British wildlife recordings

Gavia stellata : Red-throated Diver - Gaviidae

  • Add a note
    Log in to add a note at the bottom of this page.
  • All notes
  • My notes
  • Hide notes
Please click to leave a note

The British Library Board acknowledges the intellectual property rights of those named as contributors to this recording and the rights of those not identified.
Legal and ethical usage »

Tags (top 25):
(No tags found for this item)

What is this? Log in to add a term that describes this item and help make it easier to find.

  • Type

    sound

  • Duration

    00:02:28

  • Shelf mark

    W1CDR0001524 BD5

  • Subjects

    Birds

  • Recording date

    1970s

  • Recording locations

    Kyle of Tongue, Scottish Highlands: OS Grid Reference(258500,958500)

  • Recordist

    Williams, Aubrey John

  • Species

    Red-throated Diver, Gavia stellata

  • Description

    The call of the red-throated diver recorded at the Kyle of Tongue, Scotland. The red-throated diver is primarily a coastal bird which only comes inland to breed. During this period it can be found on freshwater lochs across western Scotland as well as offshore islands and areas of northern Ireland. This species of diver usually possesses a rather dull grey-brown plumage, but does develop a red patch across the throat during the summer months. As the name suggests, diving is a key aspect of the red-throated diver’s hunting technique. They often make a leap before plunging into the water where they can stay submerged for over a minute. A normally silent bird, it can become quite noisy during the breeding season when it produces a wailing ‘ya-roo ya-roo ya-roo’ call.

  • Metadata record:

    View full metadata for this item