| Pan-European Migratory Species: Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica): Migrates and breeds across all EU territories from Southern to Northern Europe. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia): Uses major European flyways crossing through virtually all EU nations during spring and autumn migration. European Robin (Erithacus rubecula): Widespread resident and migrant present in every EU country. Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix): A highly migratory ground bird breeding regularly in all EU member states. Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla): A remarkably adaptable migratory songbird found traversing or breeding in every EU country. Additional Widespread European Migrants: Common Swift (Apus apus): Spends summers breeding in all EU nations before migrating to Sub-Saharan Africa. Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus): A widespread brood parasite present across every EU country during the spring breeding season. <~ probably not the image one would want on a 5 Euro note. Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis): Moves dynamically across all EU borders, adapting via partial migration. Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos): A migratory and resident songbird found throughout the entire European Union. <~ due to homonym in English for a medical condition. probably not the right image either. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita): A highly migratory leaf warbler that breeds or passes through every EU state. Many species of birds are HIGHLY migratory, spend some part of every year chasing weather that supports and provides food for them. Some of these make round trips from the sub-Arctic to sub-Saharan climates every year. So a list of birds that is acceptable and not 'favoring' any one nation is an easy move. Choosing birds that actually are found in all 27 member nations is a great idea. Even Malta and Cyprus see all ten of these species as they provide important migration stopovers in the Mediterranean during migration and a few of these species, the Quail even manages to have historically had breeding populations in both, as well as using the islands as key migratory stopovers. Using birds on an Euro note can help draw public awareness to the ongoing need for cooperation among nations in the protections of a shared symbol of natural freedom, which migratory birds embody. |