Early-nesting birds... catch the worm!

Getting off to an early start, the RSPB give you the species to look out for on and around your smallholding

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March is a frenetic time in the natural world with lots of signs of new life appearing and many species of birds busy preparing for the breeding season. Some early birds are way ahead of the game though and already have eggs - even chicks in some cases.

Natural England, the Government's environmental advisors, define the bird nesting season as February to August, but there are always exceptions to the rule, and here we look at some of them and the reasons why.

WHY START SO EARLY?

The colder temperatures of late winter seem like the worst possible time to be raising young but it does have its advantages. The old saying 'the early bird catches the worm' is true - breeding earlier in the year does give birds an advantage in terms of not competing with as many others for any food sources as well as nesting sites.