Birds in Manchester
Explore 160 species found in this region.
Manchester's diverse landscapes, from urban parks and canal corridors to the moorland fringes of the Pennines, support an impressive array of birdlife, with 159 species recorded across the county. Notable species include the Pink-footed Goose, which arrives in large flocks during winter, the striking Mandarin Duck found along wooded waterways, and the charismatic Northern Lapwing on surrounding farmland. Whether you're exploring the Mersey Valley, the mosslands, or the reservoirs of the eastern hills, Manchester offers rewarding birding opportunities throughout the year.
Visiting in April? Look out for Arctic Tern and Black Tern arriving this month, and Eurasian Woodcock and Jack Snipe depart for the season.
Showing 70–92 of 160 species
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
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
A rare but increasingly recorded non-breeding visitor, appearing at wetlands and reservoirs mainly from late summer through winter.
Aug–Jan
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor from November to April, occasionally joining tufted duck flocks on larger reservoirs and lodges.
Nov–Apr
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifronsLC
A rare November visitor, with occasional birds turning up among flocks of other geese on flooded fields and reservoirs.
Nov
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
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Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
A rare passage wader in May and again in August–September, occasionally stopping at reservoirs and sewage works on migration.
May–Sep
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 Phalarope
Phalaropus fulicariusLC
A rare autumn vagrant, occasionally driven inland to reservoirs by strong Atlantic storms in September.
Sep
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
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
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
Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoidesLC
A rare winter visitor, occasionally turning up in January among gull roosts at local reservoirs. A prized find for Manchester birders.
Jan
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A secretive winter visitor to boggy margins and marshy fields, rarely seen unless flushed at close range.
Dec–Mar
Jackdaw
Coloeus 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
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