Red face and breast, light colored belly, brown and gray back and wings.
Singing in a tree, searching for food on the ground.

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-11 - 08-18
Migration in: 02-20 - 05-01
Migration out: 08-18 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=14 cm, wingspan=20-22 cm, weight=14-21 g
Habitats: Forest

Vocalisation

Song: General: High pitched but also going low, e.g. 2.9-7.7 KHz.
Song:

Only for a short period in late summer while they are moulting and inconspicuous do robins stop singing. Both sexes sing. [RSPB article]
Red face and breast, light colored belly, brown and gray back and wings.
Singing in a tree, searching for food on the ground.
Song:

Song medium to very high pitched, with mostly clear tones with a liquid quality. Timbre reminiscent of Wren or Dunnock, but with a much more varied structure and tempo. Pitch ranges from very high to low, almost thrush-like, notes. No recognizable motifs. Often ends on a rising or falling pitch, giving it a "Chinese" accent. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: improvised melodic, fast, Frequency: high (3-9 KHz) Special sounds: fluting Singing season: 02-01 - 07-31 Only pauses singing while molting and thus endangered. Dawn chorus start: 50 minutes before dawn.
Calls: Red face and breast, light colored belly, brown and gray back and wings.
Singing in a tree, searching for food on the ground.
Calls:

Alarm call a thin, electric "tick", often in series with decelerating tempo. [Link] 1: "ticking call", "tik", "tek", . Personal: A single note usually repeated twice. Somewhat sputtery. BirdID refers to 'a thin, electric "tick". In one source said to be used as alarm call.
Call:

A variety of calls is also made at any time of year, including a ticking note indicating anxiety or mild alarm. [Link]
I heard 3 or 4 scattered birds calling it in woods with underbrush but saw no birds. BirdNet told me they were robins, which I found hard to believe, but on comparing it with recordings at XenoCanto, I was convinced! Maybe they were telling each other "Don't show yourself to that alarming guy!".

♫ I heard 3 or 4 scattered birds calling it in woods with underbrush but saw no birds. BirdNet told me they were robins, which I found hard to believe, but on comparing it with recordings at XenoCanto, I was convinced! Maybe they were telling each other "Don't show yourself to that alarming guy!". 2021-07-03 08:05:14 Sputtery tik or ticking calls from a group of europan robins, never seen, plus eurasian nuthatch, blackcap warbler, probably magpie. (call)

2: "srii". Low chirpy to sputtery monotone
Xeno-Canto recording by Stanislas Wroza noted as 'srii' call

♫ Xeno-Canto recording by Stanislas Wroza noted as 'srii' call XC496627 European robin srii call. Europe (call)

3: "tsii". General: A longer falling note (9Khz-7Khz) called a tsii by the recordist.
Call:

Sound Approach: If you listen carefully you may notice that in the daytime, apart from the ubiquitous tik call, Robins also give a shrill tsi rather frequently. It is this tsi that they adapt for use as a nocturnal flight call. Nfc=night flight call. [Link]
In the sonogram it's a longer, falling note.

♫ In the sonogram it's a longer, falling note. XC512416 - European Robin - Erithacus rubecula - named tsii or alarm call by recordist Marcin Solowiej in Poland. Europe (alarm call)

4: Here is an audio of a high-pitched hawk call (7.5-8.5 KHz). See also a YouTube video comparing ground threats from aerial threats.

♫ XC139085 - European Robin - Erithacus rubecula - hawk alarm call from Paul Driver. Europe (alarm call)

5: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording. - but really OWN_VIA_ZOOM

♫ 2025-03-09 10:34:24 Volles Konzert - Rotkehlchen, Trommeln eine Buntspechts, Buchfink.

Source: Zoom H2n Greater Fehraltorf (drumming)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: 4-9 KHz, Special sounds: sputter/pebble-clatter.
Details

Order Charadriiformes (Shorebirds and others / Regenpfeiferartige):

Family Laridae (Gulls / Reiher):

Subfamily Larinae (Möwen):

Genus Larus:

Yellow-legged gull / Mittelmeermöwe (Larus michahellis)

Alternate classification: Larus argentatus michahellis

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Mittelmeermöwe, Tenero. 2024-09-04 18:20:23 Locarno
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-03-07.

Description

General:

The yellow-legged gull is a large gull found in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, which has only recently achieved wide recognition as a distinct species. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of either the Caspian gull L. cachinnans, or more broadly as a subspecies of the herring gull L. argentatus. The genus name is from Latin Larus which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and the species name honours the German zoologist Karl Michahelles.^[2] [more]
Vocalization:

Voice more nasal than Herring Gull, but ID by sound difficult. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=59-67 cm, wingspan=140-158 cm, weight=750-1500 g
not sexually dimporphic.
No breeding plumage Identifying characteristics: general: head = gray (sprinkled), beak = yellow (yellow orange with a red tip esp. on the lower half), legs = yellow (yellow orange), wings = gray, tail = black (with white stripes)
Habitats: River and lake
Details

Lesser black-backed gull / Heringsmöwe (Larus fuscus)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Lesser black-backed gull - yellow legs, yellow break with red under tip, black back but white shoulders. 2023-09-27 12:40:12 Florida NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 1/2000

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.
General:

The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. It is a regular winter visitor to the east coast of North America, probably from the breeding population in Iceland. [more]
Vocalization:

Very similar to Herring Gull, but tone more nasal. [Link]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=52-64 cm, wingspan=117-134 cm, weight=620-1000 g
Habitats: River and lake
Details

Genus Chroicocephalus:

Black-headed gull / Lachmöwe (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Alternate classification: Larus ridibundus, Larus ridibundus

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Cormorant, Graureiher, zwei Lachmöwen am Klingnauerstausee. 2022-02-05 10:35:32 Klingnauer Stausee (man-made lake) NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-05-20.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
Common waterbird at Pfäffikersee, that doesn't necessarily have the eponymous black head.
Vocalization:

Quite vocal, especially at breeding ground. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=34-37 cm, wingspan=86-99 cm, weight=200-400 g
not sexually dimporphic.
No breeding plumage Identifying characteristics: Summer: head = black, , , , , tail = black Winter: head = white (With Charlie Brown-style half circle behind the eye), , , , general: beak = red, legs = red, wings = gray,
Habitats: River and lake

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Common waterbird at Pfäffikersee, that doesn't necessarily have the eponymous black head. Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2021-04-27 16:51:23 Wetzikon (song)

Details

Genus Ichthyaetus:

**Mediterranean gull / Schwarzkopfmöwe (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)**

Alternate classification: Larus melanocephalus, Larus melanocephalus

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Schwarzkopfmöwen, Männchen in Prachtkleid links, Weibchen rechts. 2022-12-03 10:33:42 Rapperswil NIKON D5600 ISO 500
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2022-12-03.

