Which bird species are laying eggs this Easter?

Find out which birds will be busy building nests and laying eggs near our canal and rivers this spring.

A Canada goose sits on its eggs in a nest surrounded by green vegetation beside the canal.

A Canada goose nesting.

Our canals and rivers provide the perfect habitats for a variety of bird species to lay their Easter eggs. If you time your visit right, you may even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of new life.

Please remember to always look from afar, and do not disturb any nesting sites that you may come across.

1. Mute swan

Cygnus olor

A Mute Swan sits on her nest next to her baby cygnets

Mute swans lay their clutches close to water.

Appearance: Mute swans are large, white waterbirds with a long S-shaped neck, and a black and orange bill.

Nesting behaviour: Mute Swans create large structures from twigs, reeds, bulrushes and other soft grasses, usually near to the water's edge. Bonded pairs tend to return to the same area each year.

The female lays between five and eight blue-green eggs (one every other day), which turn white and chalky as they incubate. She nests continuously, sometimes sharing responsibilities with her partner, but rarely leaving the site until the eggs hatch 35-40 days later. The cygnets are precocial (meaning they are largely independent from birth), but they stay in the nest for a couple of days before being led to water.

When: From March until June.

Where to see: Along waterway banks where there is plenty of vegetation close by.

2. Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

A female mallard with striking brown and blue plumage sits on the canal bank with a small, fluffy, yellow chick poking its head out from beneath her tail.

Mallard chicks are led to water soon after hatching.

Appearance: In the summer breeding months, male mallards have a distinctive green head, white neck ring, and chestnut-brown breast. In the winter, they appear similar to females, developing speckled brown plumage.

Nesting behaviour: These waterfowl search for nest sites together by taking an evening flight and circling low over suitable habitats. Using leaves, twigs and soft grasses, they build on dry land in a spot that's close to water and concealed by overhanging vegetation.

Females lay a clutch ranging from 1-13 eggs, which can be anything from grey to greenish in colour. Incubation takes 23-30 days. The chicks are born covered in fluffy down, and are able to leave the nest the day they are born.

When: From March until July.

Where to see: On canal banks, close to plenty of vegetation.

How to identify baby water birds

Baby water birds are a joyful sight in the spring and summer months. Learn how to identify different species with our helpful guide.

3. Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

Kingfishers build a new nest for each brood. Photo credit: Myles Berners

Appearance: Kingfishers are striking with a bright blue back, tail and head, bright orange underparts, and a white bib.

Nesting behaviour: These birds prefer to tunnel into riverbanks, making small, hidden chambers to lay their eggs in. It can take anywhere between three days to three weeks for the pair to complete their ideal nesting area.

The female lays two to three clutches a year, each containing up to seven eggs. For each brood, kingfishers build a new nest. The eggs take around three weeks to hatch, with the chicks leaving the nest at around 25 days old.

When: From March until May.

Where to see: By slow-flowing water.

4. Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

A large bird with brown-black sleek feathers, a long neck, and a hooked, orange beak, perching on a branch.

Cormorants begin breeding as early as February.

Appearance: Cormorants are large birds with black, shiny feathers. Throughout the breeding season, they develop a white patch on their thighs.

Nesting behaviour: Cormorants breed in colonies and tend to reuse their nesting sites every year - a little annual freshen up with additional twigs or grasses is all that's needed. The male tends to gather the materials, whilst the female arranges them into a comfortable roosting spot.

Females lay one brood a year of two to four chalky blue eggs, although both parents share incubation responsibilities. Chicks take around five weeks to leave the nest.

When: From late February until May.

Where to see: In trees close to water.

What is the difference between cormorants and shags?
Cormorants and shags are two very similar and closely related birds. Here’s our guide to telling cormorants and shags apart.
What is the difference between cormorants and shags?
Cormorants and shags are two very similar and closely related birds. Here’s our guide to telling cormorants and shags apart.

5. Canada goose

Branta canadensis

Two adult Canada Geese on a grassy bank surrounded by four fluffy goslings pecking at the grass.

Canada geese are monogamous and generally mate for life.

Appearance: Canada geese are dark brown with brown-grey feathers and a cream breast. They have long black necks and heads, with a white stripe at the side.

Nesting behaviour: Canada geese are monogamous, and generally pair for life. Their preferred nesting spot is near to the water's edge, on a small island with cover provided by long grasses. Canada geese build their nests from vegetation close by. They defend the surrounding area - although they will tolerate other pairs nesting nearby.

The female produces five to six eggs, but can lay up to 11. These are creamy-white in colour. The incubation period takes about a month, with the goslings being led to water after a couple of days.

When: From mid-March until June.

Where to see: Along sheltered waterway banks, close to water.