In the spotlight

In the British countryside, it’s common to hear gruff caw-caw-cawing and see large black birds flapping overhead. That’ll be a corvid – but which have you spotted, asks Clare Hunt

Scourge of the bird feeder and a master of ‘shock and awe’ assassinations, the sparrowhawk pursues its quarry with such tenacity and unpredictability that it often blindsides its prey

Birds of prey in flight have a reputation for being very tough to identify. However, follow these guidelines and you have a good chance of telling these five larger species apart. Note photos are not to scale.

Seagulls have been branded a seaside menace for snatching chips and terrifying pets, creating noise and mess. But are they being unfairly demonised?

It may appear lethargic, but no one could argue with the hunting prowess of the common buzzard when it transforms into a surging missile intent on an unsuspecting victim

Curlews need all the help they can get ...