Birds by Name – G

Gadwall

The Gadwall, Anas strepera, is a grey-coloured dabbling duck belonging to the family Anatidae and breeds in northern Europe, Asia and central North America. It is usually found near reservoirs, gravel pits and lakes where there is abundant vegetation.

The Gadwall, slightly smaller than a Mallard, grows up to 56 centimetres in length and can have a wingspan of up to 90 centimetres.

The male is patterned grey with a distinct black rear end, chestnut brown wings with a white patch. The slightly smaller female is light brown, a bit like a female Mallard, with a white belly.

The Gadwall eats leaves, seeds and other vegetation.

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Anatinae
Genus: Anas
Species: A. strepera

Gannet

The Gannet, Morus bassanus, is large seabirds in the family Sulidae. Adults are white with black wingtips. They have a long neck, long pointed beak, long pointed tail, long pointed wings and an orange head.

Gannets hunt fish by diving from a height of up to thirty metres into the sea and pursuing their prey underwater. They can reach speed of up to 100 kph when they strike the water and they have air sacs in their face and chest under their skin to cushion the impact.

Gannets also have no external nostrils, which also helps them hunt underwater.

They eat fish, fish and more fish. Their appetite led to the use of the word ‘Gannet’ being used as a derogatory term to describe humans who eat rather a lot or to excess.

Order: Suliformes
Family: Sulidae
Genus: Morus
Species: Morus bassanus (Northern Gannet), Morus capensis (Cape Gannet), Morus serrator (Australasian Gannet)

Glaucous Gull

The Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus, is a large gull which breeds in the Arctic regions of the northern hemisphere and the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans and as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the USA.

This is a large and powerful gull, pale and with white wing tips and tail. Adults are pale grey with a thick yellow bill. Juveniles are very pale grey with a pink and black bill.

Glaucous gulls average 68 centimetres in length, have a wingspan of around 155 and can weigh up to 1.55 kilos.

These gulls are omnivores and will eat fish, insects, molluscs, offal, eggs, small birds, small mammals and carrion as well as seeds, berries and grain – basically anything and everything, they don’t seem to be too fussy about what they eat.

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Larus
Species: L. hyperboreus

Goldcrest

The Goldcrest, Regulus regulus, is a very small member of the kinglet family. It has greenish upper parts, whitish underside and has two white wingbars. It has a bright head crest, orange and yellow in the male and yellow in the female.

The Goldcrest breeds in coniferous woodland and gardens, building its compact nest on a tree branch. Ten to twelve eggs are incubated by the female alone but the chicks are fed by both parents. The Goldcrest eats small spiders and other insects.

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Regulidae
Genus: Regulus
Species: R. regulus

Goldfinch

The Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis, is a colourful member of the Finch family, Fringillidae, 12–13 cm long with a wingspan of 21–25 cm and weighing in at between 14 and 19 grams.

The sexes are fairly similar, with a red face, black and white head, brown upperparts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and black and yellow wings. Male Goldfinches can often be distinguished by a larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. In females, the red does not reach the eye. The bill is long and pointed, and the tail is forked.

They are usually to be found where there are scattered bushes and trees, rough ground with thistles and other seeding plants.

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Carduelis
Species: C. carduelis

Goosander

The Goosander, Mergus merganser, or Common Merganser is a large, shy diving duck with a long serrated hooked bill for grasping fish and is found near rivers and lakes of forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. It nests in holes in trees.

The Goosander grows to between 58 and 72 centimetres in length with a wingspan of between 78 and 97 centimetres. Adult males in breeding plumage have a white with a bit of a salmon-pink tinge, a black head with a green gloss, grey rump and tail. Females, and males in non-breeding plumage, are mainly grey, with a reddish-brown head, white chin, and white secondary feathers on the wing. Juveniles of both sexes are similar to adult females but also have a short black-edged white stripe between the eye and bill.

They eat fish, fish and more fish.

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Merginae
Genus: Mergus
Species: M. merganser

Great Spotted Woodpecker

The Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos major, is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae and is found throughout Europe and northern Asia.

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is usually between 23 and 26 centimetres long and has a wingspan of between 38 and 44 centimetres. The upperparts are black with white on the sides of the face and neck. A black stripe extends from the bill and runs below the eye. On the shoulder is a large white patch and the flight feathers are barred with black and white. The underparts are dull white and the abdomen and rump are a crimson red. The bill is black and the legs are greenish grey.

