Top 20 Most Common Bird in United Kingdom
Rich with diverse habitats, United Kingdom boasts a vibrant variety of birds. Discerning the 20 most common ones, you'd encounter species showcasing unique adaptations to their environment. From bustling urban areas to tranquil coastal regions, these birds captivate with their distinct behaviours, varied diets, and sweeping array of colours and sizes, testifying to the remarkable biodiversity of United Kingdom.
Most Common Bird
1. Common Wood Pigeon
Although primarily found in woods, the common Wood Pigeon is a large and bulky pigeon that is often seen in towns and cities. Those who inhabit urban areas are quite tame, approachable, and comfortable around humans. This pigeon is a popular game bird, particularly during its migration journeys. Its distinctive call can be heard year-round, particularly at dawn. This ground-dwelling bird gathers in large flocks that feed together.
2. Carrion Crow
The loud cry from the carrion Crow lets everyone know the bird is in the area. It is often seen in semi and open habitats that include rural and suburban areas. The black-colored bird only gathers in large flocks when it is time to roost. Otherwise, it flies in pairs or small groups scavenging for insects, seeds, and even small animals.
3. European Robin
The european Robin is an aggressive bird that is commonly found throughout farmlands, woodlands, and suburban communities. These birds are mainly helpful insectivores for gardeners, but will also eat various seeds and fruits. The european Robin is used on British Christmas cards to represent postmen from the Victorian era who used to wear red waistcoats while delivering holiday cards.
4. Eurasian Magpie
The eurasian Magpie is a striking and intelligent bird known for its black and white plumage and long tail. It is highly adaptable, found in a variety of habitats, and known for its intelligence, similar to that of great apes. It is omnivorous, eating both insects and fruits, and it has a reputation for being mischievous and thieving. 
5. Eurasian Blackbird
Unafraid of humans, the dark-winged eurasian Blackbird has gained a great deal of cultural significance, mentioned in popular nursery rhymes and songs across the world. Elegant and with an appealing song, they can be aggressive when they are in their breeding period.
6. Eurasian Blue Tit
The eurasian Blue Tit is a small songbird, very common in urban areas such as parks. This songbird has a wide range of calls and songs, but it's also known for its agility and acrobatic skills - it can hang upside down, reaching food that's not accessible to less-skilled birds. When the bird has young, it spends around 17 hours per day in the search of food for the offspring. It's a frequent visitor of bird feeders.
7. Eurasian Jackdaw
Eurasian Jackdaw is a small, black bird with a distinctive silver-gray patch on its nape. It is highly social and forms colonies. It's known for its intelligence and problem-solving abilities, often stealing shiny objects to hoard in its nests. It is playful and curious, making it a favorite among bird watchers.
8. Great Tit
Great Tit is a small and plump bird, with a thick black line running through its bright yellow face. It is a common sight in gardens, woodlands, and parks. It is often seen foraging for food in an acrobatic way. Well known for its intelligence, it has been observed using tools, solving problems, and even counting up to five.
9. European Goldfinch
Prized for its brilliantly colored plumage and pleasant, musical song, the european Goldfinch has been often held in captivity, until this activity became illegal in the 1970s. Native to Europe, the species has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. It's a very sociable bird that likes to feed on seeds and often visits feeders.
10. Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull is a medium-sized gull found in Europe and Asia. It has a white body and grey wings, and a black head that turns chocolate brown in the summer. It is found in a variety of habitats, including coastal areas, lakes, and wetlands. It is migratory, wintering in southern Europe and parts of Africa.
11. Herring Gull
The herring Gull is a large common seabird often found on and near coastlines. These birds nest in colonies and create a hierarchy. They may travel considerable distances for food, which usually comes in the form of fish, insects, and other small invertebrates. Surprisingly, the herring Gull can live to be 30 years old, but is often injured or even poisoned before then.
12. Eurasian Wren
Tiny and usually well-camouflaged with its brown plumage, the eurasian Wren is a fairly populous bird that may sometimes be seen hopping quickly and quietly along a forest floor, rustling sticks and flipping over leaves as it searches for insects. The species, though, is more often heard than seen; though quite small, the eurasian Wren has a loud, melodious song.
13. Mallard
The mallard is the most abundant duck species in the world, and the ancestor of all domestic ducks. Only the female can produce the distinctive "quack" sound. When the female lays eggs, the male abandons its mate, while the protective mother stays with the ducklings for a long time. This migratory species inhabits shallow waters and it's one of the most popular game birds.
14. European Starling
The european Starling, a large, hardy songbird, is one of the most commonly seen bird species in North America. Originally from Europe, this species was brought to the U.S. in the 1890s by enthusiasts of William Shakespeare, who had the unique goal of bringing over every single species of bird that was mentioned in Shakespeare's collective works. Unfortunately, the european Starling, being an adaptable, generalist species, spread invasively across the continent, hurting many native species' populations in the process.
15. Dunnock
Dunnock is a small and inconspicuous bird that is often found in gardens and hedgerows. Known for its secretive behavior, it can be difficult to spot. Despite its unassuming appearance, it is an interesting species, known for its complex social behavior and mating rituals.
16. House Sparrow
Just as its name implies, the little house Sparrow socializes with humans more than any other bird species. Able to adapt and thrive in almost any habitat, excluding the extremes such as deserts and mountain peaks, this species was once restricted only to North Africa and Eurasia but now is found across the globe. Unfortunately, this opportunistic eater is not completely harmless—it can cause considerable damage to crops.
17. Lesser Black-backed Gull
The lesser Black-backed Gull is a smaller bird with a wide range of habitats. While it prefers sand flats and beaches, it can be found near almost any body of water. It often joins other flocks of gulls, making it difficult to distinguish from other birds. It has a varied diet but prefers eating shellfish and other crustaceans.
18. Rock Pigeon
The rock Pigeon is a wild ancestor of all domestic and feral pigeons, inhabiting coasts, cliffs, and caves. Pairs nest in rock crevices, often mating for life. They are known for their ability to fly very long distances to return to their homes, navigating using the sun's position and the earth's magnetic fields. Thanks to this ability, pigeons were used as messengers, particularly during World Wars I and II.
19. Common Moorhen
The common Moorhen is often found in slow-moving or standing-water aquatic ecosystems with dense vegetation coverage where they can hide and forage for food. If vegetation is dense enough, their large feet even enable them to walk across the floating plants. These birds are opportunistic feeders and will eat any food that is currently available.
20. Common Chaffinch
The common Chaffinch has a varied diet, mainly feeding on seeds and berries, but also eating insects, allowing it to thrive in different habitats. The Common Chaffinch is also known for its melodic song, with the males being particularly vocal during the breeding season. Their songs can often be heard in the spring and early summer.