Description

General:

The Mediterranean gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is a small gull. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus Ichthyaetus is from ikhthus, "fish", and aetos, "eagle", and the specific melanocephalus is from melas, "black", and -kephalos "-headed".^[2] [more]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=36-38 cm, wingspan=92-100 cm, weight=232-280 g
not sexually dimporphic.
No breeding plumage Identifying characteristics: Adult: head = black, , , , , tail = white, Youth: head = white (sprinkled with gray around the eyes), , , , , tail = black (tip of tail black-brown by young birds) general: wings = gray (very pale grey mantle and wings with white primary feathers without black tips.), beak = red (Dark red beak [in Levanto I said orange], usually with yellow to orange tip but can also be red. Between the tip and the shaft is a dark band.), legs = red (Their feet are dark red [legs presumably too].), ,
Habitats: River and lake
Details

Family Charadriidae (Regenpfeifer):

Genus Charadrius:

**Little ringed plover / Flussregenpfeifer (Charadrius dubius)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Stelzenläufer mit kleinem Flussregenpfeifer. 2022-04-12 14:25:34 Mallorca NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 1/1600
First observed in Mallorca on 2022-04-10.

Description

The little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius) is a small plover. The genus name Charadrius is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek kharadrios a bird found in river valleys (kharadra, "ravine"). The specific dubius is Latin for doubtful, since Sonnerat, writing in 1776, thought this bird might be just a variant of common ringed plover.^[2] [more]
Vocalization:

Quite different from Ringed Plover. Sharper sounding, lacking Ringed's soft tone. Often starts with a rolling "r". [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 03-01 - 10-18
Breeding: 04-20 - 07-20
Migration in: 03-01 - 05-31
Migration out: 06-29 - 10-18

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=14-15 cm, wingspan=42-48 cm, weight=32-48 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2022-04-10 11:10:23 Mallorca (song)

Details

**Kentish plover / Seeregenpfeifer (Charadrius alexandrinus)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Der kleinste Watvögel bei Ses Salines, Mallorcal, ein Seeregenpfeifer. 2022-04-08 17:00:16 Mallorca NIKON D5600 ISO 320
Exposure 1/2000
First observed in Mallorca on 2022-04-08.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
Deutschland: Brut-, Zugvogel RL 1

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 04-01 - 10-27
Migration in: 05-01 - 06-08
Migration out: 06-29 - 10-27

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=15-17 cm, wingspan=42-45 cm, weight=39-56 g
Habitats: Wetland
Details

Family Scolopacidae (Shorebirds / Schnepfenvögel):

Genus Calidris:

**Red knot / Knutt (Calidris canutus)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Red knots, according to MerlinBirdID - underway to somewhere better at Las Coloradas. 2023-04-15 09:34:08 Yucatan NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in Yucatan on 2023-04-15.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
General:

The red knot (Calidris canutus) (just knot in English-speaking Europe) is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the Calidris sandpipers, second only to the great knot.^[2] Six subspecies are recognised. [more]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=23-25 cm, wingspan=57-61 cm, weight=110-160 g
Habitats: Wetland
Details

**Sanderling / Sanderling (Calidris alba)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wahrscheinlich Sanderling - there must be a better photo. 2024-09-14 15:34:48 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge
First observed in Yucatan on 2023-03-27.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.

Der Sanderling (Calidris alba) ist ein kleiner Watvogel aus der Gattung der Strandläufer. Im Wattenmeer der Niederlande und Deutschlands taucht er vor allem im Winterhalbjahr in teils großen Schwärmen an der Nordseeküste auf, weitaus seltener im Binnenland. Er lässt sich außerdem ganzjährig zumindest in kleiner Zahl beobachten. An der Ostsee überwintert dagegen nur ein kleiner Teil der Sanderlinge. Während der Zugzeiten sind dort höchstens einige wenige hundert Vögel zu beobachten. [more]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 04-11 - 10-27
Migration in: 10-07 - 10-15
Migration out: 04-20 - 05-31

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=20-21 cm, wingspan=40-45 cm, weight=44-70 g
Habitats: Wetland
Details

**Dunlin / Alpenstrandläufer (Calidris alpina)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Dunlin Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Dunlin_%28Calidris_alpina%29_juvenile.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa.

Der Alpenstrandläufer (Calidris alpina) ist eine zirkumpolar verbreitete Vogelart aus der Familie der Schnepfenvögel (Scolopacidae). Es werden sechs bis zuweilen sogar zehn Unterarten unterschieden, die drei genetisch deutlich differenzierte Unterartengruppen bilden, von denen je eine in Europa, Sibirien und Alaska sowie Kanada verbreitet ist.^[1] [more]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=16-20 cm, wingspan=38-43 cm, weight=35-60 g
Habitats: Wetland
Details

Genus Arenaria (Turnstones):

**Ruddy turnstone / Steinwälzer (Arenaria interpres)**

Alternate classification: Tringa interpres

Also known as: Turnstone

Profile Wikipedia A-Z Animals Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Ruddy turnstone near Las Coloradas. 2023-04-15 10:06:32 Yucatan NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in Tenerife on 2022-03-19.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.

The ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. The scientific name is from Latin. The genus name arenaria derives from arenarius, "inhabiting sand, from arena, "sand". The specific interpres means "messenger"; when visiting Gotland in 1741, Linnaeus thought that the Swedish word Tolk "interpreter" applied to this species, but in the local dialect the word means "legs" and is used for the redshank.^[2] [more]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 04-11 - 10-18
Migration in: 05-01 - 06-20
Migration out: 05-01 - 06-08

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=22-24 cm, wingspan=50-57 cm, weight=85-150 g
Habitats: Wetland
Details

Genus Scolopax:

**Eurasian woodcock / Waldschnepfe (Scolopax rusticola)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Eurasian woodcock Source: WIKIPEDIA Scolopax_rusticola.jpg

Description

Deutschland: Brut-, Jahres-, Zugvogel, Wintergast RL V
Vocalization:

Sometimes give a snipe-like hoarse "raaat" when flushed. Male display flight at night distinctive. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 03-23 - 08-09
Migration in: 02-20 - 05-01
Migration out: 09-07 - 12-16

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=33-35 cm, wingspan=56-60 cm, weight=131-420 g
Habitats: Forest
Details

Genus Gallinago:

**Common snipe / Bekassine (Gallinago gallinago)**

Alternate classification: Capella gallinago

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Rechts nach Links - drei Bekassinen, Kiebitz, Krickenten. 2021-10-24 10:34:58 Neeracherried NIKON D5600 ISO 560
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-10-24.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
General:

The common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) is a small, stocky wader native to the Old World. [more]
Vocalization:

Quite vocal, especially at breeding ground. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Migration in: 01-01 - 05-21
Migration out: 07-20 - 12-31

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=25-27 cm, wingspan=44-47 cm, weight=80-140 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song:

Song an unmistakable bleating, drumming sound produced by vibrating tail feathers in sky-dives. [Link] Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ XC812599 - Common Snipe song, one note, 4x per sec - Gallinago gallinago. (song)

Calls: Calls:

Almost always give diagnostic hoarse and nasal "kaaat" call when flushed. Another territorial call is a rhythmic, mechanical and sharp "tika-tika-tka", or "ika-ka-ka". [Link]

♫ XC947581 - Common Snipe flight call - Gallinago gallinago. (flight call)

Call attributes: flight call Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz), Special sounds: quack.
Details

Genus Actitis:

**Common sandpiper / Flussuferläufer (Actitis hypoleucos)**

Alternate classification: Tringa hypoleucos

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) probing mud banks in Kolkata I IMG 4169, by J.M.Garg - Own work. Source: OTHER Common_Sandpiper_(Actitis_hypoleucos)_probing_mud_banks_in_Kolkata_I_IMG_4169, by J.M.Garg - Own work.jpg
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2022-09-04.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
Etymology:Birdweather: Mein Birdweather Gerät hat öfter das Gefühl dass es einen Flussuferläufer hört; Merlin hat es auch einmal gemeldet. [Link]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=19-21 cm, wingspan=38-41 cm, weight=40-60 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2024-08-08 07:22:45 Birdweather-Common Sandpiper call. (call)

Calls: Calls:

Very vocal with characteristic repertoire of very high-pitched calls. Often heard is a disyllabic call, drawn out and slightly rising in pitch in the second part. This is often repeated in a series of rising tones in a cyclic manner, with approx 5 tones in each cycle. [Link] 1: High-pitched, at least in Birdweather detection

♫ XC927032 - Common Sandpiper 2-note call - Actitis hypoleucos. (call)

2: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

♫ XC924773 - Common Sandpiper flight call, swoop, 2 to 8 notes - Actitis hypoleucos. (flight call)

Call attributes: Call melody: simple rhythmic, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz),
Details

Subfamily Sterninae (Terns / Möwenverwandte):

Genus Sterna:

**Common tern / Flussseeschwalbe (Sterna hirundo)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Flussseeschwalbe. 2023-07-08 19:00:12 Neeracherried NIKON D5600 ISO 800
Exposure 1/800
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-27.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
Seasonal Behavior:

Die Flussseeschwalbe (Sterna hirundo) ist eine Vogelart aus der Familie der Seeschwalben (Sternidae). Sie ist in Mitteleuropa ein verbreiteter, aber nicht sehr häufiger Brut- und Sommervogel. Während der Zugzeiten können im mitteleuropäischen Raum außerdem viele Durchzügler beobachtet werden. [Link]
Vocalization:

Similar to Arctic Tern but deeper. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 03-23 - 10-07
Breeding: 05-01 - 07-29
Migration in: 03-23 - 06-09
Migration out: 06-29 - 10-07

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=31-35 cm, wingspan=77-98 cm, weight=110-150 g
Habitats: River and lake

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2020-04-27 14:08:13 Luppmen (song)

Details

**Roseate tern / Rosenseeschwalbe (Sterna dougallii)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Roseate tern Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Roseate_terns_Palometas.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
General:

The roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) is a tern in the family Laridae. The genus name Sterna is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern",^[2] and the specific dougallii refers to Scottish physician and collector Dr Peter McDougall (1777–1814).^[3] "Roseate" refers to the bird's pink breast in breeding plumage.^[4] [more]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=33-38 cm, wingspan=72-80 cm, weight=92-133 g
Details

**Arctic tern / Kü̈stenseeschwalbe (Sterna paradisaea)**

Also known as: Küstenseeschwalbe

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Arctic tern Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-2009_07_02_-_Arctic_tern_on_Farne_Islands_-_The_blue_rope_demarcates_the_visitors%27_path.JPG

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa.

The Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America (as far south as Brittany and Massachusetts). The species is strongly migratory, seeing two summers each year as it migrates along a convoluted route from its northern breeding grounds to the Antarctic coast for the southern summer and back again about six months later. Recent studies have shown average annual roundtrip lengths of about 70,900 km (44,100 mi) for birds nesting in Iceland and Greenland^[3] and about 90,000 km (56,000 mi) for birds nesting in the Netherlands.^[4] These are by far the longest migrations known in the animal kingdom. The Arctic tern flies as well as glides through the air. It nests once every one to three years (depending on its mating cycle); once it has finished nesting it takes to the sky for another long southern migration. [more]
Vocalization:

Similar to Common Tern but higher pitched. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Seldom seen here

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=33-35 cm, wingspan=75-85 cm, weight=95-120 g
Details

Family Stercorariidae:

Genus Stercorarius:

**Pomarine jaeger / Spatelraubmöwe (Stercorarius pomarinus)**

Also known as: Pomarine skua

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Pomarine jäger Source: WIKIPEDIA Stercorarius_pomarinusPCCA20070623-3985B.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
General:

The pomarine jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus), pomarine skua, or pomatorhine skua,^[2] is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migrant, wintering at sea in the tropical oceans. [more]

Seasonal behavior

Seldom seen here

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=46-51 cm, wingspan=125-138 cm, weight=600-900 g
Details

**Long-tailed jaeger / Falkenraubmöwe (Stercorarius longicaudus)**

Also known as: Long-tailed skua, Longtailed skua

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Long-tailed jäger Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Long-tailed_Skua_%28js%29_26.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.

The long-tailed skua or long-tailed jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus) is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. [more]

Seasonal behavior

Seldom seen here

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=48-53 cm, wingspan=105-117 cm, weight=240-350 g
Details

**Parasitic jaeger / Schmarotzerraubmöwe (Stercorarius parasiticus)**

Also known as: Arctic skua

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Arctic Skua, defending its nest. 2015-06-10 14:32:52 Iceland NIKON D3100 ISO 800
Exposure 0.001
First observed in Iceland on 2015-06-10.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.

The parasitic jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus), also known as the Arctic skua, Arctic jaeger or parasitic skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. The word "jaeger" is derived from the German word Jäger, meaning "hunter".^[2] The English "skua" comes from the Faroese name skúgvur [ˈskɪkvʊər] for the great skua, with the island of Skúvoy known for its colony of that bird. The general Faroese term for skuas is kjógvi [ˈtʃɛkvə].^[3] The genus name Stercorarius is Latin and means "of dung"; the food disgorged by other birds when pursued by skuas was once thought to be excrement. The specific parasiticus is from Latin and means "parasitic".^[4] [more]
Vocalization:

Mostly heard at breeding ground. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Seldom seen here

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=41-46 cm, wingspan=110-125 cm, weight=330-570 g
Details

**Great skua / Skua (Stercorarius skua)**

Alternate classification: Stercorarius skua skua

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.
Deutschland: seltener Zugvogel, seltener Wintergast
Vocalization:

Heard mostly at breeding ground. Short, and dry "kek", when agitated. Also a nasal, slightly mewing "kew". [Link]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=53-58 cm, wingspan=132-140 cm, weight=1210-1630 g
Details

Order Gruiformes (Terrestrial and marshbirds / Kranichvögel):

Family Rallidae (Rails / Rallen):

Genus Fulica (Coots):

**Eurasian coot / Blässhuhn (Fulica atra)**

Also known as: Common coot, Taucherli, Blässhühner

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Eurasian coot in the rain. 2025-04-21 09:29:12 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 8.625
ISO 250
Exposure 1/400
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-14.

Description

General:

The Eurasian coot (Fulica atra), also known as the common coot, or Australian coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. It is found in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and parts of North Africa. It has a slaty-black body, a glossy black head and a white bill with a white frontal shield. The sexes are similar. [more]
Vocalization:

Varied. Usually short, metallic and explosive. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=36-38 cm, wingspan=70-80 cm, weight=600-1000 g
Habitats: River and lake

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ XC841364 - Eurasian Coot song - Fulica atra. (song)

Calls: Calls:

Most diagnostic call a very short, sharp and explosive "tsk". Sometimes a longer, less sharp but nasal "caw", with varying harshness. [Link]

♫ XC902440 - Eurasian Coot squeaky call - Fulica atra. (call)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz), Special sounds: weird.
Details

Genus Gallinula:

**Common moorhen / Teichhuhn (Gallinula chloropus)**

Also known as: Eurasian moorhen, Teichralle

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Teichhuhn. 2022-06-04 11:26:16 Kaltbrunner-Riet NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-02-12.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
Seen at the Pfäffikersee walking across the path from one set of reeds to another. An apprentice at the nature center gave us the identification, presuming it was a juvenile because of the lack of color. I'd have said its legs were shorter, but the moorhen definitely has the main trait we saw, that it holds its short tail in the air.
Habitat:

Common Moorhens prefer to nest in the thicket on the edge of ponds, lakes or rivers and mostly only give themselves away through their guttural calls. They are easier to observe in winter because then they leave their well-vegetated habitat and are seen in meadows, parks and on open waters. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-20 - 08-09
Migration in: 03-01 - 05-01
Migration out: 09-07 - 12-16

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=32-35 cm, wingspan=50-55 cm, weight=240-420 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Seen at the Pfäffikersee walking across the path from one set of reeds to another. An apprentice at the nature center gave us the identification, presuming it was a juvenile because of the lack of color. I'd have said its legs were shorter, but the moorhen definitely has the main trait we saw, that it holds its short tail in the air.
Song:

Most typical is the territorial call (song); a sharp, loud and resonant "krrrr-ook" or "krrrk". [Link] Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ XC946631 - Common Moorhen call, like a quack - Gallinula chloropus. (call)

Calls: Seen at the Pfäffikersee walking across the path from one set of reeds to another. An apprentice at the nature center gave us the identification, presuming it was a juvenile because of the lack of color. I'd have said its legs were shorter, but the moorhen definitely has the main trait we saw, that it holds its short tail in the air.
Calls:

Rich repertoire of loud calls and softer sounds. Other calls; a sharp, three or four-syllable "kekeke", and a soft "wep" sometimes drawn-out in a more mewing version. [Link]

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz), Special sounds: quack.
Details

Class Accipitriformes (Hawks and eagles / Greifvögel):

Family Accipitridae (Habichtartige):

