Middle spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocoptes medius)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Dendrocoptes ("tree striking") medius ("medium") 

Adult  Middle spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocoptes medius) at Vienna, Austria - October 2024

Featured Subspecies: Dendrocoptes medius medius
Weight: 50-85g  /  Length: 19-22cm  /  Wingspan: 33-34cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

As the name suggests, the middle spotted woodpecker is intermediate in size between the lesser and greater spotted woodpecker, though ironically not in the same genus as either. Their range is limited to Europe, primarily in Central and Eastern Europe, but is absent from the UK and most of Scandinavia as it is largely sedentary. 

Related Species:

Order: Piciformes

Family: Picidae

Genus: Dendrocoptes

SUBSPECIES: D. m. medius, D. m. caucasicus, D. m. anatoliae, D. m. sanctijohannis

 - Sighting Locations -

AUSTRIA - Austrian: Leiopicus medius - "Middle Woodpecker"

Widespread breeding resident in Eastern Austria

 - VIENNA 2024: Seen in Vienna 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

OTHER NAMES: Hoodie, Scotch Crow, Danish Crow

Latin Etymology: Corvus ("raven") cornix ("crow")

Hooded Crow (subspecies Corvus cornix) at  Side, Antalya, Turkey - March 2025

Featured Subspecies:  Corvus cornix pallescens
Weight: 510g  /  Length: 48-52cm  /  Wingspan: 98cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Hooded Crow is a close relation of the Carrion Crow, and they they tend to be dispersed throughout Europe in such a way as that usually one species replaces the other in any one place with a bit of overlap.  In the British Isles, Hooded Crows are found in North West Scotland, the Isle of Man and Ireland, but the bulk of their range is throughout Eastern Europe.  I have made attempts to see vagrant Hooded Crows before, but this individual was seen at Vienna airport while waiting for a plane.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Corvus
Subspecies: C. c. cornix, C. c. pallescens, C. c. sharpii, C. c. capellanus

 - Sighting Locations -

AUSTRIA - Austrian: Nebelkrähe - "Fog Crow"

Common breeding resident

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP - STOPOVER: Two birds seen at Vienna Airport 

 - VIENNA 2024: Common throughout.

ITALY - Italian: Cornacchia Grigia ("Grey Crow")
An fairly common resident

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP -  Fairly common - seen at Capo Murro di Porco and Mount Etna.

TURKEY  -   Turkish:Başlıklı karga ("Noble Crow")
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - Very common.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Rock Dove (Columba livia)

OTHER NAMES: Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Common Pigeon
Latin Etymology: Columba ("pigeon/dove") livia ("rock dove")

Adult Rock Dove (subspecies C. l. domestica) at Regent's Park, London - October 2009

Featured Subspecies: Columba livia domestica ("Feral Pigeon")

Weight: 360g  /  Length: 29-37cm  /  Wingspan: 62-72cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

About the easiest bird to see in the UK - widely spread, and present in towns in large numbers. Appearance varies wildly as it mixes with white doves and fancy breeds, but the above image represents one of the most common colourations, as well as being one of the more natural plumage before breeding. Photographing them is equally easy- pigeons in towns will usually be very tame, probably about the easiest of all birds to see.  You must bear in mind, that although feral pigeons are abundant, the true wild rock dove is limited to a few coasts in isolated parts of Scotland - ironic considering the success of it's feral counterpart, however, for the sake of this project, the feral ones count.

Related Species:
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Columba
Subspecies: C. l. livia, C. l. atlantis, C. l. canariensis, C. l. gymnocycla, C. l. targia, C. l. dakhlae, C. l. butleri,C. l. schimperi, C. l. palaestinae, C. l. gaddi,C. l. neglecta, C. l. intermedia,C. l. nigricans, C. l. domestica 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common to abundant in cities.

 - Birds seen commonly at a large number of sites, including but not limited to Rutland Water, Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park, Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir, Ditchford Gravel Pits, Eyebrook Reservoir and Geddington.

COSTA RICA

Common in cities

 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen in San Jose

JAPAN - Japanese - カワラバト / Kawara-bato ("Dry Riverbed Pigeon")

Common in cities.

 - Seen in Kyoto and Tokyo.

MALAYSIA - Malaysia - Merpati ("Pigeon")
Common in cities.

 - Seen in all cities..

SPAIN - Spanish - Paloma bravía ("Brave dove")

Common in cities.

 - Seen on all trips.

UNITED STATES 
Feral population throughout

- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Francisco and Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

OTHER NAMES: Crow, Corbie, Gor Crow

Latin Etymology: Corvus ("raven") corone ("crow")

Left: Adult Carrion Crow (subspecies C. c. corone) at Regent's Park, London - April 2010

Right: Adult Carrion Crow (subspecies C. c. orientalis) at Akan Crane Centre, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: Corvus corone corone AND Corvus corone orientalis
Weight: 370-650g  /  Length: 45-47cm  /  Wingspan: 93-104cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The carrion crow is probably the most visible of the already (mostly) highly visibly crow family, it can be found across a wide number of habitats, but it probably most easily seen in parks and towns. In my experience, the best views are actually built up areas where the birds have become accustomed to scavenging from humans, for instance, the car parks of service stations. How approachable they are varies depending on population, with crows from more urban areas seeming less flighty than their more rural counterparts. The photo here was taken in London where I was able to get to within a few feet of the bird, whereas the previous photo taken in Bewick-Upon-Tweed was from a greater distance of a more flighty set of birds.  Internationally - in Austria they are at the edge of the Hooded and Carrion Crow range, so both are found, while in Japan it is less common in most places than the ubiquitous Large-billed Crow, but more common in Hokkaido.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Corvus
Subspecies: C. c. corone, C. c orientalis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Very common resident (1,000,000 territories)

 - Birds seen at most sites including but not limited to Rutland Water, Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park,Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir and Geddington.

AUSTRIA - Common breeding resident

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP - STOPOVER: Several birds around Vienna Airport 

JAPAN - Japanese - ハシボソガラス  / Hashi-boso garasu ("Slender-billed Crow")

Locally common resident.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: A few seen around Hokkaido including Akan Crane Centre, Kushiro and Shiranuka

SPAIN - Spanish - Corneja negra ("Black crow")
A fairly common resident.

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A few seen around Monfrague National Park.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

OTHER NAMES: Red Squirrel
Latin Etymology: Sciurus ("squirrel") vulgaris ("common") 

Adult Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) at Vienna, Austria - October 2024

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: 10-15g  /  Length: 34-43cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The indiginous tree squirrel of Europe, the Red Squirrel is somewhat paradoxical in that overall it has an enormous range but within the UK specifically it is significantly struggling due to competition with the non-native grey squirrel which outcompetes it and carries pathogens which are fatal to reds. The result has led to a catastrophic population collapse and Reds are largely extipirated from England. While the population in the UK does have the namesame red fur, other populations are more variable into black, grey and brown such as the individual pictured above.

Related Species:
Order: Rodentia 
Family: Sciuridae 
Genus: Sciurus 
SUBSPECIES: S. v. alpinus, S. v. altacaicus, S. v. anadyrensis, S. v. arcticus, S. v. balcanicus, S. v. chiliensis, S. v. cinerea, S. v. dulkeiti, S. v. exalbidus, S. v. fedjushini, S. v. fusconigricans, S. v. leucourus, S. v. lilaeus, S. v. mantchuricus, S. v. martensi, S. v. ognevi, S. v. orientis, S. v. rupestris, S. v. ukrainicus, S. v. varius, S. v. vulgaris

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A localised and declining resident
 - Seen in the Lake District

AUSTRIA - Austrian: esguilu - "Squirrel"

Common resident

 - VIENNA 2024: Seen in Vienna  

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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European Hamster (Cricetus cricetus)

OTHER NAMES: Eurasian Hamster, Black Bellied Hamster, Common Hamster
Latin Etymology:  Cricetus ("Hamster") cricetus ("Hamster")

Adult European Hamster (Cricetus cricetus) at Miedling Cemetary, Vienna, Austria - October 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 220-460g  /  Length: 20-35cm
NO UK STATUS /  IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

The largest species of Hamster in the world, and significantly larger than domesticated species, the European Hamster is a grassland specialist that is considered critically endangered due to persecution and the dramatic decline in grassland habitats due to farming. Like domestic species, they store food in their rather substantial cheeks to take it to their burrows.  In recent decades some of their strongholds have ended up being cemetaries where they are able to forage without being disturbed by farming practices.

Related Species:
Order: Rodentia 
Family: Cricetidae
Genus: Cricetus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

AUSTRIA - Austrian: hámster euroasiáticu - "Eurasian Hamster"

Resident in North Eastern Austria

 - VIENNA 2024: Seen in Vienna 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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