Birds to See in Manchester in July
114 species matching this filter.
Manchester's diverse mix of urban parks, reservoirs, river valleys, and surrounding farmland supports an impressive variety of birdlife, with 114 species recorded during July. This is a rewarding month for birdwatching as summer residents such as House Martins, Common Reed-warblers, and Common Sandpipers are in full activity, while farmland edges may reveal Barn Owls hunting at dusk and Linnets singing from hedgerows. Wetland sites across the county also host species like Little Grebe, Common Shelduck, and Common Merganser, making waterside habitats particularly productive.
Resident
(86)
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
A rare resident on the rural fringes, favouring farmland and rough grassland around the Pennine edges. Occasionally seen hunting at dusk over open fields.
Oct–Aug
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
An abundant resident in virtually every habitat, from city centre gardens to woodland. Its melodious song is heard throughout the year.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
A common resident found in woodland, parks, and gardens year-round. Winter birds from the continent supplement the local breeding population.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
One of the most familiar garden birds in Manchester, present year-round. A regular visitor to feeders and nest boxes across the region.
Year-round
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
A common but often secretive resident of hedgerows, woodland edges, and mature gardens. Its soft, piping call is often heard before the bird is seen.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
An increasingly familiar sight soaring over farmland and moorland edges, having recolonised the region in recent decades.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
A common resident of park lakes, canals, and reservoirs year-round, often gathering in large moulting flocks during summer.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
A common and conspicuous resident across all habitats, from city centre rooftops to moorland edges. Intelligent and highly adaptable.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
A year-round resident expanding its range northward. Skulks in dense waterside vegetation, more often heard giving its explosive burst of song.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common year-round resident found in gardens, parks, and woodlands across the region. Males sing their bright, cascading song from early spring.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common resident heard singing its distinctive two-note call in parks and woodland year-round. Increasingly overwinters in sheltered urban habitats.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
A common resident of coniferous and mixed woodland, readily visiting garden feeders. Its high-pitched call is a familiar sound in parks.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Present most of the year on playing fields, reservoirs, and car parks, often mixed in with other gull flocks.
Jul–May
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
An uncommon year-round resident along clean rivers and canals, including the Mersey and Irwell. A flash of electric blue rewards patient watchers.
Year-round
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
Frequents the Mersey and Irwell rivers year-round, often seen fishing in fast-flowing stretches. Known locally as goosander.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
An uncommon resident on farmland and green fringes around the city. Released birds sustain the population year-round.
Year-round
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, spreading from the Pennine moorland edges into more urban areas. Its deep cronking call is now heard year-round.
Year-round
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
An uncommon resident found in birch and alder woodland, particularly along river valleys. Small, twittering flocks forage acrobatically in treetops.
Year-round
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
A rare and unexpected inland visitor, occasionally appearing on larger reservoirs during spring, summer, or autumn passage.
Mar–Oct
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
A rare resident on reservoirs and sewage works, present mainly from winter through summer before a moulting departure.
Jan–Sep
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon resident of boggy moorland edges and marshy fields, more conspicuous in winter when birds gather at lowland wetlands.
Year-round
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common resident forming spectacular winter murmurations over the city centre. Numbers boosted by continental arrivals in colder months.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Common on reservoirs, lodges, and canal basins across Greater Manchester, often gathering in large flocks in winter.
Year-round
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
A rare but charismatic resident of fast-flowing streams on the Pennine fringe. Bobs on rocks along the Goyt, Tame, and upper Mersey.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
A rare resident breeding on high Pennine moorland in summer and visiting lowland wetlands in passage periods. Numbers are small but regular.
Feb–Nov
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common but unassuming resident of hedgerows, gardens, and scrub. Its shuffling gait and thin song are familiar across Greater Manchester.
Year-round
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
A familiar resident in suburban gardens and housing estates, its monotonous three-note call heard throughout the year.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
A common resident of oak woodland and mature parks. Its harsh screeching call is often heard in autumn as it caches acorns across the region.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
A common resident of mature broadleaved woodland and parkland, steadily spreading across Greater Manchester. Often heard before seen.
Year-round
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
An uncommon but year-round resident, increasingly breeding inland on gravel rooftops and playing fields across Greater Manchester.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident favouring alder and conifer woodland. Often visits garden nyjer feeders in winter, sometimes in small, lively flocks.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
An uncommon resident of open farmland and moorland fringes. Song flights can be heard on the Pennine edges, though numbers have declined significantly.
Year-round
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
A rare and declining resident, sometimes found around farmland edges and rural fringes. Less common than House Sparrow in urban Manchester.