Subfamily Buteoninae (Bussardartige):

Genus Buteo (Hawks):

Common buzzard / Mäusebussard (Buteo buteo)

Alternate classification: Falco buteo

Also known as: Eurasian buzzard

Profile Wikipedia A-Z Animals Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Mäusebussard im Flug nah bei Gutenswil - leider war er etwas schneller als ich! 2024-06-04 10:29:58 Fehraltorf Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 10
ISO 800
Exposure 1/1000
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-17.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
General:

The common buzzard (Buteo buteo) is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. A member of the genus Buteo, it is a member of the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across much of the Palearctic as far as the northwestern China (Tien Shan), far western Siberia and northwestern Mongolia.^[1]^[2] Over much of its range, it is a year-round resident. However, buzzards from the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere as well as those that breed in the eastern part of their range typically migrate south for the northern winter, many journeying as far as South Africa.^[3] The common buzzard is an opportunistic predator that can take a wide variety of prey, but it feeds mostly on small mammals, especially rodents such as voles. It typically hunts from a perch.^[4] Like most accipitrid birds of prey, it builds a nest, typically in trees in this species, and is a devoted parent to a relatively small brood of young.^[2] The common buzzard appears to be the most common diurnal raptor in Europe, as estimates of its total global population run well into the millions.^[2]^[5] [more]
Vocalization:

Quite vocal. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=51-57 cm, wingspan=113-128 cm, weight=550-1300 g
Habitats: Agricultural

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2021-04-21 09:06:53 Fehraltorf (song)

Calls: Calls:

Most typical call a wailing, mewing "peeoooo". Quite similar to Rough-legged Buzzard, but the pitch falls more rapidly and is then sustained for the last part of the call. [Link] Klingt ähnlich wie Rotmilan aber kürzer

♫ XC917665 - Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo - call. (call)

Call attributes: Call melody: simple rhythmic, slow, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz), Special sounds: swoop.
Details

Subfamily Accipitrinae (True hawks / Bussardartige):

Genus Accipiter:

Eurasian sparrowhawk / Sperber (Accipiter nisus)

Alternate classification: Falco nisus

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Zweiter Vogel vom Sperber-Paar. 2024-08-04 18:34:04 Staldenweiher Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 10
ISO 1250
Exposure 1/1000
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2021-02-06.

Description

General:

The Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), also known as the northern sparrowhawk or simply the sparrowhawk, is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred underparts; females and juveniles are brown above with brown barring below. The female is up to 25% larger than the male – one of the greatest size differences between the sexes in any bird species. Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more. [more]
Vocalization:

Series of short "ke-ke-ke-ke-ke", with rising pitch. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 05-01 - 08-09
Migration in: 02-20 - 05-10
Migration out: 08-18 - 11-06

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=28-38 cm, wingspan=55-70 cm, weight=110-342 g
Habitats: Agricultural

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song:

Meist in Horstnähe zu hören. Eine Reihe von kurzen Einzellauten, [Link] Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ XC818384 - Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus - call, Brandenburg, Germany. Germany (call)

Calls: Calls:

wie „gigigi“. Ähnlichkeit mit Wendehals, aber klarer und schneller. Schneller auch als Grünspecht und tiefer als Turmfalke. [Link]

Less resonant and less full than similar call of Goshawk, and much faster. Also a short "peeaaaa", shorter and more squeaky than Buzzard. [Link] Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

Call attributes: song Frequency: ,
Details

Infraclass Neognathae:

Order Columbiformes (Pigeons and others / Taubenvögel):

Family Columbidae (Pigeons):

Genus Columba:

Rock dove / Felsentaube (Columba livia)

Alternate classification: Columba livia domestica

Also known as: Rock pigeon, Common pigeon, Rock pigeon, Rock pigeon, Strassentaube

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Rock dove seen from below at Kulturfabrik, Wetzikon. 2025-03-06 11:31:40 Wetzikon Canon EOS R7 200-800mm Shutter speed 8.625
ISO 200
Exposure 1/400
First observed in La Gomera on 2022-03-08.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
General:

Die Felsentaube (Columba livia) ist eine Vogel art aus der Familie der Tauben (Columbidae). Sie ist die alleinige Stammform der Haustaube und damit auch der Stadttaube.^[1] Diese domestizierte und verwilderte Form zählt zu den erfolgreichsten Vögeln der Erde und ist mittlerweile, von der Arktis und Antarktis abgesehen, weltweit verbreitet. Die Wildform ist dagegen auf Eurasien und Afrika beschränkt. [more]
Vocalization:

Not loud. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 01-01 - 12-31

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=31-34 cm, wingspan=63-70 cm, weight=230-370 g
Habitats: Settlement

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song:

Song a two-syllable, but continuous cooing. First a rolling ascending "orrrrrr" immediately followed by a short descending "oohh". Wings produce a quite audible whistling sound. [Link] Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ XC661807 - Rock Dove call - Columba livia. (call)

Calls: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

Call attributes: song Frequency: ,
Details

Trocaz pigeon (Columba trocaz)
Profile Wikipedia Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Trocaz pigeon Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Trocaz_Pigeon_Madeira.jpg

Description

General:

The trocaz pigeon, Madeira laurel pigeon or long-toed pigeon (Columba trocaz) is a pigeon which is endemic to the island of Madeira. It is a mainly grey bird with a pinkish breast; its silvery neck patch and lack of white wing markings distinguish it from its close relative and probable ancestor, the common wood pigeon. Its call is a characteristic six-note cooing, weaker and lower-pitched than that of the wood pigeon. Despite its bulky, long-tailed appearance, this pigeon has a fast, direct flight. [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Streptopelia:

Turtle dove / Turteltaube (Streptopelia turtur)

Also known as: European turtle-dove, European turtle dove

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur). Source: WIKIPEDIA Wikipedia European_Turtle_Dove_(Streptopelia_turtur).jpg
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2023-06-19.

