The common nightingale is a small, brown songbird with one of the most celebrated songs in the natural world. It has inspired poetry, music and folklore for thousands of years.
Interesting facts
- Despite its famous song, the nightingale is a plain brown bird.
- It sings both day and night during the breeding season.
- The nightingale has inspired poets such as John Keats.
- In 1924, a cellist playing duets with nightingales in her garden became one of the first live outdoor BBC radio broadcasts.
- Nightingale numbers in Britain have fallen by about 90 percent in 50 years.
- It skulks in dense bushes and is far easier to hear than to see.
Behaviour
Nightingales arrive from Africa in April and sing from dense cover. They forage on the ground under bushes.
Breeding and young
Females build cup nests close to the ground in dense vegetation and lay four or five eggs.
Threats and conservation
Loss of dense scrub habitat, deer browsing that removes undergrowth, and problems on migration and in wintering areas.
Where to see it
- Knepp Estate, West Sussex, England
- Fingringhoe Wick, Essex, England
- Scrub and woodland in Spain, France and the Balkans in April and May
- Listen at dusk or at night in late spring
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
