How to welcome the Ring Ouzel in London, England, United Kingdom

About the Ring Ouzel

The ring ouzel is a mainly European member of the thrush family Turdidae. It is a medium-sized thrush, 23–24 centimetres (9.1–9.4 in) in length and weighing 90–138 grams (3.2–4.9 oz). The male is predominantly black with a conspicuous white crescent across its breast. Females are browner and duller than males, and young birds may lack the pale chest markings altogether. In all but the northernmost part of its range, this is a high-altitude species, with three subspecies breeding in mountains from Ireland east to Iran. It breeds in open mountain areas with some trees or shrubs, the latter often including juniper and other treeline conifers, rowan, bilberry, heather, and hairy alpenrose. It is a migratory bird, leaving the breeding areas to winter in southern Europe, North Africa and Turkey, typically in mountains with junipers. The typical clutch is 3–6 brown-flecked pale blue or greenish-blue eggs. They are incubated almost entirely by the female, with hatching normally occurring after 13 days. The altricial, downy chicks fledge in another 14 days and are dependent on their parents for about 12 days after fledging.

Source: Wikipedia

Ecological traits of the Ring Ouzel

• Nesting : semi-open nest box nester.
• Preferred feeder food : ground feeder, fresh fruit.

Installing and maintaining the nest box — Ring Ouzel

Installation

• Height : 1.5 m to 3 m
• Orientation : East or South-East, not exposed to dominant winds. The nest box should lean slightly forward.
• Support : Wall, securely fixed. Avoid nearby branches or ledges to prevent predator access.
• When to install : From autumn or early winter. At the latest in March or April.
• Precautions : Choose a quiet location. The nest box should not be exposed to direct sunlight all day, nor be in permanent shade, but partially shaded during hot hours. A distance of 200 m is recommended between two identical nest boxes for the White Wagtail but this distance is not documented for other species. No perch. Do not place any bedding (straw, moss) inside. Check for overwintering inhabitants before cleaning.

Annual cleaning

• Frequency : 1x/year
• Method : Empty accumulated materials, brush the bottom with a wire brush, use a blowtorch to destroy parasites. In case of heavy infestation, rinse with clear water, possibly with a little soda lye, then let it dry thoroughly.
• Products to avoid : Never use chemical products or disinfectants, nor insecticides or anti-flea treatments.
• When to install : Late September or early October (after the breeding season). If not done, possibly before the nesting period, in early spring, just before the birds start nesting (February).
• Precautions : Unhatched eggs can only be removed between September and January (or August and January in Scotland). Part of the nest box (roof, front or side) must be removable to facilitate cleaning. Wear gloves. Make sure it is not occupied by other species (bats, dormice, bees, wasps, hornets) before cleaning. Parasites may be present even in winter.

Sources: LPO, Natagora, Vogelbescherming, RSPB, NABU, nichoirs.net.

Three ways to help

• Install a nest box — Free species-tailored construction plans and video tutorials.
• Install a feeder — Choose the feeder and seeds based on the bird's feeding habits.
• Grow a natural pantry — Native local plants that sustainably feed this bird and biodiversity.

Other birds observed in London

• Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
• Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops)
• Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
• Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
• Eurasian Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium passerinum)
• Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

Sources and credits

• Observation data: eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, ebird.org)
• Source: Wikipedia