Description

Die Turteltaube (Streptopelia turtur) ist eine Vogelart aus der Familie der Tauben. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst weite Teile der westlichen und zentralen Paläarktis und reicht vom nördlichen Afrika, der iberischen Halbinsel und Großbritannien nach Osten über den Nahen und Mittleren Osten bis Nordwestchina und in die Mongolei. Im Mittelmeerraum ist die Turteltaube besonders häufig. Nach einer im Jahr 2007 veröffentlichten Studie der EU ist ihr Bestand jedoch in den letzten 25 Jahren um 62 Prozent zurückgegangen.^[1] Der Bestandsrückgang wird auf veränderte landwirtschaftliche Anbaumethoden und den Rückgang der Erdraucharten zurückgeführt, die bei der Ernährung der Turteltauben eine große Rolle spielen. Zu den für den Bestandsrückgang verantwortlichen Faktoren gehört aber auch der Abschuss der Tauben insbesondere im Mittelmeerraum während der Zugzeiten. [more]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 04-11 - 10-07
Breeding: 05-10 - 07-10
Migration in: 04-11 - 06-20
Migration out: 08-09 - 10-07

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=26-28 cm, wingspan=47-53 cm, weight=100-180 g
Habitats: Forest

Vocalisation

Song: Trilling coo.
Song:

Song: a deep, rolling, and slightly ascending cooing; "trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr trrr-trrrr" with variations in rhythm. Sometimes birds sticks to a phrase, but phrases varies between individuals. [Link] Song attributes: Melody: one note, slow, Frequency: low (1-3 KHz)
Details

Order Falconiformes (Falcons and others / Falkenartige):

Family Falconidae:

Genus Falco (Falcons):

Common kestrel / Turmfalke (Falco tinnunculus)

Also known as: Eurasian kestrel

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Turmfalke zwischen Fehraltorf und Mesikon. 2021-10-16 15:25:46 Fehraltorf NIKON D3100 ISO 100
Exposure 1/1000
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-04-24.

Description

Oft seen in the fields around Fehraltorf, flapping away to stay in place.

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-20 - 08-29
Migration in: 02-10 - 05-10
Migration out: 08-18 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=32-35 cm, wingspan=71-80 cm, weight=156-252 g
Habitats: Agricultural

Similar species

Song or calls similar to: Pallid swift.

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Oft seen in the fields around Fehraltorf, flapping away to stay in place. Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2024-09-08 07:37:00 Turmfalke, Rauchschwalben beim Bahnhof Fehraltorf. Fehraltorf (song)

Calls: Oft seen in the fields around Fehraltorf, flapping away to stay in place.
Calls:

Turmfalke kann auch wie einen Specht tönen, scharf und relativ hoch [Link]

Most common call a fast series of short, high-pitched "ke-ke-ke". Much less raucous than Merlin or Peregrine. [Link] Heard from in the air, about 6 notes per second (do I find them high??)

♫ XC928672 - Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus - calls. (call)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, fast, Frequency: 2-7 KHz,
Details

Order Gaviiformes (Loons / Seetaucher):

Family Gaviidae (Loons):

Genus Gavia:

Great northern loon / Eistaucher (Gavia immer)

Alternate classification: Urinator imber

Also known as: Common loon, Great northern diver

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Great northern loon, Squam Lake, New Hampshire. 2023-10-06 12:26:58 New England NIKON D5600 ISO 640
Exposure 0.001
First observed in New England on 2023-10-06.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America.
Deutschland: seltener Wintergast

Seasonal behavior

Seldom seen here

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=69-91 cm, wingspan=69-91 cm, weight=3600-4480 g
Details

Order Procellariiformes (Petrels and albatrosses / Röhrennasen):

Family Procellariidae (Shearwaters and petrels / Sturmvögel):

Genus Puffinus:

Manx shearwater / Atlantiksturmtaucher (Puffinus puffinus)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Manx shearwater Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Manx_Shearwater.JPG

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.
General:

The Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an Anglo-Norman word (Middle English pophyn) for the cured carcasses of nestling shearwaters. The Atlantic puffin acquired the name much later, possibly because of its similar nesting habits. [more]
Vocalization:

Vocal at breeding ground. [Link]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=31-36 cm, wingspan=76-88 cm, weight=375-459 g
Details

Barolo shearwater (Puffinus baroli)

Alternate classification: Puffinus lherminieri baroli

Profile Wikipedia Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Barolo shearwater Source: WIKIPEDIA Barolo_Shearwater.jpg

Description

General:

The Barolo shearwater (Puffinus baroli), also known as the North Atlantic little shearwater or Macaronesian shearwater, is a small shearwater which breeds in the Azores and Canaries of Macaronesia in the North Atlantic Ocean. Puffinus is a New Latin loanword based on the English "puffin" and its variants, such as poffin, pophyn and puffing,^[2] that referred to the cured carcass of the fat nestling of the Manx shearwater, a former delicacy. The specific baroli refers to Carlo Tencredi Falletti, marquis of Barolo.^[3] [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Pterodroma:

Fea's petrel (Pterodroma feae)
Profile Wikipedia Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Fea's petrel Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Feas_Petrel_From_The_Crossley_ID_Guide_Eastern_Birds.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.

The Fea's petrel (Pterodroma feae), is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, Pterodroma. It was previously considered to be a subspecies of the soft-plumaged petrel (P. mollis), but they are actually not closely related at all. However, P. feae is very closely related to Zino's petrel and Desertas petrel, two other species recently split from P. mollis. The gadfly petrels are named for their speedy weaving flight, as if evading horseflies. The flight action is also reflected in the genus name Pterodroma, from Ancient Greek pteron, "wing" and dromos, " runner".^[2] This species is named after the Italian zoologist Leonardo Fea (1852-1903).^[3] [more]

Other Details

Details

Zino's petrel / Madeira-Sturmvogel (Pterodroma madeira)
Profile Wikipedia Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Zino's petrel Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Zino%27s_petrel_sketch.png

Description

Zino's petrel (Pterodroma madeira) or freira is a species of small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, endemic to the island of Madeira. This long-winged petrel has a grey back and wings, with a dark "W" marking across the wings, and a grey upper tail. The undersides of the wings are blackish apart from a triangle of white at the front edge near the body, and the belly is white with grey flanks. It is very similar in appearance to the slightly larger Fea's petrel, and separating these two Macaronesian species at sea is very challenging. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the soft-plumaged petrel, P. mollis, but they are not closely related, and Zino's was raised to the status of a species because of differences in morphology, calls, breeding behaviour and mitochondrial DNA. It is Europe's most endangered seabird, with breeding areas restricted to a few ledges high in the central mountains of Madeira. [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Bulweria:

Bulwer's petrel / Bulwersturmvogel (Bulweria bulwerii)

Alternate classification: Procellaria bulwerii

Profile Wikipedia eBird Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Bulwer's petrel Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-P%C3%A9trel_de_Bulwer.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa, Australia.

Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) is a small petrel in the family Procellariidae, and found in the genus Bulweria (Bonaparte, 1843). This bird is named after the English naturalist James Bulwer. [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Calonectris:

Cory's shearwater / Gelbschnabel-Sturmtaucher (Calonectris borealis)

Alternate classification: Puffinus diomedea borealis, Calonectris diomedea

Also known as: Scopoli's shearwater

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Cory's shearwater Source: WIKIPEDIA Cory%27s_Shearwater_from_the_Crossley_ID_Guide_Britain_and_Ireland_crop.jpg
First observed in Canary Islands on 2022-03-16.

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.

Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis) is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The genus name Calonectris comes from Ancient Greek kalos, "good" and nectris, "swimmer", and borealis is Latin for "northern".^[2] The English name is after the American ornithologist Charles B. Cory. [more]

Other Details

Vocalisation

Song: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
♫ 2022-03-16 22:04:37 Cory's Shearwaters meowing at Hotel Jardin Tecina in Playa Santiago, La Gomera edited down. La Gomera (song)

Details

Genus Ardenna:

Great shearwater / Großer Sturmtaucher (Ardenna gravis)

Alternate classification: Puffinus gravis

Profile Wikipedia Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Great shearwater Source: WIKIPEDIA Puffinus_gravisPCCA20070623-3641B.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, Africa.

The great shearwater (Ardenna gravis) is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. Ardenna was first used to refer to a seabird by Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi in 1603, and gravis is Latin for "heavy".^[3] [more]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=43-51 cm, wingspan=100-118 cm, weight=715-950 g
Details

Subfamily Hydrobatidae (Storm petrels / Sturmschwalben):

Genus Pelagodroma:

White-faced storm-petrel / Fregattensturmschwalbe (Pelagodroma marina)

Alternate classification: Procellaria marina

Profile Wikipedia Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: White-faced storm-petrel Source: WIKIPEDIA Godmanstormlg.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa.

The white-faced storm petrel (Pelagodroma marina), also known as white-faced petrel is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Pelagodroma. [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Oceanodroma:

Band-rumped storm-petrel / Madeirawellenläufer (Oceanodroma castro)

Alternate classification: Hydrobates castro

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Band-rumped storm-petrel Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Band_rumped_storm_petrel_Andre_Raine_KESRP_%2821789178016%29.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa.

The band-rumped storm petrel, Madeiran storm petrel, or Harcourt's storm petrel (Oceanodroma castro) is of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae. [more]

Other Details

Details

Genus Hydrobates:

European storm-petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: European storm-petrel Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-European_Storm_Petrel_From_The_Crossley_ID_Guide_Eastern_Birds.jpg

Description

Vocalization:

Heard at breeding ground. Dry, cyclic, rattling and cooing, interrupted by deeper nasal moaning or a higher pitched "kee-ee-kee", with emphasis on second syllable. [Link]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=14-18 cm, wingspan=36-39 cm, weight=23-30 g
Details

Genus Oceanites:

Wilson's storm-petrel / Buntfuß-Sturmschwalbe (Oceanites oceanicus)

Alternate classification: Procellaria oceanica

Profile Wikipedia Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Wilson's storm-petrel Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Oceanites_oceanicus_-_SE_Tasmania.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
General:

Wilson's storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus), also known as Wilson's petrel, is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is one of the most abundant bird species in the world and has a circumpolar distribution mainly in the seas of the southern hemisphere but extending northwards during the summer of the northern hemisphere. The world population has been estimated to be more than 50 million pairs.^[2] The name commemorates the Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson. The genus name Oceanites refers to the mythical Oceanids, the three thousand daughters of Tethys. The species name is from Latin oceanus, "ocean".^[3] [more]

Other Details

Details

Order Strigiformes (Owls / Eulen):

Family Tytonidae (Barn owls):

Genus Tyto:

Barn owl / Schleiereule (Tyto alba)

Alternate classification: Strix alba

Also known as: Western barn owl, Common barn owl

Profile Wikipedia A-Z Animals Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Barn owl Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Tyto_alba_-British_Wildlife_Centre%2C_Surrey%2C_England-8a_%281%29.jpg

Description

This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.

The barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere in the world except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalayas, most of Indonesia, and some Pacific Islands. It is also known as the common barn owl, to distinguish it from the other species in its family, Tytonidae, which forms one of the two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical owls (Strigidae). [more]
Vocalization:

Large repertoire of mainly hissing and screeching sounds. [Link]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=33-35 cm, wingspan=80-95 cm, weight=240-350 g
Habitats: Agricultural
Details

Order Upupiformes (Hoopoes and others / Hopf- und Hornvögel):

Family Upupidae:

Genus Upupa:

Eurasian hoopoe / Wiedehopf (Upupa epops)

Also known as: Common hoopoe

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wiedehopf. 2022-05-22 11:02:06 Leuk NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 1/1000
First observed in Mallorca on 2022-04-07.

