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Bird school |
The Nightingale
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Did you know?
Nightingales are named so because they usually sing at night as well as during the day. The name has been used for over 1,000 years and is highly recognizable even in its Anglo-Saxon form "nihtingale". Early writers thought the female sang but in fact it is the male. The male is known for his singing to the extent that human singers sometimes areadmiringly referred to as nightingales.
Appearance
The Nightingale are slightly larger than the European Robin. It is plain brown above except for its reddish tail. It is buff to white below and sexes are similar.
Sounds and song
The song is loud with an impressive range of trills, whistles and gurgles. Its song is especially noticeable at night because few other birds are singing during that time.
Food and bird tables
Mostly terrestrial insects, spiders, woodlice, snails and earthworms. Berries in the autumn.
The nest and hollows
Near or on ground, often within dense bushes. The nest is a bulky loose cup of plant materials lined with fine grasses and feathers.
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