Every winter, flocks of geese, and redwings gather at the Meadow, and the geese in particular bring with them a loud chorus to the Meadow. Greylags, Canadas, and various hybrids – yes, greylag x Canada hybrid geese can be seen in the winter flocks here too! – walk and fly around the fields of the Meadow, and float along the Rivers Cherwell and Thames. Mute Swans too, can be seen in the Rivers, and even on the Meadow too.

A variety of corvids – magpies, jays, carrion crows and jackdaws – call the Meadow home, as do many small birds such as the brilliantly coloured blue tit, the adorable longtailed tit, tiny treecreepers, the wonderful wren, and of course the robin. Groups of starlings can be witnessed flying over the Meadow and among the trees. Herons and occasionally egrets can be sighted here too (with luck,at the same time!). Herons used to be found in Tom Quad when the Mercury Pond hosted fish. Porters and students were able to see the birds hoping to get a fish.

Birds are fortunately able to find meals of various kinds on the Meadow. Various insects are consumed by the small birds, ducks , cormorants, gulls, the occasional tern and kingfishers gaining nourishment from the bounty of the rivers. Crows make use of human crumbs and leftovers alongside probing the Meadow for insects, worms, and seeds. Dead and dying wildlife – even other birds – are not ignored by them, as I had seen on two occasions. While grim to some, these intelligent birds do not ignore opportunities and play an important role in helping to keep the Meadow clean. Their intelligence is talked about in lectures, and entertains and intrigues scholars the world over.

Many bird watchers came to the college and the Meadow in the winter of 2024-25 to catch a glimpse or more of a rare visitor to Christ Church, the black redstart. According to the RSPB website, there are less than 100 breeding pairs in the UK. A male of this bird, a species with a preference for rocky sites, was sighted multiple times on and around the Meadow building. I was lucky enough to have seen this bird at Christ Church, watching it hop and fly around the Meadow building before landing on the gate leading into the Master's Garden. This little bird was a joy to see, and hopefully brought joy to all those who saw it!

There may be one bird at Christ Church Meadow that rivals, even potentially exceeding, the Red Start in rarity of sightings. Visitors to the Meadow would be fortunate to hear it, even more fortunate to see it. While marvellous moorhens are relatively easy to see, the water rail is rarely sighted. And it is notoriously heard rather than seen. At Christ Church Meadow, I saw a water rail in January 2022, during my first year at Oxford.

Moorhens, dark coloured birds with an orange beak and large feet at the end of long legs. are more likely to be a feature of a walk around the Meadow. Walking along the paths you may see them on the river, in the ditches or going in or out of the vegetation. Be careful not to startle them if they are hidden – they can make themselves known if they feel they need to. Being careful and considerate may also grant you a view of juveniles and maybe even a nest (please be very careful not to disturb the nesting birds on their expertly concealed nest).

Another more noticeable species – especially audibly – is the rose ringed parakeet. These parrots, originally from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, are a colourful but controversial addition to the birds of the UK. I do not recall observing these birds here during my surveys for dragonflies and damselflies in the summer of 2022, but by November 2022 they were around for a walk with Oxfordshire Wildlife Photography and Filmmaking (one of the many wonderful societies and clubs at Oxford). I have since seen them on the vast majority of my visits to the Meadow, These colourful parrots at Christ Church Meadow are most likely to be encountered (in my experience at least) in the trees at the southern part of the site, though you can also see them in the trees of Long Meadow near to Jubilee bridge and flying around the general area of Christ Church Meadow.

Kingfishers too may be seen in this area, and around the site with the Rivers Cherwell and Thames. These dazzlingly vibrant and fast birds are truly wonderful, and anyone who gets to see one is fortunate. Listen out for their whistling song and keep an eye for flashes of blue diving into or rising from the water or flying past like a spirit of the waterways and trees.

Mention of the birds of Christ Church and the Meadow would be incomplete without the birds of prey. The species found here include the Peregrine, a majestic bird that is known to prey on parakeets in London and beyond. A pair may have nested , or at least been using Tom Tower in spring 2023 – I have a fond memory of one flying upside down beneath the other and exchanging an item, likely food, on the morning before an exam that year. Kestrels, another falcon, can be seen around the Meadow, as can occasionally buzzards, sparrow hawks, and of course that glorious icon of the Oxfordshire skies, the Red Kite. The conservation success story of the Red Kite, now a frequent sight in Oxford’s skies, brings hope. Perhaps with recent news reports of the UK's largest raptor, the white tailed sea eagle in places including central London being less frequent, perhaps the bird fauna at Christ Church Meadow will see a gigantic addition in the future.

From the rarities to what some may see as common and easy to see, Christ Church Meadow has a variety of different bird species. All are wonderful and should not be taken for granted – the blackbird, once so common, has now become subject to concern due to being susceptible to a virus. During my time at Oxford I was lucky enough to see this delightful bird take a bath in a puddle in the college ( a wonderful moment) and enjoy its presence on many other days. However adventurous or relaxed your time spent at Christ Church Meadow (and the college) is spent, why not listen out for bird song, watch the trees for the antics of song birds or watch the skies for soaring giants, and so much more. What winged wonders will you encounter?