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 116–138 of 160 species
Red Grouse
Lagopus lagopus scoticaLC
Breeds on the Pennine moors east of Manchester but rarely ventures into the urban area. Occasionally noted on passage.
Apr–Aug
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
A rare autumn passage visitor, sometimes appearing at inland reservoirs after coastal weather movements.
Sep
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
A rare passage visitor in November, occasionally turning up on reservoirs and lodges around Greater Manchester during autumn migration.
Nov
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
A rare visitor to farmland edges, occasionally recorded in spring. More typical of drier lowland areas further south.
Apr–May
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
A rare breeder on wet grassland and reservoir margins, with numbers declining across the region.
Mar–Nov
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
A common winter visitor from Scandinavia, arriving in October to feed on berries in hedgerows and parks. Often found alongside fieldfares in flocks.
Oct–Apr
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
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
A rare passage migrant seen briefly in April on Pennine moorland edges. Look for its distinctive white breast crescent on upland slopes.
Apr
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Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
A rare breeding visitor, occasionally nesting on gravel margins of reservoirs and former industrial brownfield sites.
Feb–Sep
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
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
A rare passage visitor in spring and autumn, unusual this far inland. Occasionally recorded at reservoirs and wetland sites during migration.
Oct–Apr
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
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensisLC
A rare breeding species now largely eradicated by national control programmes, but still occasionally recorded on local lodges.
Apr–Jan
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
A rare spring passage migrant, occasionally stopping at reservoir edges and gravel shores on northward migration.
May
Ruff
Philomachus pugnaxLC
A rare autumn passage migrant, occasionally stopping at wetland reserves in August and September. Most likely at sites with muddy margins.
Aug–Sep
Sabine's Gull
Xema sabiniLC
A rare pelagic gull occasionally storm-blown to inland waters in late summer; a prized find for local birders.
Aug
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
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
A rare spring passage visitor, occasionally recorded at inland reservoirs in May. Typically a coastal wader, so sightings here are noteworthy.
May
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
A summer visitor to reedbeds and scrubby wetland margins, delivering its rapid chattering song from April to August.
Apr–Aug
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
A rare passage visitor in February and November, occasionally seen quartering moorland edges and rough grassland on the Pennine fringe.
Nov–Feb
Smew
Mergellus albellusLC
A rare late-winter visitor in February and March, sometimes appearing on reservoirs during hard weather on the Continent.
Feb–Mar
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