Credit: Apodemus sylvaticus bosmuis, Rasbak
Wildlife Explorer
The landscape of Birmingham and the Black Country has a rich social, economic and natural heritage shaped by a complex history of rural, industrial, and more recent suburban and commercial land use. The wildlife is as varied and valuable as that of any other part of the United Kingdom.
The rare and the special are here, from scarce mammals like water voles and polecats to dragonflies and kingfishers, plus a huge variety of plant life, as documented in the trailblazing book ‘Flora of Birmingham and the Black Country’. Adding spice to this is an astounding mix of species reflecting the many peoples and trades that have come here from around the world – for example plants grown from Argentinian seeds, and African parakeets.
European hedgehog
These beloved spiny mammals come out at night to hoover up beetles, worms and other invertebrates.
Bottlenose dolphin
The bottlenose dolphins in our waters are the biggest of their kind – they need to be able to cope with our chilly waters!
Common frog
Our most well-known amphibian, the common frog is a regular visitor to garden ponds across the country, where they feast on slugs and…
Buff-tailed bumblebee
Spot these giants of the bumblebee world during springtime. They can be seen buzzing from flower to flower, getting their pollen fix.…
Freshwater
The rain-soaked lands of Britain and Northern Ireland are rich in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, canals and ditches. Whether natural or…
Basking shark
This gentle giant is the largest shark in UK seas, reaching up to 12m in length. There's no need to fear them though, they only eat…
