Tony Parker, a wild-life expert from the World Museum led a bird-spotting walk in June starting at Bank Hall and finishing in Liverpool City Centre. It was a beautiful day and we saw a variety of different species sharing the water with gaudily painted Barges. Below, Tony details some of the birds we spotted.

The Mute Swan is Britain’s largest bird, it is a familiar sight on most canals or large lakes, particularly in winter when large flocks can be seen: we spotted single Mute Swans both on the Canal at Litherland and at Stanley Dock.

 

A Mute Swan is a very territorial bird, especially during the breeding season when it will attack any intruder which comes too close to the nest, even dogs or people are not safe! A single brood of up to eight young may be raised, the young staying with the parents until winter when they are chased off.

Canada Geese are also a familiar site and on our Canal walk we saw literally dozens in the parkland at Eldonian Village. They were brought over from North America by the Victorians to decorate ponds and lakes in ornamental gardens and parks. Inevitably some escaped into the surrounding countryside and survived to breed, since then the population has been steadily increasing to the extent that they are found on virtually any large stretch of water.

 

Unfortunately, they can be a pest as they are very territorial and will chase off any other duck or water bird which comes too close: disputes between neighbouring pairs are commonplace especially during spring if the pair has a nest or young to protect. They feed almost entirely on grass so can often be seen grazing on grassy areas adjacent to their territory; however they also leave numerous messy deposits behind as they do so.

The Mallard is Britain’s most common duck and they can be very tame and will often approach people at the water side hoping to be fed. The male is more colourful than the female, with glossy green head, chestnut belly and grey back and wings, the female is mainly brown this helps conceal the bird when on the nest. The young hatch during late March or early April and can number up to 12 but few will survive to become adults. This duck is well known for its noisy quacking which is only made by the female.

Moorhen and Coot are common along canals, both are mainly black birds, the Coot has a white bill the Moorhen’s red and yellow, both birds have large, partially webbed yellow-green feet. They feed on waterside vegetation, the Coot will dive to feed under the water, the Moorhen feeds on plants along the waterside. Both nest along the water’s edge usually laying up to six eggs several times a year, both species are rather poor parents so not all the young survive, in some cases adult Coot have been known to kill their own chicks.