Avicultubal Magazine,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF

THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY.


Third Series.— Yol. VIII.—No. 2 .—All rights reserved. DECEMBER, 1916.



BIRDS IN THE LONDON PARKS.


By Hubert D. Astley.


To aviculturists who live for most of the year in London the

wild birds, as well as the domesticated waterfowl, are always a

pleasure when there is a time for a walk in St. James’s Park, Hyde

Park, and Regent’s Park, &c., especially if you rise early on a spring

or summer morning when most of London is still in bed, or at any

rate within doors.


Mr. T. Digby Pigott published a nominal list of London birds

in 1892, mainly based upon that published in 1879 by Dr. Edward

Hamilton (Zoologist, p. 273), who gave 94 species as having been

recorded, which list has no doubt received additions since that date.

One of the most conspicuous is the Wood Pigeon, which has been

firmly established for some years, and is now semi-domesticated.


In an early morning walk along the Serpentine you will

see them bathing in small groups, and their nests are built wherever

trees are to be found, the builders being quite undisturbed by

the roar of the traffic and the hooting of motor cars. In winter

time there are often huge flocks.


Blackbirds and Song-Thrushes are very numerous, but there

are many others, such as Robins, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Wood¬

peckers, Dabchicks, and the rest. Their plumage for the most part

suffers, lacking the gloss and cleanliness of the country birds, but

they find, except for cats, that they have protection, being neither

snared nor shot. Wheatears and Cuckoos have been seen.


The most picturesque addition to bird life from October to March

is the great number of Black-headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus), which'


4



