To help us all get into the seasonal spirit, we thought we’d rewrite our own version of a certain Christmas classic, inspired by some of our favourite birds. Some verses more or less write themselves, but others may require a little more imagination.
So with that being said, here are our choices for the Twelve Birds of Christmas.
Not sure how often you’ll see them in a pear tree. In fact, grey partridges live their lives very much on the ground, including nesting and feeding. Nevertheless this feels like quite a straightforward start.
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
A grey partridge in a pear tree
Not a single change required for the second verse. Turtle doves are found more often in the south of Britain, but you may be fortunate to see them passing through Scotland on their migration routes.
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Two turtle doves
Starting to stretch it a little now but this one still runs quite well.
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Three French hen harriers!
(Incidentally we have Scottish hen harriers too, they're among our most graceful birds of prey)
There are dozens of calling birds we could have chosen for this verse, but we thought we go for one of our chattiest summer visitors. In fact, the willow warbler’s song is one of the only clear ways to tell them apart from the very similar chiffchaff.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Four calling willow warblers!
This verse always seems to be among everyone’s favourites, so why not go with a bird that’s the same? This is one you may see next month during your Big Garden Birdwatch.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
FIVE GOLDFINCHES!
You can find out more and register for Big Garden Birdwatch by clicking here.
As winter visitors to our shores, pink-footed geese are perfect for our carol. Their pink feet may not be as obvious as Rudolph’s red nose, but they’re certainly the most identifiable feature when compared to our other geese.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Six geese a-laying!
While whoopers may be winter visitors and Bewick’s are very rare in Scotland, mute swans live here all year round. So swans are not just for Christmas.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Seven swans a-swimming!
According to ancient folk tales, nightjars were once believed to suck milk from goats at night when no one was around, earning them the name ‘goatsuckers’. And that’s why…
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me …
Eight nightjars a-milking!
Many birds are known for their impressive courtship displays, whether it’s adding a flash of colour to their plumage or showing off some fancy dance moves. And while it’s often the males who take the lead here, there are some species, such as great crested grebes, where the females are just as talented.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Nine grebes dancing!
You may often see them standing patiently along the riverbank, waiting for a stray fish to swim by, but have you ever seen a grey heron take flight? Still as a statue one moment, they use their long legs to leap into the air the next.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me…
Ten herons a-leaping!
With a distinctive call and the way they bob their heads as if dancing, common sandpipers could be appropriate for quite a few verses. But we felt they fitted perfectly here.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Eleven sandpipers piping!
Did you know that the drumming sound of a snipe doesn’t come from their mouth? They actually have tiny little drumkits hidden amongst their plumage.
Well that isn’t true, but they do create the sound with their feathers, specifically by vibrating tail feathers in a courtship display.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
Twelve snipes drumming!
So we now have the complete Twelve Birds of Christmas. Here it is in its entirety in case you want to add it to your carol list this year.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
Twelve snipes drumming,
Eleven sandpipers piping,
Ten herons a-leaping,
Nine grebes dancing,
Eight nightjars a-milking,
Seven swans a swimming,
Six (pink-footed) geese a-laying,
Five goldfinches,
Four calling willow warblers,
Three hen harriers,
Two turtle doves,
And a grey partridge in a pear tree!
Photo/video credits
Grey partridge - Chris Gomersall
Turtle doves - Katherine Carey
Hen harrier - Mark Thomas
Willow warbler - RSPB Images
Goldfinch - John Bridges
Pink-footed goose - Chris Gomersall
Mute swan - RSPB Images
Nightjar - Andy Hay
Great crested grebes - RSPB Images
Grey heron - Katie Nethercoat
Common sandpiper - Andy Hay
Snipe - RSPB Images