Forest Diary: Birds

If, during a walk along the Amatas taka or while exploring the Amata trail, a flash of turquoise and copper suddenly shoots past your eyes like a living jewel with wings, you may have just seen a kingfisher. This small but dazzling bird lives beside clean waters and catches fish with astonishing precision. In nature, it acts like a quality label: where there is a kingfisher, the water is usually healthy, reflecting Nature's Serenity.

The kingfisher is small, about 16–17 cm long, with a bright blue-green back and a warm rusty-orange belly. It has a large head, short tail, and a long sharp bill perfectly designed for catching fish. The female can be recognized by a small detail — the lower part of her bill is reddish, as if she had lightly applied lipstick.

You will often spot a kingfisher sitting quietly on a branch above the water, patiently watching the current. The moment a tiny fish appears, it dives like an arrow and returns seconds later with its catch. Then follows a quick culinary ritual: the fish is tapped against the perch a few times before being swallowed head first.

Kingfishers prefer slow-flowing rivers, lakes, and canals with trees and bushes along the banks. They dig nesting tunnels in steep riverbanks, sometimes almost a meter long. At the end of this tunnel, the pair raises their chicks, which within weeks will attempt their own first dramatic plunge into the water.

In Latvia, particularly in places like Gaujas nacionalais parks, the kingfisher is a fairly common nesting bird, although it is also listed in the national Red Data Book. During harsh winters, when waters freeze, many migrate south, while a few brave individuals remain wherever water stays open.

So the next time you notice a streak of blue lightning along a riverbank, congratulations — you have met one of Latvia’s most beautiful birds. And it also means the river beside you is still alive.

 – a small bird with a powerful voice

Usually, while walking along the trails of Kārļamuiža Landscape Park, you may hear a surprisingly loud and lively song coming from the bushes or from beneath fallen tree roots. The singer is often the paceplītis (Troglodytes troglodytes). Although it is one of the smallest birds in Latvia, its voice is remarkably strong and bright. Quite often you hear it before you ever see it.

The paceplītis  is a tiny bird, only about 8–12 centimetres long and weighing just a few grams. It has a round body, a slender pointed bill and a short tail that is usually held upright. Its plumage is brown with fine darker stripes, allowing it to blend perfectly with tree bark, moss and fallen leaves.

This bird prefers places with dense undergrowth – forests, shrubs and areas with fallen trees or piles of branches. There it moves quickly along the ground or through low vegetation, carefully searching every leaf and root. The paceplītis mainly feeds on small insects, spiders and other tiny invertebrates.

Nests play an important role in the life of the paceplītis. The male builds several round, dome-shaped nests with a small entrance on the side, which resemble tiny caves – a feature that even inspired its scientific name. The female later chooses the nest she prefers and lines it with feathers and other soft materials.

In Latvia the paceplītis  is a common breeding bird. Some individuals also remain during winter, especially near streams and small rivers that do not freeze, where food can still be found.

So while walking along the trails of Kārļamuiža Landscape Park, you may suddenly hear a powerful song coming from deep within the bushes. It is the paceplītis – a tiny forest resident with a surprisingly big voice.

If, early in the morning along the Amata trail in Kārļamuiža, you hear a calm and melodious whistling from the top of a tree, it is very likely the melnais mežastrazds (Turdus merula). Its song is one of the most familiar sounds of nature in Latvia – slow, gentle, and surprisingly clear. Quite often, this bird is the one that greets the new day first, adding to the charm of exploring nature.

The melnais mežastrazds (Turdus merula) is a fairly large member of the thrush family, measuring about 23–29 centimetres in body length and reaching a wingspan of up to 38 centimetres. The male is easy to recognize by its entirely black plumage with a slight glossy shine, complemented by a bright orange-yellow bill and eye ring. In contrast, the female is more modest in color, featuring dark brown feathers and a slightly lighter, softly mottled throat.

Historically, the melnais mežastrazds was primarily a forest bird, but it has adapted remarkably well to life near people. Today, it is commonly spotted in parks, gardens, and green areas around towns and villages, including those near Gaujas nacionalais parks. In Latvia, it is a very common nesting species, with many birds remaining here during winter, especially in locations where food and open water are available.

Typically, the melnais mežastrazds searches for food on the ground, hopping across lawns or through fallen leaves in search of earthworms, insects, and their larvae. In late summer and autumn, it also enjoys berries and fruits, such as cherries and apples.

The nest is usually built by the female in a safe location among shrubs or tree branches. It is crafted from twigs, moss, roots, and grass, forming a relatively large and sturdy structure. In one season, there are usually two broods, with three to five pale blue eggs marked with reddish-brown spots.

