Celebrities tell RSPB what bird is tops for them
The dipper ' the James Bond of the bird world', the powerful peregrine and the songful skylark are just some of the answers given by celebrities when the RSPB asked them to name their favourite bird.
Christopher Eccleston, television's Dr Who, chose the golden eagle after dreaming of this majestic bird as a child. Charley Webb, teenager Debbie Dingle in Emmerdale, nominated the kestrel.
RSPB Wildlife Explorers, the junior membership of the RSPB, asked ten celebrities in the latest issue of BirdLife [note 1] to nominate their favourite UK bird and to tell us why they like it.
The swallow topped the poll for TV wildlife presenter Bill Oddie, whilst Nick Baker, TV presenter and president of RSPB Wildlife Explorers, choose the dipper, a bird he describes as dapper, smart and sleek.
Billy Boyd, Peregrine Took in Lord of the Rings, looked no further than the peregrine itself. He said: "One of my most challenging and yet rewarding roles as an actor was the character of Peregrine Took in Lord of the Rings. A brave but cheery and cheeky character, much like the peregrine. So choosing the peregrine has a personal appeal for me as well."
Derek Niemann, editor of RSPB BirdLife magazine, said: "What's your favourite bird? When people are asked to pick a favourite of anything, the real pleasure is in looking at the alternatives. In the case of birds, there are hundreds of species in the UK to choose from. When you choose your favourite bird, you'll be thinking about the ones you really like and why. It will make you want to go out and see more birds."
The other celebrities include:
Fearne Cotton, ToTP and children's presenter, choose the eagle after seeing them fly around in parts of America.
The puffin, with its colourful beak, was a favourite with Blue Peter presenter, Matt Baker and Really Wild Show presenter Michaela Strachan.
Kate Humble, Springwatch presenter, nominated the skylark with its beautiful song.
TV presenter, Simon Thomas, chose the house martin. House martins are summer migrants and spend their winters in Africa, yet return to the same nesting spot every year. What incredible navigation!