Nov–Aug
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
A common and vocal resident found in virtually every garden, park, and woodland. Its powerful song belies its tiny size throughout the year.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A common and colourful resident, increasingly seen in gardens and on feeders. Charm flocks gather on teasel and thistle heads in autumn.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
A common resident, nesting on rooftops and loafing at tips, reservoirs, and supermarket car parks year-round.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
One of the most familiar garden birds, present year-round. Fiercely territorial, singing even through winter in parks and hedgerows across the region.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
Found year-round on well-vegetated lakes and lodges. Quieter than its relatives, often overlooked among Mallards.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
A common resident of coniferous and mixed woodland, parks, and mature gardens. Britain's smallest bird, with a thin, high-pitched call.
Year-round
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
An uncommon diving duck on reservoirs and lodges, mainly in winter. Males flash striking white plumage in display.
Jul–May
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, often seen loafing at reservoirs and tips. The largest gull in the region, dwarfing nearby Herring Gulls.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
A common resident seen year-round on reservoirs, rivers, and canals. Often perches with wings outstretched to dry on waterside structures.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Common on larger lakes and reservoirs, performing elaborate courtship displays in spring. Numbers rise in winter.
Year-round
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
A common resident in mature woodland and leafy parks. Its loud drumming is a familiar spring sound in sites like Chorlton Ees and the Mersey valley.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
One of the most familiar garden birds, visiting feeders year-round and nesting readily in nest boxes.
Year-round
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
A scarce but regular visitor to muddy reservoir edges, mainly on return passage from late summer into autumn.
Jul–Apr
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common garden and parkland resident year-round, though numbers have declined due to disease. Often visits feeders in suburban areas.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A familiar year-round presence along canals, rivers, and park lakes, often seen standing motionless at the water's edge.
Year-round
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
A rare and declining resident of arable farmland on the region's rural fringes, increasingly hard to find in Greater Manchester.
Year-round
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
A common resident along fast-flowing streams and rivers. Often bobs its long tail on rocks; increasingly seen around urban waterways and canals.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A rare resident around Manchester's reservoirs and park lakes, with feral populations bolstered by wild birds in winter.
Year-round
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common year-round resident closely tied to urban areas. Noisy colonies nest under eaves and in hedges across Manchester's suburbs and estates.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A sociable and noisy resident, commonly seen in flocks around church towers, parks, and suburban rooftops.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
An uncommon year-round resident, often seen hovering over motorway verges and rough grassland on the urban fringe. Numbers have declined locally.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
A common resident nesting on rooftops across the city. Large numbers gather at reservoirs and landfill sites throughout the year.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
An uncommon resident of rough grassland, allotments, and scrubby farmland margins. Numbers have declined nationally but small flocks persist locally.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, now seen year-round at wetland sites and river margins. A relatively recent coloniser of the Manchester area.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon year-round resident on ponds, canals, and quiet lodge pools. Its distinctive trilling call often betrays its presence.
Year-round
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare resident found on farmland and rough pasture at the rural fringes of Greater Manchester. Declining and increasingly hard to find.
Jan–Sep
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A common and charming resident, roaming hedgerows and gardens in noisy family flocks. Easily found in parks and woodland edges throughout the year.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A bold and abundant resident throughout the region, thriving in gardens, parks, and hedgerows. One of Manchester's most familiar birds.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Abundant on canals, park ponds, and rivers throughout the city year-round. The most familiar duck in the region.
Year-round
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
A rare but established resident, favouring wooded lakes and lodges where it nests in tree holes. A striking exotic addition.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A year-round resident of rough grassland and moorland on the Pennine fringes. Less common in lowland urban areas of Greater Manchester.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
A common year-round resident of parks, playing fields, and woodland edges. Often sings from tall trees even in midwinter.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident found on canals, park lakes, and lodge edges throughout the year, often seen foraging boldly along bankside paths.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A familiar sight on canals, park lakes, and the River Mersey year-round. Breeds readily across the urban area.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
An uncommon resident of farmland and moorland fringes, with numbers boosted in winter by flocks on flooded fields. Declining nationally.
Year-round
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Present year-round on shallow lakes and lodges, sweeping its broad bill through the water. Numbers peak in winter.
Year-round
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
A rare but iconic year-round resident, nesting on tall city-centre buildings and hunting pigeons over the rooftops.
Year-round
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon year-round resident on deeper lakes and reservoirs. Numbers are declining nationally, making local birds notable.
Year-round
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common resident of reedbeds, marshes, and damp scrub around local wetland sites. Males show a distinctive black head in breeding plumage.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Abundant year-round in the city centre and suburbs, thriving on buildings and bridges that mimic its ancestral cliff-nesting habitat.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
An uncommon resident, with rookeries found on the rural edges of Greater Manchester. Less numerous here than in surrounding agricultural lowlands.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
Now a common resident, with noisy flocks established across suburban parks and gardens. Numbers have grown rapidly in recent years.
Year-round
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A familiar resident of gardens, parks, and woodland. Often heard smashing snail shells on paths; sadly declining nationally but still common here.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
A year-round resident that hunts small birds through suburban gardens and parkland. Increasingly seen darting along hedgerows across Greater Manchester.
