Appendix A: Classification into functional groups of farmland bird species breeding in semi-natural dry pastures.
Species |
Scientific name |
Body mass† |
Breeding diet‡ |
Nesting location |
Foraging method§ |
Gray Partridge |
Perdix perdix |
Large (382) |
Mixed |
Ground, open |
Ground gleaning |
Pheasant |
Phasianus colchicus |
Large (1133) |
Mixed |
Ground, open |
Ground probing |
Wryneck |
Jynx torquilla |
Large (37) |
Insects |
Tree, cavity |
Ground probing |
Green Woodpecker |
Picus viridis |
Large (191) |
Insects |
Tree, cavity |
Ground probing |
Skylark |
Alauda arvensis |
Large (36) |
Mixed |
Ground, open |
Ground gleaning |
Meadow Pipit |
Anthus pratensis |
Small (19) |
Insects |
Ground, open |
Ground gleaning |
Tree Pipit |
Anthus trivialis |
Small (23) |
Insects |
Ground, open |
Ground gleaning |
White Wagtail |
Motacilla a. alba |
Small (21) |
Insects |
Ground, cavity |
Ground gleaning |
Whinchat |
Saxicola rubetra |
Small (17) |
Insects |
Ground, open |
Swoops |
Wheatear |
Oenanthe oenanthe |
Small (24) |
Insects |
Ground, cavity |
Ground gleaning |
Fieldfare |
Turdus pilaris |
Large (106) |
Insects |
Tree, open |
Ground probing |
Lesser Whitethroat |
Sylvia curruca |
Small (12) |
Insects |
Shrub, open |
Foliage gleaning |
Whitethroat |
Sylvia communis |
Small (15) |
Insects |
Shrub, open |
Foliage gleaning |
Red-backed Shrike |
Lanius collurio |
Large (34) |
Insects |
Shrub, open |
Swoops |
Magpie |
Pica pica |
Large (228) |
Mixed |
Tree, open |
Ground gleaning |
Jackdaw |
Corvus monedula |
Large (230) |
Mixed |
Tree, cavity |
Ground gleaning |
Hooded Crow |
Corvus corone cornix |
Large (544) |
Mixed |
Tree, open |
Ground gleaning |
Starling |
Sturnus vulgaris |
Large (80) |
Insects |
Tree, cavity |
Ground probing |
House Sparrow |
Passer domesticus |
Small (30) |
Mixed |
House, cavity |
Ground gleaning |
Tree Sparrow |
Passer montanus |
Small (22) |
Mixed |
House, cavity |
Ground gleaning |
Greenfinch |
Carduelis chloris |
Small (28) |
Mixed |
Shrub, open |
Foliage gleaning |
Goldfinch |
Carduelis carduelis |
Small (16) |
Mixed |
Tree, open |
Foliage gleaning |
Linnet |
Carduelis cannabina |
Small (19) |
Mixed |
Shrub, open |
Ground gleaning |
Yellowhammer |
Emberiza citrinella |
Small (26) |
Mixed |
Ground, open |
Ground gleaning |
Ortolan Bunting |
Emberiza hortulana |
Small (21) |
Mixed |
Ground, open |
Ground gleaning |
† Small = <= 30 g, Large = >30 g. Actual body mass in g (average of both sexes) are reported in parentheses.
‡ Mixed = mixed diet of plant material and insects, Insects = insect diet.
§ Principal method of foraging during the breeding season.
Data are from:
Cramp, S., K. E. L. Simmons, and C. M. Perrins (1977-1994). The Birds of the Western Palearctic,Vol. I–IX.
Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, D. Wheye, and S. L. Pimm. 1994. The Birdwatcher's Handbook: a Guide to the Natural
History of the Birds of Britain and Europe. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.