Cold weather is putting one of UK's rarest birds at risk

One of the UK's rarest birds is being put at greater risk of extinction by the cold spring, according to bird experts.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said the bodies of eight stone curlews* had been found in fields in Norfolk, Suffolk and Wiltshire over the past few days.

The birds were very underweight and the charity thinks they may have come from Africa and Spain but couldn't find enough food to survive

The birds weighed about 300g (10oz) compared to what is considered a healthy weight of 450g (15oz).

It's thought there are around 400 pairs of stone curlews in the UK.

Other birds have been affected by the cold weather.

At the end of March, hundreds of dead birds including puffins* were washed ashore after severe conditions in the North Sea

The RSPB said it had also received reports of short-eared owls and barn owls found dead after cold weather hampered their ability to hunt.

Mr Harper said: "We should be hearing the sound of chiffchaffs calling from the trees, a classic sign that spring is here, but that isn't the case.

"Some may have stalled on their migration route, while for others the severe lack of insect food available means they are conserving what little energy they have."

From CBBC / BBC 

*  curlew -maçarico real
* puffin- papagaio- do-mar