Wildlife Highlights: Wildlife in April: Spring Arrivals

April is a month of change. With warmer weather and longer evenings, it is a great time of year to look out for some local wildlife. Lizzie tells us more…

April is also a time of change for many migratory birds; while many of our winter migrants have headed back to colder climates, many of our summer migrants are on their way to spend the summer here in the UK. This month I will be highlighting some of the summer migratory birds to look out for this April.

House Martin

House Martins are one the first summer migrants to arrive in the UK. They travel from Africa where they have spent the winter months. House martins often nest in the eaves of people’s houses, hence the name ‘house martin’, though they do sometimes also build nests on the side of cliffs. Their breeding season normally starts in May and it is common for house martins to have two broods per year, with the fledged young from the first brood helping to feed the second brood. Unfortunately, the number of house martins recorded in the UK has dropped significantly since the 1970s; it is possible that this decline is due to dramatic changes in weather impacting their ability to build nests and feed. They are now on the Birds of Conservation Concern Amber List.

*Swallow* *by Zeynel Cebeci* *CC BY-SA 4.0*

Swallows

Swallows are very distinctive birds with long forked tails, a white belly and red throat. They arrive in the UK in April, travelling all the way from South Africa and flying 200 miles a day. This migration is dangerous and many birds don’t make it due to bad weather, starvation and exhaustion. Those that do survive the journey must recover in time to breed; swallows will often have two or even three broods a year. The UK summer population fluctuates greatly from year to year and can be badly affected by the weather, however, even when taking the weather into account there have been declines in swallow numbers potentially caused by climate change as well as new farming practices.

Cuckoos

Cuckoos are another easily recognisable summer migrant due to their ‘cuck-oo’ call which they are named after. They also arrive from Africa in April, though they only stay until late June. During their brief stay cuckoos will have multiple mates, though they will not raise any chicks. Instead, female cuckoos will lay eggs in the nests of other birds, particularly dunnocks, reed warblers and meadow pipits. This is known as being a ‘brood parasite’. The cuckoo will lay one egg that matches the appearance of the other eggs in the nest. When the cuckoo chick hatches, it will push out any other eggs or chicks, allowing the host to put all their effort into raising the cuckoo chick which may end up being up to three times the size of the host. A recent decline in the population has led to the species being on the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List.

Nightingale

Another summer migratory bird that is in serious decline in the nightingale. The UK population has declined by around 91% in the last 40 years and is now on the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. This elusive species arrives in April from Sub-Saharan Africa and whilst you might struggle to see them, you may hear their iconic song of rapid high and low notes during the day and night. They are widely recognised as having the best song out of the UK birds and they are able to produce over 1000 different sounds. Unfortunately, these ground-nesting birds are now mostly confined to the South East of England with the lack of suitable habitat being the most likely cause of the decline.

Arctic Tern

Arctic Terns have the longest migration of any bird and can fly 22,000 miles each year on their migration. They often arrive in the UK from the Antarctic at the end of April, some then continue to the Arctic whilst others settle here to breed. Arctic terns are monogamous which means that they only have one partner and they often lay eggs in June or July. Unsurprisingly, these birds are very efficient flyers and are able to glide through the air being carried by the wind. They can also eat and even sleep whilst gliding, as well as being able to hover. Their migration is so long because rather than taking the most direct route they will make detours in order to reach the best stopover points and this means that they can be found on every continent. They can be seen in the UK until early autumn when they head back towards the Antarctic.

Thank you to Katie DeLusignan for her beautiful illustrations. You can find more of her work on her Instagram @katieponks.

LIZZIE DE LUSIGNAN

Lizzie is an MSci Zoology graduate from the University of Exeter, where she was then employed whilst living in South Devon. She now lives in Sheffield and works for Twinkl, helping those who teach. She has always loved exploring nature and whilst she now misses the coastal walks and chances of spotting a seal, she is making the most of having the Peak District on her doorstep. She became interested in the communication of conservation during her degree and since graduating she has decided to continue her passion for conservation through writing.

EnvironmentViridis Magazine13 April 2022Wildlife