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.
Water rail
From grunts and groans, to 'purring' and 'piglet squealing', the water rail is more often heard than it is seen!…
Marsh-marigold
The large, golden flowers of marsh-marigold look like the cups of kings, hence its other name: 'kingcup'. It favours damp…
Ponds
Whether found in a garden or part of an agricultural landscape, ponds are oases of wildlife worth investigating. Even small ponds can…
Devil's coach horse
A ferocious and fast predator, the Devil's coach horse beetle hunts invertebrates after dark in gardens and on grasslands. It is…
Scorpionfly
The scorpionfly, as its name suggests, has a curved 'tail' that looks like a sting. It is, in fact, the males' claspers…
Snow flea
This flightless relative of the scorpionfly roams across clumps of moss in winter.
