GUIDE TO THE DESCRIPTIONS 



THE best plan, when an unknown bird has been observed, is to 

 note its characteristics always in the same order, beginning with 

 the head, passing down the back to the tail, then round under the 

 tail and along the under-parts up to the beak, ending with the wings 

 and legs (see the Fig., p. vi). Then proceed as follows : 



1. Find the picture in the book which resembles most closely the 

 bird's shape and markings. For most small birds see pp. 12-45. 



2. Note the length measurement. For purposes of comparison it 

 is useful and easy to remember that the common house-sparrow is 

 6 inches long, and the rook nearly 20 inches. All measurements are 

 from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail. 



3. See if the bird is in the district at the time of year in which noted. 

 For this see the information given just after the names of each 

 species. The term resident means that the species or subspecies is 

 present in the British Isles all through the year, though it may be 

 represented by different birds at different times, some being winter 

 visitors, others summer visitors, birds of passage or stationary. The 

 summer visitors are those which arrive usually between the end of 

 March and the end of May from winter quarters in Southern Europe 

 and Africa, and depart south generally from September to November. 

 During the latter period the winter visitors are arriving from Iceland, 

 from Northern or Central Continental Europe, or from Greenland 

 and other parts of the Arctic region. The winter visitors depart 

 again north in the spring or early summer. The term bird of passage 

 refers to the summer or winter birds that visit our shores in autumn 

 and spring only on their way to other countries. The term stationary 

 is applied to birds that remain with us throughout the year in the 

 locality in which they breed. Local movements apply to movements 

 from the breeding locality to other localities within our shores. A 

 local species is one that is found in a certain number of scattered 

 localities within its range. 



4. Pass to the description given of the bird, and, if still in doubt, 

 verify, where possible, by the description of the nest and egg. 



When unknown nests and eggs are found, the safest is to wait 

 for the bird to return. When waiting the essential is to keep 

 motionless. If the bird cannot be noted, use the size of the nest 

 and egg as a first means of recognition, if you have no other. It is 

 well to remember that the eggs of birds of the same species vary 

 more or less in size, shape, and coloration. The same applies to 

 material and site of the nest. The time of laying also varies, this 

 being later in the more northerly localities. 



viii 



