Birds are the most intriguing animals found on Earth. The chirping sound of them makes you want to listen to them more often. This beautiful voice can be a poem or lovely music to your ears if you want to listen to them by heart.
We always admire the beauty of the garden, but the chirping makes it more admiral. Wherever you walk, you always get a sight of small birds doing their business; this amazing sight can surely make your day.
These smallest birds in the UK are like a toy with life; their amazing voice and activities are enough to brighten up anyone’s day.
Moreover, small birds come with a bulk load of responsibilities and care. If you want to pick them up, try to do it gently, as your harsh action might be deadly for them.
Here in this article, we have highlighted some smallest birds in the UK to make you enlighten with their presence. So without delaying it to some minute, let’s get into this article.
Top 20 Smallest Birds in the UK
20) Little Auk
| Scientific Name | Alle alle |
| Size | Up to 48 cm |
| Colour | White and black |
| Location | Everywhere in the UK |
Commonly found almost everywhere in the world, little auk is another small species found in the UK. Auk are also passerine birds with a calm and friendly nature.
They are majorly seen in October and February. Their chirping voice is something that will gradually call you to see them.
19) Magpie
| Scientific Name | Pica Hudsonia |
| Size | Up to 48 cm |
| Colour | White, blue, and black |
| Location | Everywhere in the UK except Scotland |
A symbol of fortune and good luck, the Magpie bird is surely a fortune for you if you see it. This little creature belongs to the Corvidae family.
This little species of bird shows unique body colouration and patterns. Their tail is long and has a sea blue colour with a black head and white abdomen. You will surely be amazed by their beauty.
18) Collared dove
| Scientific Name | Streptopelia Decaocto |
| Size | Up to 30.4 cm |
| Colour | Pinky-brown and grey |
| Location | In woodland areas of the UK |
We know the dove is a symbol of love and peace. Doves are mostly found in white colour but collared dove is one such species that shows light brown to grey body colouration evenly distributed all over their body.
This species is commonly found in Asian countries. They come on a slightly bigger side as compared to other birds found in the UK.
17) Starling
| Scientific Name | Sturnus Vulgaris |
| Size | Up to 21.5 cm |
| Colour | Iridescent green colour, black, and purple |
| Location | Everywhere in the UK except Scottish Highlands |
Starling is a small to medium-sized bird found on Earth. Their petite body and unique colour patterns give them a unique look.
European starlings are known for their great vocal mimicry and can learn more than 20 different tones of other animals.
This bird has a pointed beak that can be a little dangerous as it can even harm you if provoked. However, their cute little size is everything you will admire after their unique body colouration.
16) Jay
| Scientific Name | Cyanocitta Cristata |
| Size | 20-25 cm with a wingspan of 34-43 cm |
| Colour | Blue, Purple, white, and black |
| Location | Everywhere in the UK except Northern Scotland |
Jay is a medium-sized bird found in the UK. This species of bird has an excellent body colour. Moreover, this bird is cheerful and will surely catch your attention by its noisy nature. This passerine bird shows a vivacious nature.
15) Eurasian Siskin
| Scientific Name | Spinus spinus |
| Size | 11-12.5 cm with wingspan of 20-23 cm |
| Colour | Green, yellow, black, and white |
| Location | Southern and Northern England; mostly in Scotland and Wales |
You have probably never seen a bird in a yellow contrasting colour. Eurasian Siskin is a yellow-coloured bird with a small size. Usually, this body colour is well known to attract male birds.
They have a yellowish colour tone, not a completely bright yellow colour. Also, you can see patches of black and brown colour on the wings and neck.
14) Little owl
| Scientific Name | Athene Noctua |
| Size | Up to 20cm |
| Colour | Black and brown |
| Location | England and Wales |
Owls are nocturnal birds and are well-known for their intelligence and cold looks. These birds can be haunting to you but they are cute if you see them precisely.
Owls can be easily spotted in a wide range of habitats in every corner of the world. Talking about little owls, this species comes under the umbrella of owls but with a smaller size than usual.
