Scottish bird life

My favourite examples of bird life in Scotland

Puffin

Able to grow to a length of 26-29 cm with a wingspan of 55 cm, and average weight of 400 g and an average lifespan of 18 years the Puffin is considered the “clown of the coast” due to its brightly multi-coloured bill, black above with a white belly, cheeks and webbed feet. They live in barrows in short grass on the cliffs of the coast giving them easy access to fish they catch at sea by diving under the surface and using their wings to swim and chase after their prey. They are classified as red by the Birds of conservation concern review.

Kingfisher

Growing to a length of 15-17 cm with a wingspan of 40 cm, an average weight of 25 g the kingfisher is a famous species of bird with bright colours that are a mix of bright-blue back and a metallic copper breast males having an entirely black bill while the females have a orange-red patch at the base. They are wide spread yet are classed as amber under the Birds of conservation concern review. They are obviously as their name suggests carnivores feeding on fish they catch by waiting silently in the trees by the river side then swooping down and catching fish with their long bills. In the UK there are about 3,800-6,400 breeding pairs and their habitats are vulnerable to pollution as they fish in rivers pollution can harm their food sources and the conservation status in the rest of Europe has led to the amber status in the UK.