Moreover, the melnais mežastrazds is a strongly territorial bird. In spring, the males diligently guard their nesting territory, using their beautiful song not only as music but also as a message to other birds that the place is already taken.

So while walking through the Amatas taka early in the morning or during a quiet evening, you may hear this clear melody among the trees. It is the melnais mežastrazds – a bird whose song adds a special soundtrack to every walk in nature's serenity.

In spring and early summer, while walking through Kārļamuiža Landscape Park, you may hear a bright, cheerful song high among the tree branches. It sounds a little like a canary’s melody. This is the zaļžubīte – a small but colourful bird that happily lives close to people in parks, gardens and light forests.

The zaļžubīte is a compact bird about the size of a sparrow, with a strong cone-shaped bill perfectly suited for cracking seeds. Its body length is about 14–16 cm, with a wingspan of roughly 25–27 cm and a weight of up to 35 grams. The plumage is mostly yellowish-green, with the belly usually lighter than the back. Males are especially bright, with vivid yellow edges on the wings and tail that become clearly visible in flight, while females are more modest in colour, with softer grey-brown tones.

The flight of the zaļžubīte has a gentle wave-like rhythm, with short bursts of wing beats followed by brief gliding. During the breeding season the male often performs a display flight, fluttering almost like a butterfly while singing and showing the bright yellow feathers on its wings and tail.

In Latvia the zaļžubīte is a common bird that nests and often also spends the winter here. It is frequently seen in parks, gardens, groves and open deciduous or mixed forests. Some birds migrate south in autumn, while others remain, and in winter additional birds from northern regions may also pass through.

The zaļžubīte is mainly a seed eater. It feeds on the ground as well as in shrubs and tree branches, searching for seeds of various plants. Its strong bill allows it to crack even quite hard seeds with ease.

During the nesting season these birds often form small colonies. The nest is built in shrubs or tree branches about one to five metres above the ground. It is mostly constructed by the female using grass stems, moss and roots, and lined with wool and feathers. In one season a pair may raise two or even three broods, each usually containing four to six eggs.

And if on a quiet morning in Kārļamuiža Park you hear a clear and lively song coming from the treetops, it may well be the zaļžubīte – a small green messenger of spring adding its voice to the sounds of nature.

 – the traveller of meadows and skies

If you look up on a summer morning in the Kārļamuiža apple orchard, you may notice a large nest high in one of the trees. There lives the Baltais stārķis (Ciconia ciconia) – one of the most familiar and beloved birds of the Latvian countryside. Every spring it returns from a long journey, as if reminding us that nature has awakened once again.

The Baltais stārķis (Ciconia ciconia) is an impressive bird with long legs, a long neck and a strong bill. Its body length reaches about 95–110 centimetres, and its wingspan can stretch up to two metres. The plumage is mostly white, while the flight feathers are black, and adult birds have bright red legs and bill.

Storks feel most at home in open rural landscapes – meadows, pastures and wetlands near rivers, ponds and ditches. There they search for food such as insects, frogs, fish, rodents and other small animals. Sometimes they can even be seen walking behind tractors, where freshly turned soil often reveals an easy meal.

The Baltais stārķis builds its nest high above the ground, often in trees or on human-made structures. At Kārļamuiža, one such nest can be found right in the apple orchard, becoming a small stage of nature throughout the season. From spring until midsummer, it is possible to watch the parents carefully raising their young storks.

For those looking to explore nature, the nearby Amatas taka offers a stunning path through the beautiful landscapes of Gaujas nacionalais parks, where you might also spot the Baltais stārķis in its natural habitat. This remarkable bird is also a notable traveller. In spring, usually in March or April, it returns to Latvia, while in autumn it migrates thousands of kilometres to wintering grounds in Africa.

And yet, no matter how far it travels, the stork returns to the same places year after year. Including the Kārļamuiža apple orchard, where the old nest once again becomes the beginning of a new summer story, embodying nature's serenity.

The žubīte is one of the most familiar and widespread birds of the Amata valley, often heard before it is seen. Its clear, rhythmic song echoes through forests, parks, and wooded riverbanks, especially in spring and early summer.

This small, sparrow-sized bird can be recognised by its two white wing bars and lively behaviour. Males are more colourful, with warm reddish tones on the chest and a bluish-grey head, while females are more subtly coloured in soft greenish-brown shades.

Chaffinches are commonly found in forests, manor parks, and along trails where trees grow. They feed on insects, seeds, and buds, and are often seen hopping on the ground or singing from low branches.

In Latvia, the chaffinch is the most common breeding bird, and it is a characteristic part of the soundscape of the Amata valley throughout the warmer months.