Year-round
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
An uncommon year-round resident, favouring parkland and mature woodland edges with old trees providing nest holes.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
A rare resident favouring moorland edges and rough grassland on the fringes of Greater Manchester. Often perches prominently on gorse or fence posts.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A secretive year-round resident of mature woodland and wooded parks, more often heard hooting at dusk than seen.
Year-round
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
An unobtrusive resident spiralling up tree trunks in mature woodland and parks. Listen for its thin, high-pitched call year-round.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Common on park lakes, reservoirs, and lodges throughout the year. Dives frequently, often in sizeable winter flocks.
Year-round
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
A secretive resident of reedbeds and marshy margins, more often heard squealing than seen at sites like Pennington Flash.
Year-round
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
An uncommon and declining resident of damp woodland and scrubby edges. One of the UK's most threatened species, with scattered sites across the region.
Year-round
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant year-round resident of parks, gardens, and woodland throughout the region. Large flocks often gather on playing fields in winter.
Year-round
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
A rare resident of farmland hedgerows on the rural fringes. Has declined significantly but can still be found singing from exposed perches.
Year-round
Breeding
(23)
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A common summer visitor arriving from March, nesting in barns and outbuildings on the rural fringe. Gathers in large flocks before autumn departure.
Mar–Oct
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
An uncommon summer visitor breeding in reedbeds at local wetland reserves like Woolston Eyes and Sale Water Park from April to September.
Apr–Sep
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
An uncommon breeding visitor from April to September, bobbing along stony riverbanks and reservoir edges across the region.
Apr–Sep
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
Screaming parties fill the skies above terraced streets from May to August, nesting under eaves. Departs by early autumn.
Apr–Sep
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
An uncommon breeding visitor from April to August, nesting on rafts and islands at sites like Pennington Flash and Elton Reservoir.
Apr–Aug
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Breeds on upland moorland fringing the city, arriving from February. A declining species of conservation concern.
Feb–Aug
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
A rare breeder in parkland and woodland edges, its loud laughing call carrying across open ground in spring.
Mar–Sep
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borinLC
A rare and secretive summer breeder favouring dense scrub and woodland understorey. Present April to September but easily overlooked.
Apr–Sep
Grasshopper Warbler
Locustella naeviaLC
A rare and secretive breeding visitor, arriving in April. Its insect-like reeling song carries across rough grassland and scrubby moorland edges.
Apr–Aug
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
A rare summer visitor arriving in May, hunting dragonflies over reservoirs and wetlands. Departs by September for African wintering grounds.
May–Sep
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
A common summer breeder from April to October, nesting under eaves across the city. Numbers have declined but colonies persist in many areas.
Apr–Oct
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
A rare summer breeder arriving in April, favouring dense hedgerows and scrubby thickets. Its rattling song is heard on the region's rural margins.
Apr–Sep
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubiusLC
Breeds at gravel pits and reservoir margins from spring into summer. A subtle wader, best found by its descending call.
Mar–Sep
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
A rare breeder on wet grassland and reservoir margins, with numbers declining across the region.
Mar–Nov
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
A rare breeding visitor, occasionally nesting on gravel margins of reservoirs and former industrial brownfield sites.
Feb–Sep
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
Arrives from March, nesting in sandy riverbanks and quarry faces. Often seen hawking insects over reservoirs and the Mersey valley.
Mar–Sep
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
A summer visitor to reedbeds and scrubby wetland margins, delivering its rapid chattering song from April to August.
Apr–Aug
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
A rare and declining summer breeder, arriving in May. Favours woodland edges and mature gardens, sallying from exposed perches for insects.
May–Sep
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
An uncommon breeder on upland moorland edges east of the city. Also seen on passage at lowland sites in spring and autumn.
Mar–Oct
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
A common summer breeder arriving in April, favouring hedgerows, scrub, and bramble patches. Its scratchy song is a hallmark of warm days.
Apr–Sep
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
A common summer breeder found in scrubby woodland and moorland edges. Its sweet descending song is a hallmark of spring across Greater Manchester.
Apr–Sep
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
An uncommon summer breeder found on damp pastures and farmland edges. Arrives in April and departs by September; declining across the region.
Apr–Sep
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
A rare visitor, occasionally breeding locally. Look for yellow legs among the commoner gull flocks at reservoirs and landfill sites.
Feb–Aug
Passage
(5)
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
A rare passage visitor to local reservoirs and lodges, most likely in late summer and early autumn. A scarce bird anywhere inland.
Apr–Sep
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
A rare passage wader appearing at wetland sites in spring and late summer, favouring shallow scrapes and flooded fields.
Apr–Sep
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
A rare passage migrant in spring and autumn, occasionally pausing in parks and woodland edges. Breeds nearby in Pennine oak woods.
Apr–Sep
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally recorded in late spring and summer. Has declined severely across northern England and is now very scarce.
May–Jul
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiacaLC
A rare visitor, likely of feral origin, occasionally spotted on park lakes and waterways during summer and early autumn.
Jun–Sep