What do you know about bird families?
Many common UK garden birds belong to the same biological families and are closely related.
Closely Related Garden Bird Families
- Tits (Paridae family): The Blue Tit and Great Tit are close relatives within the same family, sharing similar acrobatic feeding habits and bold markings. (Note: Despite their name, the Long-tailed Tit belongs to a completely different family, Aegithalidae, making them only distant cousins to blue and great tits).
- Finches (Fringillidae family): The Goldfinch, Chaffinch, and Greenfinch are all true finches. They share stout, conical beaks specially adapted for cracking open seeds and grains.
- Thrushes (Turdidae family): The Blackbird and Song Thrush are close relatives. They share a similar body shape, hopping gait on lawns, and rich, musical singing voices.
- Corvids (Corvidae family): Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, and Magpies are all part of the crow family. They are highly intelligent, adaptable birds known for complex social behaviors.
- Doves (Columbidae family): The Woodpigeon and Collared Dove belong to the same pigeon and dove family, sharing plump bodies, small heads, and soft cooing calls.
Common Misconceptions
- Dunnocks and Sparrows: Despite looking somewhat similar with their streaky brown feathers, Dunnocks and House Sparrows are not related. Dunnocks belong to the accentor family (Prunellidae), while house sparrows belong to the Old World sparrow family (Passeridae).
Related bird families share distinct traits
Related bird families share distinct traits based on their evolutionary links, matching their specific beak shapes and behaviors.
FAMILY
Tits: Blue Tit, Great Tit etc
DIETARY SIMILARITIES
Eat insects, caterpillars and spiders in spring, switching to seeds, nuts and garden feeders in winter.
NESTING SIMILARITIES
Cavity nesters relying on tree holes or garden nest boxes. Line nests with a thick layer of moss, fur and feathers.
FAMILY
Finches: Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch
DIETARY SIMILARITIES
Strictly seed-eaters with powerful, conical beaks. Feed chicks with a mix of regurgitated seeds and insects.
NESTING SIMILARITIES
Build neat, cup-shaped nests high up in trees or dense bushes. Use moss, wool and lichen bound together with spider silk.
FAMILY
Thrushes: Blackbird, Song Thrush
DIETARY SIMILARITIES
Feed on earthworms, snails and insects from lawns. Forage for berries and fallen fruit during autumn and winter.
NESTING SIMILARITIES
Build large, sturdy cup nests hidden in hedges or ivy. Use a distinct lining for mud base to cement the structure.
FAMILY
Corvids: Magpie, Jackdaw, Crow
DIETARY SIMILARITIES
Opportunistic omnivores eating carrion, eggs and scraps. Hide excess food to dig up and eat later.
NESTING SIMILARITIES
Build large, complex structures. Magpies build domed stick nests while Jackdaws prefer chimneys or tree hollows.
FAMILY
Doves: Woodpigeon, Collared Dove
DIETARY SIMILARITIES
Feed almost entirely on grains, seeds, shoots and crops. Produce Crop Milk to feed their newly hatched chicks.
NESTING SIMILARITIES
Notoriously flimsy, flat stick platforms in trees or on buildings. Nests are so thin that eggs can be seen from beneath.