In summer, new and often puzzling birds appear in the garden. It\u2019s tempting to assume that you\u2019ve found something exotic, but what you\u2019re really looking at are the first fledglings of the year.<\/p>\n

Once their parents stop feeding them, working out the identity of the new kids on the block can be hard (few field guides illustrate recently fledged individuals), but this identification parade should help.<\/p>\n

A guide to bird nests: how, where and why birds make nests<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
How quickly do chicks leave the nest?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Start by asking yourself which adult birds the youngsters most resemble in size, profile, bill-shape and behaviour. Plumage colour and pattern are much less important. Many young birds retain their juvenile plumage for several months until their first moult \u2013 and it\u2019s this that can be confusing.<\/p>\n
The robin<\/a> looks unfamiliar as a youngster because it starts out with no trace of the red breast sported by its parents: only in autumn do the first scarlet feathers begin to appear.<\/p>\n
When I first started watching birds as a boy, I was also foxed by young mistle thrushes<\/a>, whose scaly appearance made them look quite different to the more uniform adults.<\/p>\n
Young greenfinches<\/a> can be confusing, too, until you spot a flash of yellow in the wing. And many budding birders have been left red in the face by failing to appreciate that young goldfinches aren\u2019t (red-faced, that is).<\/p>\n
What to do if you find a baby bird<\/h2>\n
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If you find a baby bird, leave it alone: its parents are probably nearby. For more advice go to rspb.org.uk<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
How to identify baby birds<\/h2>\n
Blackbird (Turdus merula<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
$\"Illustration$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Variable, but usually brown with rusty streaks and spots. Breast and flanks often speckled or \u2018scaly\u2019.<\/p>\n
Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Mistle$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Pale centres to upper back and wing feathers create a \u2018scaly\u2019 look unlike the more uniform adult.<\/p>\n
Robin (Erithacus rubecula<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Baby$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Speckled breast and head; pale-centred feathers on upper back. Lacks adult\u2019s red breast and face.<\/p>\n
Great tit (Parus major<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Great$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Looks \u2018washed out\u2019, with only a faint belly stripe (bold in adult) and overall yellow tinge to plumage.<\/p>\n

Great tit guide: how to identify by sight and call, and what they feed on<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"blue$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Looks \u2018jaundiced\u2019, with yellowish cheeks, forehead and eye-stripe. Lacks adult\u2019s black throat patch.<\/p>\n

Blue tit guide: how to identify, what they sound like, and what type of nest box they use<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
$\"Goldfinch\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Lacks adult\u2019s red face patch and black cap, with streakier underparts. Tweezer-like bill.<\/p>\n
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Greenfinch\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Often grey-brown with just a hint of green. Much streakier than adult. Chunky, triangular bill.<\/p>\n
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Bullfinch\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Resembles a very plain adult female, but with no black cap or chin. Stubby bill.<\/p>\n
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Starling\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Greyish, sandy-brown plumage, with paler throat. All-black bill (yellow in summer adult).<\/p>\n

Starling guide: what they eat, where to see them and other key facts<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
13 of the best places to see murmurating starlings<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Woodpigeon (Columba pallumbus<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Woodpigeon\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Duller, dirtier grey than adult, without pink tone, and lacks bold white slash on neck.<\/p>\n
Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"pied$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Much paler grey than adult, often with overall yellowish wash, and lacks black cap.<\/p>\n

Pied wagtail guide: how to identify and species facts<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
Why do wagtails wag their tail?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata<\/em>)<\/h3>\n $\"Spotted$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Appears more spotty than adult due to large pale blobs on upper back and shoulders.<\/p>\n

Bird pellets: how to identify<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
How high do birds fly?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
How high do birds fly?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
Best bird identifier charts<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
All illustrations by Felicity Rose Cole. Main image:<\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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