Description

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 03-12 - 09-28
Breeding: 04-20 - 07-29
Migration in: 03-12 - 05-10
Migration out: 07-20 - 09-28

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=26-28 cm, wingspan=42-46 cm, weight=55-87 g
Habitats: Agricultural
Details

Superorder Galloanserae:

Order Galliformes (Landfowls / Hühnervögel):

Family Phasianidae (Turkeys):

Subfamily Perdicinae:

Genus Coturnix:

Common quail / Wachtel (Coturnix coturnix)
Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Common quail Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-A_common_quail_in_Lebanon.jpg

Description

General:

The common quail (Coturnix coturnix), or European quail, is a small ground-nesting game bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is mainly migratory, breeding in the western Palearctic and wintering in Africa and southern India. [more]
Vocalization:

Other sounds: A nasal disyllabic mewing "mau-au", and a wader-like rolling "wreee". [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 04-20 - 10-07
Breeding: 05-10 - 08-18
Migration in: 04-20 - 07-10
Migration out: 07-29 - 10-07

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=16-18 cm, wingspan=32-35 cm, weight=75-135 g
Habitats: Agricultural
Details

Order Apodiformes (Swifts and hummingbirds / Segler):

Family Apodidae (Swifts):

Subfamily Apodinae:

Genus Apus:

Common swift / Mauersegler (Apus apus)

Alternate classification: Hirundo apus

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Mauersegler nahe Susten Golfplatz. 2022-05-21 10:09:00 Switzerland NIKON D5600 ISO 400
Exposure 0.001
First observed in 🇨🇭 on 2020-06-10.

Description

Vielleicht haben wir bald Mauersegler Brutkästen am Haus!
Vocalization:

A shrilling trill "zreeeee" of about 1 -2 seconds length, gradually rising in pitch with accentuated firs half, then falling from the middle of phrase. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 04-20 - 09-28
Breeding: 05-01 - 08-18
Migration in: 04-20 - 05-31
Migration out: 07-20 - 09-28

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=16-17 cm, wingspan=42-48 cm, weight=31-56 g
Habitats: Settlement

Vocalisation

Song: Song:

Sie singen im Flug (eigentlich LEBEN sie im Flug), und wenn du sie nicht siehst, schau weiter hoch, dann noch einmal - sie können mehrere 100m hoch fliegen oft in Gruppen von 3-10. Kappe abziehen wenn nötig! [Link]

A shrilling trill "zreeeee" of about 1 -2 seconds length, gradually rising in pitch with accentuated firs half, then falling from the middle of phrase. Often continued with a dry lower pitched "trrrrrr" before calling again. [Link]
Vielleicht haben wir bald Mauersegler Brutkästen am Haus! Song attributes: Melody: simple rhythmic, fast, Frequency: 5-7 KHz
Calls: Vielleicht haben wir bald Mauersegler Brutkästen am Haus!
Calls:

Often continued with a dry lower pitched "trrrrrr" before calling again. Very vocal at breeding area, and often a flock will call together. Despite being quite similar to Pallid Swift, the call is probably the best field character to separate the two. Pallid puts the stress on the ending of the call, followed by a quick fall in pitch (dynamics like moaning with a quick release). Plain Swift calls similar to Common Swift, but differs in slightly fluctuating pitch during the call, and a loss of resonance towards the ending (thinner sounding). [Link] Heard from high in the air

♫ XC564619 - Common Swift - Apus apus - calls. (call)

Call attributes: Call melody: one note, fast, Frequency: 4-7 KHz,
Details

Pallid swift / Fahlsegler (Apus pallidus)

Alternate classification: Cypselus pallidus

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Pallid swift at xx, Lanzarota. 2025-02-25 11:41:29 Lanzarote Galaxy S24 Ultra Shutter speed 1/33
ISO 4000
Exposure 0.03
First observed in Lanzarote on 2025-02-25.

Description

General:

The pallid swift (Apus pallidus) is a small bird, superficially similar to a barn swallow or house martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since the swifts are in the order Apodiformes. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles. [more]
Vocalization:

Similar to Common Swift, but usually very helpful for ID. Almost di-syllabic, with marked accent on second syllable which rapidly drops in pitch, "srrrree-aah". [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Presence: 03-23 - 11-15
Breeding: 05-01 - 11-06
Migration in: 03-23 - 05-21
Migration out: 09-07 - 11-15

More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=16-17 cm, wingspan=42-46 cm, weight=41 g
Habitats: Settlement

Similar species

Song or calls similar to: Common kestrel.

Vocalisation

Calls: Calls:

Common swift has a more even call, with accents on first part, without the sudden pitch-drop. [Link] Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording.

♫ XC897963 - Pallid Swift - Apus pallidus - flight call in Portugal. Portugal (flight call)

Call attributes: flight call Frequency: ,
Details

Plain swift (Apus unicolor)

Alternate classification: Cypselus unicolor

Profile Wikipedia Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Plain swift Source: WIKIPEDIA Einfarbsegler.jpg

Description

General:

The plain swift (Apus unicolor) is a medium-sized swift. Although this bird is superficially similar to a barn swallow or house martin, it is not related to those passerine species. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles. [more]

Other Details

Details

Classification errors:

**Woolesser short-toed lark / Stummellerche (Alaudala rufescens)**

Also known as: Mediterranean short-toed lark, Lesser short-toed lark

Profile Wikipedia Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Description

Die Stummellerche (Calandrella rufescens) ist eine Vogelart aus der Familie der Lerchen (Alaudidae). [more]

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=13-14 cm, wingspan=24-32 cm, weight=21-30 g
Details

**Western subalpine warbler / Westliche Weissbart-Grasmücke (Curruca iberiae)**

Profile Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Xeno-Canto NABU YouTube

Wikipedia: Western subalpine warbler Source: WIKIPEDIA 1200px-Western_Subalpine_Warbler_Sylvia_inornata%2C_Aiguamolls_de_l%27Empord%C3%A0.jpg

Description

The western subalpine warbler (Curruca iberiae) is a small typical warbler which breeds in the southernmost areas of Europe and north-western Africa. [more]

Other Details

Details

Number observed: 49. By country first seen that's: Switzerland 32, Spain 10, Iceland 2, Mexico 2, Portugal 2, United States of America 1.