The distinctive white, brown, and black patches all over their body make them unique and quite intriguing too.
13) Goldfinch
| Scientific Name | Spinus Tristis |
| Size | 19-22 cm |
| Colour | Bright yellow with black and white markings |
| Location | Southern England |
Have you ever seen a bird with a unique colour combination showcasing beauty just by its looks? If not, Goldfinch could be a perfect sight for you. This amazing species of bird is one of the smallest birds found in the UK.
They are a native to Europe, North Africa, and nearby places. If we talk about their appearances, you will see a beautiful bright red-coloured face with light brown, pale yellow, and black-coloured feathers on their body.
This handsome bird is a perfect addition to your life if you are looking for a cheerful companion.
12) White wagtail
| Scientific Name | Motacilla Alba |
| Size | 16.5 – 19 cm |
| Colour | Brown, Black, Grey, and White |
| Location | Everywhere in the UK |
Another small passerine bird that has made its way to the list. The white wagtail is a commonly found bird from the Motacillidae family. This species of bird is commonly found in Europe and some parts of Asia also.
The body colouration and design of this bird are unique with a long black tail. Usually, this bird can be easily spottable with a black head and neck with a white face. They can be easily identified by their thick body.
11) Greenfinch
| Scientific Name | Chloris Chloris |
| Size | 15 cm with wingspan of 25.6 cm |
| Colour | Green, blue, white, and yellow |
| Location | In woods and hedges of the UK |
As the name gives an idea of how they look. Here is Greenfinch, a species of small birds covered in different shades of green and yellow with distinctive black and grey linings running throughout their body from head to tail.
You will find this bird a little rude because of its deadly looks. Although, this bird is friendly and loves to socialize. So, it will be an amazing addition to your life. The point to be kept in mind is greenfinches are similar to the size of a house sparrow.
10) Chaffinch
| Scientific Name | Fringilla Coelebs |
| Size | 14.5 cm with wingspan of 24.5-28.5 cm |
| Colour | Blue-grey, pink, red, and brown |
| Location | In woodlands, hedgerows of the UK |
One of the most widespread birds found on earth, Here is the Chaffinch bird. This is one of the most abundant birds found in Britain and Ireland.
This bird is one of the most intriguing birds you can ever witness through your eyes as they are well drowned in red colour with black & white wings.
The unique colouration of this bird makes them stand out among other similarly small birds in the UK. They are commonly found in forested and wooded areas and sometimes in gardens also.
9) House sparrow
| Scientific Name | Passer Domesticus |
| Size | 14-18 cm |
| Colour | Brown, black, white, and grey |
| Location | Everywhere in the UK |
House sparrows are commonly found everywhere in the world. These little birds are truly a buster of joy and fun. You will get mesmerized by their melodious chirping and witty activities.
Although, these birds typically grow up to 16 cm with a colour combination of pale brown and white with a little portion of black colour on their bodies. These birds prefer to build nests for laying their eggs. They love to socialize and are extremely lovely.
8) Dunnock
| Scientific Name | Prunella Modularis |
| Size | 13.5-14 cm |
| Colour | Brown and Grey |
| Location | Any well-vegetated area in the UK |
Similar to a sparrow, Dunnocks are another small bird found in the UK. It is a small bird with brown and grey colour and with a small fatty body.
Although, this is one such bird that doesn’t like to get socialize much and is often found creeping on tree branches alone.
They are distinctive little birds with brush-like feathers covered all over their body.
7) Long-tailed tit
| Scientific Name | Aegithalos Caudatus |
| Size | 13-16 cm |
| Colour | Black and White with Grey and pink |
| Location | Throughout the UK |
With a long tail and a chance of staring, Long-tailed tit is one of the most common birds found in the UK. The long-tailed tit shows a unique colouration on its body with magnificent colours that will surely catch your eyes once.
These birds are experts in building domed nests in bushes or tree barks. However, they are not among the long-living birds as their recorded lifespan is of only 2 years.
