Regents Park
Within its 166 hectares (410 acres) Regent's Park is amazingly diverse in terms of what it has to offer visitors. Ranging from wide-open playing fields and wildflower grassland to more secluded woodland, wetland and reedbeds. One very important element of the management of the Park is a focus on the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity.
Regent's Park boasts an impressive list of at least 200 bird species of which 114 species are regulars. This is all the more impressive given its location in the very heart of London.
The Park consists of formal gardens, shrubberies, sports pitches, rough grassland, a large lake with several reed beds and islands, a small, enclosed wood and a canal with embankments. These areas can offer food and nest sites for the 47 park resident and summer visiting species.
Wildlife highlights:
Birds: Mature trees provide nest sites for species like Tawny Owl, Green Woodpecker and Kestrel and secluded shrubbery provide nesting opportunities for tits, Robins, Blackbirds and other small birds. The open grasslands are great places to observe, amongst others, Redwing, Mistle Thrush and Pied Wagtail. In spring, migrant warblers arrive to breed - Reed Warblers can be heard chattering from the reedbeds around the lake and the melodious song of the Blackcap can be heard from the trees.
One of the special birds to look out for is the spectacular Peregrine Falcon, a pair of which has nested on a building close to the edge of the Park since 2003. By the boating lake there is a spectacular heronry with over 20 nesting pairs each year.
Butterflies: 21 species of butterfly and more than 230 species of moth have been recorded in the park. Some unusual butterfly records for the area include the Marbled White and the White Letter Hairstreak. A nice species to look out for is the Holly Blue - a small but distinctive powder-blue species that has two generations per year. Remarkably, the first generation breeds mainly on Holly in the spring and the second depends exclusively on Ivy in the summer.
Waterside areas are also attractive to dragonflies and damselflies and at least 9 species have been recorded.
Location and access: The park is open from 5am all year round. Closing times vary depending on the season. For exact closing times, click here. Very near Central London, Regents Park has a tube station named after it, and is also near Camden Town, