Bird Behaviour

Birdsong reaches its peak this month (April). Our feathered friends are noisily attracting mates and marking territory; just stop and listen in the street or in the woods, and you can hear their call.

We think of them as creatures of habit, but on Science Café this week, we’ll be looking at the ways they are adapting to their changing environment.

Adam talks about evolving bird behaviour with biologist Dr Sam Hardman, who while studying at Aberystwyth University, found that some city birds are tougher than their country cousins. His research on Great Tits revealed that this creature is particularly adaptable to urban surroundings.

Other bird species are struggling though, and Adam talks to ornithologist Ben Stammers about the plummeting numbers of breeding Swifts. Ben works for the North Wales Wildlife Trust and explains why the public are being invited to get involved with the Swifts' housing crises. Reporter Elen Ifan attends a course run by the Trust to make gardens more bird and insect friendly. 

Best of all, Adam takes a stroll through one of Wales’ loveliest wildlife reserves, abundant with birdlife - The Spinnies, just outside of Bangor.