6) European Robin
| Scientific Name | Erithacus Rubecula |
| Size | 12.5-14 cm |
| Colour | Bright red |
| Location | Great Britain |
Among the smallest insectivore bird species found in the UK, Robin is not much behind. Robins are well-known for their unique colour combination and pale orange head.
They are one of the favourite garden birds that you surely want to introduce in your yard. Moreover, you have seen this bird on Christmas cards as they become a popular symbol of Christmas.
Usually, British robins migrate from one place to another to protect their territories against any rival.
5) Coal tit
| Scientific Name | Periparus Ater |
| Size | Up to 12 cm |
| Colour | Grey black with a white patch |
| Location | Coniferous woodland of the UK |
Coal tits are another bird making the list of smallest birds found in the UK with a distinctive grey-black body spread in a unique pattern.
This bird shows a unique pattern on its body and the main attraction is its black cap with white patches.
The abdomen part of this bird has a bluish-grey shade with a distinctive pattern. You will easily recognize these birds as they are not a big deal in identification.
4) Blue Tit
| Scientific Name | Cyanistes Caeruleus |
| Size | Up to 12 cm |
| Colour | Mix of blue, yellow, white, and green |
| Location | Whole the UK except some Scottish islands |
Blue tits are another bird found in the UK. These little chirping birds are an inhabitant of wooded and forested habitats with a distinctive body design and colouration.
Their small size is something that will surely drag you towards them to touch them. However, you must be careful as they are delicate.
The distinctive blue cap with a white face and dark lines going through their beaks to the back of the head is something that will drag your attention towards them. The pale yellow abdomen is a perfect contrast to the magnificent blue shade.
3) Wren
| Scientific Name | Troglodytes Aedon |
| Size | Under 10 cm |
| Colour | Brown and Orange |
| Location | Everywhere in the UK |
With a unique body design with muddy-brown body colour spread evenly on the body, Wren is one of the smallest birds found in the UK. They come under the passerine bird family that dominates the bird’s genus to a greater extent.
This species of bird has an effervescent voice with a distinctive body design and colouration. Apart from their size and colour, these birds come on the heavier side rather than being slim birds.
2) Old-world flycatchers
| Scientific Name | Muscicapa Striata |
| Size | 9-22 cm |
| Colour | Black, Brown, Gray, Blue, and Red |
| Location | Mostly in London |
An upright posture bird with a sheer elegance that will call your eyes towards it, here are Old World flycatchers to the list. This small bird is wonderful and eye-catching by its amazing looks that you will surely enjoy seeing it.
The amazing body colouration with unique shades of grey, brown, and black to more colourful than this. Old flycatchers are likely to munch on insects and some vertebrates. So, offering such food items to them is a sign of friendship and care.
1) Goldcrest
| Scientific Name | Regulus Regulus |
| Size | 8.5-9.5 cm |
| Colour | Dull Greyish-green |
| Location | breed in Britain |
Goldcrest is in first place in the list of the smallest birds in the UK. You can not spot this bird easily as they are small in size with a dull greyish-green colour.
They can be easily distinguished by their small size and pale belly with black and yellow stripes on their heads. These birds are well-known for munching on small insects pierced out from the tree branches.
Conclusion
After going through the variety of birds of small sizes, we are concluding this informative and interesting article with a deep understanding of the diversity of different birds found in nature. The difference usually revolves around the design, pattern, size, and colour.
One should be careful around these birds as nobody knows which bird is potentially harmful or weaker. It is better to make prior research before making any move to assist yourself with the birds.
In this article, we have specifically talked about the smallest birds in the UK and their body shades. We hope that you like this article. We will back with another interesting article. Till then, keep supporting.
References:
- Wikipedia
- Small Birds in the UK: What are the smallest British Birds?
- Youtube
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An engineering student turned into a writer. Expressing thoughts into words is what i prize the most. Being able to conclude my thoughts through my articles is my prime intention. If i am not engaging myself with animal content, you can always find me doing coding. I am an engineer by profession but a writer by heart.