Males have a crimson spot on the nape of the neck and juveniles have crimson on the top of the head. Females do not have the crimson patches or spots.

They eat insects, seeds and nuts.

Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Subfamily: Picinae
Tribe: Dendropicini
Genus: Dendrocopos
Species: D. major

Great Tit

The Great Tit, Parus major, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia and parts of North Africa. It is green and yellow with a glossy black neck and head and white cheeks.

The Great Tit, the largest of the UK tit family, usually nests in holes in trees and as a result can fall fowl of woodpeckers, squirrels and even weasels.

The Great Tit generally eats insects but will eat other things if necessary, especially during the winter months.

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Parus
Species: P. major

Green Sandpiper

The Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus, is a small, chubby wader found throughout Europe. It is migratory and winters in southern Europe. It has a dark greenish-brown back and wings (almost black looking), greyish head and breast and white underparts. The back is spotted with white to varying degrees, more so in the breeding adult. The legs and short bill are both dark green.

The Green Sandpiper can be found in freshwater margins, such as marshes, lakes, gravel pits and rivers, and it likes to bob up and down when standing which makes recognition a lot easier.

It eats insects.

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Tringa
Species: T. ochropus

Green Woodpecker

The European Green Woodpecker, Picus viridis, is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae and it is found in most parts of Europe and western Asia.

It is green on its upperparts with a paler green belly, bright yellow rump, red on the top of its head and a sort of black moustache. Males have a red centre to the moustache.

The Green Woodpecker is quite large and sturdy, growing to between 30 and 36 centimetres in length with a wingspan of between 45 and 51 centimetres.

It eats ants and actually spends most of its time feeding on the ground.

Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Picus
Species: P. viridis

Greenfinch

The Greenfinch or European Greenfinch, Carduelis chloris, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae and resident populations are found throughout Europe, north Africa and south west Asia.

You will find Greenfiches on the edge of woodland areas, in farmland hedges and in gardens.

The Greenfinch is about 15 centimetres in length, has a wingspan of between 24.5 and 27.5 centimetres, similar in size and shape to a House Sparrow. As the name implies, the Greenfinch is mainly green, with yellow in the wings and tail. The female and juveniles are a bit duller and have brown bits on the back. The bill is thick and conical.

Greenfinches mainly eat seeds but will also dine on berries.

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Carduelis
Species: C. chloris

Grey Heron

The Grey Heron, Ardea Cinerea, is a familiar sight along the edges of lakes and rivers, patiently waiting motionless or moving very slowly in search of fish which it catches with a very fast stabbing motion. It also eats other food like frogs and sometimes even snatches tiny ducklings.

It is easily recognised in flight by its long trailing legs. It is a large bird, standing up to 100 centimetres tall, has a wingspan of between 155 and 195 centimetres and can weigh between 1.02 and 2.08 kilos. The Grey Heron’s plumage varies with age and season and only the adults have the distinctive black cap.

Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
Species: A. cinerea

Grey Wagtail

The Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea, is a small member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, and looks fairly similar to the Yellow Wagtail apart from only having the yellow on its belly up to the throat and on its rear end. Breeding males have a black throat.

The breeding season is usually from April to July and the nest is built near fast running streams or rivers on an embankment between stones and roots. Wagtails lay between 3 and 6 speckled eggs at a time.

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Motacillidae
Genus: Motacilla
Species: M. cinerea

Greylag Goose

The Greylag Goose, Anser anser, is a large bird and the ancestor of most domesticated geese in Europe and North America.

It has quite bulky body, a thick and long neck, and a large head and bill. It has pink legs and feet and an orange or pink bill.

The Greylag Goose grows up to to 91 centimetres in length with a wingspan of up to 48 centimetres. It is basically a greyish-brown with a darker head and palish belly with black spots. Its patterned appearance is due to the pale fringes of its feathers.

It eats grass, roots, cereal leaves and, if it can get it, grain.

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Anserinae
Tribe: Anserini
Genus: Anser
Species: A. anser

Guillemot

The Guillemot, Uria aalge, also known as the Common Murre or Common Guillemot, is a seabird in the Auk family. It is dark brown and white with a white ring round the eye and a stripe behind it.