Where does the term stick bird actually come from? Which native species are considered stick birds and what does the designation mean? We would like to answer these and other questions in this short information article.
Migratory birds, prostrate birds, resident birds, partial migrants, medium and long-distance migrants - with all these terms, it is easy to get confused. Birds can be divided into a wide variety of categories based on their migratory behavior. Here you can find out exactly what makes a stick bird, which of our native wild bird species fall into this category and how you can support stick birds in cold winters.
Streaker birds: definition and profile
Pet birds are bird species that leave their breeding grounds under particularly adverse conditions in the cold winter months and seek out climatically more favorable places, such as cities or sheltered valleys - but without moving away from their geographical latitude. The term "streak bird" comes from the fact that the animals simply go to another area of land.
Other bird species that remain in their immediate breeding grounds even under the coldest conditions and never stray more than a few kilometers from them are called resident birds.
Examples of native stick birds
Bird species that are considered stick birds in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other parts of Central Europe are for example:
- grey heron
- the hunting pheasant
- the yellowhammer
- the chaffinch
- buzzard
- the greenfinch
- and the goldfinch
However, it must be noted that the classification of bird species according to their migratory behavior is not always clear. For example, many of the finch species listed are also considered part-migrants, which means that part of the population migrates south in winter and only the remaining individuals roam around here as resident or resident birds.
What do stick birds eat in winter?
Similar to sedentary birds, stick birds are primarily bird species that do not depend on insects for food. Because this animal food is scarce in the cold season - both in the breeding areas of the birds and in the winter refuges. Vegetable food such as berries, nuts and seeds, on the other hand, can still be found in our barren landscape in winter.
You can also support our domestic stick birds during this time by offering birdseed. Our Plantura sunflower seeds, for example, are suitable for a large number of garden birds and provide them with valuable energy and extra nutrients in the cold winter months.
And if you want to find out more about where our native migratory birds stay in winter, what dangers lurk on their long journeys and how the birds orient themselves, then take a look at our special article.