Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos   [CL Brehm, 1831]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
BTO Codes: N., NIGAL EURING No: 11040
Number in Britain: 7500 males (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: Not a species of concern
Global: (Details)
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Status in UK: (A)  Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: megarhynchos (BW), golzii (V) recorded in Britain (of 4 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 16 cm Wingspan: 24 cm Weight: M/F: 21 g    
Scientific name from: L.: luscinia=nightingale and Gr.: megas + rhunkhos=bill
World Distribution: BREEDS: Europe (except n), cw Asia, WINTERS: tropical Africa
Habitat: Thickets
Diet: Insects, esp. beetles and ants, also berries in autumn
TitBit: It is unlikely that Vera Lynn ever heard a Nightingale singing in Berkeley Square, it was much more likely to have been a Robin, which also sings at night.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: BirdTrends   
Regional Trends: England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps   
British Population Size:
    Summer: 5600 to 9350 males in 1999
    First Record: Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    Latest Survey: Wilson, A.M. et al. (2002) Bird Study 49:193-204
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Recent Breeding Population Decline (1981-2007),
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 AMBER  
   Races of Concern: megarhynchos AMBER (Recent Decline)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
    Summer: 3.2 to 7 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III),Bonn(II)
Survey Results: Results from BirdTrack

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 21 x 16 mm Egg Weight: 2.7 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 5
Clutch Size: 4 - 5 eggs 4.63 ± 0.73 (2 - 6) N = 111
Incubation: 14- 14 days 13.75 ± 0.83 (12 - 15.5) N = 111   by the: Female
Fledging: 11 - 13days 11.98 ± 1.12 (10 - 14) N = 216 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 13 May (5 May - 6 Jun)
Number of Broods: 1-2
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.463 ± 0.043       
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 7 years 1 months 17 days (set in 1996)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: A (pulli B)
Wing Length Adult: 83.4 ± 2.3     Range 72.5 - 91.0 mm, (N = 653)
Juvenile: 82.2 ± 2.4     Range 72.0 - 91.0 mm, (N = 680)
Male: 84.3 ± 2.1     Range 75.0 - 91.0 mm, (N = 298)
Female: 82.2 ± 2.1     Range 72.5 - 89.0 mm, (N = 155)
Weight Adult: 21.19 ± 1.92 Range 15.60 - 28.30 g , (N =528)
Juvenile: 21.3 ± 1.9 Range 14.6 - 28.6 . , (N =646)
Male: 21.16 ± 1.58 Range 16.60 - 25.60 g , (N =245)
Female: 21.25 ± 2.38 Range 17.60 - 27.60 g , (N =108)
Seasonal: Summer 21.13 ± 1.68 (N = 1012)   Autumn 22.01 ± 2.23 (N = 62)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Common Nightingale
Gaelic: Seiniolach Welsh: Eos
Danish: Sydlig nattergal Dutch: Nachtegaal
Finnish: Etelänsatakieli French: Rossignol philomèle
German: Nachtigall Hungarian: Fülemüle
Icelandic: Næturgali Irish: Filiméala
Italian: Usignolo Norwegian: Sørnattergal
Polish: Slowik rdzawy Portuguese: Rouxinol-comum
Spanish: Ruiseñor común Swedish: Sydnäktergal
Local Names:Barley Bird
Collective Noun:Watch

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Pike, O.G. 1932 The Nightingale, its story and song etc Arrowsmith, London [591.76 PIK]
   Mabey, R. 2010 The barley bird: notes on the Suffolk nightingale Full Circle Editions,
   Holt, C.A. et al. 2012 The nightingale in Britain: status, ecology and conservation needs British Birds 105:172-187
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead