KS1 (Age 5-7)KS2 (Age 7-11)11 Plus (Age 7-11)KS3 (Age 11-14)GCSE (Age 14-17)PSHE A.I.ESL Spanish Specialist Games

Need help with British Birds - Coots, Crakes, Rails and Plovers? Ask our AI Tutor!

AI Tutor - Lucy

Connecting with Tutor...

Please wait while we establish connection

Hi! I'm Lucy, your AI tutor. How can I help you with British Birds - Coots, Crakes, Rails and Plovers today?

now

It first bred in the UK in 1938 but what bird is it?

British Birds - Coots, Crakes, Rails and Plovers

Explore wetland and shore birds like coots, rails and plovers. Learn where they live, how they feed, and the clues that help you identify them.

Explore the Topic →

(quiz starts below)

Fascinating Fact:

The water rail is a “hide-and-seek” bird of reedbeds and freshwater wetlands, with a loud, pig-like squeal often heard in winter.

In Specialist Nature, spotting British birds often comes down to habitat and shape. This quiz focuses on wetland and shoreline birds, including coots, crakes, rails and plovers, and the features that help you tell them apart.

Key Terms

Wetland: An area where the land is waterlogged or flooded, such as a marsh, pond edge, or reedbed.
Wader: A bird with longer legs that walks in shallow water or on mud to find food.
Field mark: A clear clue used to identify a bird, such as bill colour, leg colour, or wing pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is the difference between a coot and a moorhen?

A coot is usually darker with a bright white bill and a white forehead shield, and it has lobed toes for swimming. A moorhen has a red and yellow bill, no white shield, and often shows white on its flanks.

Where do plovers live in the UK?

Plovers are often found on coasts, estuaries and mudflats, but some also use open fields and short grass inland. They look for places where they can run, stop, and spot food on the ground.

Why are reedbeds important for birds?

Reedbeds give birds cover from predators and bad weather, plus safe places to nest. They also hold lots of insects and other small creatures, so they are useful feeding areas in wetland habitats.

Try These Related Quizzes

To see a larger image, click on the picture.

1 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Myosotis Scorpioides

Little Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Corn Crake

Common Moorhen

Group: Plovers and Lapwings
Binomial: Charadrius hiaticula
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species And Summer Visitor
A dumpy, short-legged wading bird.
If a potential predator approaches the nest, the adult will walk away from the scrape, calling to attract the intruder and feigning a broken wing.

2 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.marekszczepanek.pl/

Water Rail

Eurasian Dotterel

Little Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Group: Plovers and Lapwings
Binomial: Charadrius dubius
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Status: Breeding Summer Visitor
It first bred in the UK in 1938 and since then has successfully colonised a large part of England and Wales thanks to man-made habitats such as gravel pits.
Both male and female take turns to incubate the eggs.

3 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Rachel Davies

Water Rail

Eurasian Dotterel

Ringed Plover

Corn Crake

Group: Rails, Crakes and Coots
Binomial: Crex crex
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Status: Breeding Summer Visitor
Lives on dry land.
The male's advertising call is a loud, repetitive, grating krek krek.
The call can be heard from 1.5 km (1 mile) away, and serves to establish the breeding territory and attract females.

4 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Martial2010

Lapwing

Water Rail

Corn Crake

Common Moorhen

Group: Rails, Crakes and Coots
Binomial: Rallus aquaticus
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species
It is a vocal species which gives its main call, known as 'sharming', throughout the year.
This is a series of grunts followed by a high-pitched piglet-like squeal and ending in more grunts.

5 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of J M Garg

Common Moorhen

Lapwing

Coot

Little Ringed Plover

Group: Rails, Crakes and Coots
Binomial: Gallinula chloropus
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species
Tend to be solitary.
Though they appear placid, fighting is common and often prolonged.
Each bird strikes the other violently with the feet and even attempts to push or drag them underwater.

6 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.fws.gov/

Grey Plover

Coot

Eurasian Golden Plover

Common Moorhen

Group: Plovers and Lapwings
Binomial: Pluvialis squatarola
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Status: Winter Visitor And Passage Migrant
It makes regular non-stop transcontinental flights over Asia, Europe and North America.
It only lands occasionally if forced down by severe weather.

7 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.bjornfree.com/galleries.html

Eurasian Golden Plover

Water Rail

Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Group: Plovers and Lapwings
Binomial: Pluvialis apricaria
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Status: Winter Visitor And Passage Migrant
These birds will feed by moonlight.
They eat insects, crustaceans and berries.
They typically stand upright and run in short bursts.

8 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of R H Walpole

Coot

Grey Plover

Common Moorhen

Water Rail

Group: Rails, Crakes and Coots
Binomial: Fulica atra
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species
It can walk and run vigorously on strong legs, and has long toes that are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces.
These birds are omnivorous, taking mainly plant material, but also small animals and eggs.

9 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://photo-natur.de/

Coot

Ringed Plover

Corn Crake

Northern Lapwing

Group: Plovers and Lapwings
Binomial: Vanellus vanellus
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Status: Resident Breeding Species
This is a vocal bird in the breeding season, with constant calling as the crazed tumbling display flight is performed by the male.
The species prefers to feed at night when there are moonlit nights.

10 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Dr Helwig Brunner

Grey Plover

Eurasian Dotterel

Ringed Plover

Water Rail

Group: Plovers and Lapwings
Binomial: Charadrius morinellus
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Status: Breeding Summer Visitor
This bird is unusual in that the adult female is brighter than the male - an indication of their role-reversal in raising the young.
The female's song is a simple repetitive whistle.