Birds in West Midlands
Explore 143 species found in this region.
The West Midlands county is home to an impressive 143 recorded bird species, offering surprisingly diverse birdlife for a predominantly urban region. Parks, reservoirs, canals, and green corridors provide vital habitats for species ranging from the familiar Great Tit and Magpie to less expected visitors such as the Common Merganser, Eurasian Woodcock, and Mandarin Duck. Whether you're exploring Sutton Park, Sandwell Valley, or local nature reserves, the West Midlands rewards birdwatchers with a rich variety of resident and migratory species throughout the year.
Visiting in April? Look out for Barn Swallow and Black-necked Grebe arriving this month, and Common Gull and Corn Bunting depart for the season.
Showing 116–138 of 143 species
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Common year-round in towns and cities. Feral pigeons thrive in urban centres across the West Midlands.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
An uncommon resident, with rookeries found in farmland and parkland trees. More frequent in the rural fringes than in urban Birmingham.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
A common year-round resident, with established feral populations in urban parks and suburbs across the region, often seen in noisy flocks.
Year-round
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensisLC
Now rare following national eradication efforts. Once a West Midlands stronghold, sightings are increasingly scarce.
Aug–May
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
An uncommon summer breeder, arriving from March and nesting in sandy banks along rivers and gravel pits across the region.
Mar–Sep
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, singing its chattering song from reedbeds and waterside scrub at wetland reserves.
Apr–Aug
Smew
Mergellus albellusLC
A rare winter visitor from December to March, occasionally appearing on larger reservoirs during cold spells.
Dec–Mar
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common year-round resident singing from gardens, parks and hedgerows, though numbers have declined significantly in recent decades.
Year-round
Spotted something?
Upload a photo to identify it
Identify
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
An uncommon but widespread resident, hunting small birds in gardens, parks and woodland. Often seen dashing along hedgerows year-round.
Year-round
Spotted Crake
Porzana porzanaLC
A rare and secretive passage migrant, occasionally recorded at marshy wetland edges in August.
Aug
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
A rare passage migrant through the region, pausing at woodland edges and parks to sally for insects from exposed perches.
May–Sep
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A common but often overlooked resident, nesting in tree holes across parkland and farmland. Distinguished from Woodpigeon by its smaller size.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor, occasionally turning up on rough grassland and scrubby margins outside the summer months.
Aug–Mar
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A rare but resident nocturnal owl of mature woodland and wooded parks. Its hooting call is heard year-round but most vocal in autumn and winter.
Year-round
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
A rare passage migrant noted briefly in April and August, pausing in open woodland and scrub on migration.
Apr–Aug
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
An unobtrusive year-round resident, spiralling up tree trunks in mature woodland and parkland across the region.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
A common diving duck found year-round on reservoirs, gravel pits, and park lakes across the region.
Year-round
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
A secretive rare resident of reedbeds and marshy margins, more often heard squealing than seen. Present nearly year-round at wetland reserves.
Jun–Apr
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
A rare visitor on spring and autumn passage, favouring open ground and playing fields. Briefly pauses in the region en route to upland breeding areas.
Mar–Sep
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
A rare passage migrant in spring and autumn, briefly visiting open scrubby areas and rough grassland on migration.
Apr–Sep
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, favouring hedgerows and scrubby margins. Its scratchy song is a feature of rural lanes.
Apr–Sep
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
A rare and severely declining species, occasionally recorded in winter and early spring in damp scrubby woodland and old hedgerows.
Nov–Apr
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
An uncommon summer visitor, singing from scrubby woodland edges and heathland. Declining as a breeder in the West Midlands.
Mar–Sep