Wildlife to see in the United Kingdom in February
4 spectacles at their peak in the United Kingdom in February, and 4 more still going on. Wild animals only: no zoos, no wildlife parks, no hunting. Open United Kingdom in February in the interactive calendar for listening times on the day you pick.
At their peak in February
Whooper swans & barnacle geeseBugling whoopers and yapping barnacle flocks like a huge crowd; the whole Svalbard barnacle population is on one estuary.
Common cranes buglingTrumpeting bugles carrying over 2 km, unison calls from pairs, and the low rolling contact calls of a roosting group in the reeds.
Tawny owl territorial callingHoots and 'ke-wick' duets and disputes as young birds try to settle territories; sometimes three or four birds answering.
Common frog & toad spawningSoft purring of frog aggregations and the high 'quark' release calls of toads — best close-up or with a hydrophone.
Also going on in February
Bitterns boomingThe deep boom (fundamental around 150 Hz, carrying over 3 km), plus water rail squeals, reed and sedge warblers, and marsh harriers.
Pink-footed goose dawn flightsTens of thousands of geese lifting off the mudflats at first light in a wall of 'wink-wink' calls, wave after wave overhead.
Rook & jackdaw winter roostTens of thousands of corvids arriving in waves, calling in a rising roar, then a sudden collective drop into the wood.
Starling murmurationsThe whoosh of tens of thousands of wings turning together, then a huge chattering as they settle into the reeds or under a pier; the dawn explosion out of the roost is even louder.
More: United Kingdom all year · February along the whole flyway