FIVE BIRDS TO FIND IN APRIL

April is in some ways the most exciting of all the spring months. Migration is in full swing and there is expectation of something new every day, especially in the second half of the month. Here are five species which almost define what April birding is all about.

twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag RARITY RATINGS Common, widely distributed Localised – always a treat Very scarce or rare CUCKOO Though there will always be non-birders who tell you they have heard a Cuckoo already in March, rest assured that they will have heard Collared Doves. April is the month to hear the first Cuckoo of spring – usually the second half of the month for most of us. Only the males make the disyllabic ‘cuck-oo’ song. Females have a less well known but no less pleasing bubbling call (which is often associated with egg-laying). Though most Cuckoos, male and female, are grey above, a particular prize sighting is of a female of the ‘hepatic’ or ‘rufous’ morph (pictured above), where much of the upperparts are orange-brown (with many dark bars). Very beautiful.…

You're reading a preview of

Bird Watching (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.