Common Grasshopper

Habitat: Moderately moist hay meadows with blackberry, raspberry or nettle thickets, overgrown clearings in the forest, moist heath vegetation, osier beds and moist dune valleys, occasionally also in corn, rapeseed or clover fields. It lives among the grass in the company of mice and does not fly away when someone approaches, but crawls even deeper into the ground vegetation.

Appearance: In Europe, a local summer visitor, usually found by its song. In Belgium and the Netherlands, a fairly numerous breeding bird – migratory – passing through in fairly small numbers.

Breeding season: May – July, nest on the ground – The nest is located near the main singing post on a bed of withered leaves. It is made from plant stems, is about the size of a fist and is bowl-shaped. It is not uncommon for a clearly recognisable path of flattened grass stems to lead to it. Both parents build the nest and take turns breeding, 5 to 6 eggs.

Characteristics: Length 12.5 – 13.5 cm, wingspan 18 – 21 cm, weight 10 – 20 grams, age 4 years.

Food: Insects, larvae, etc.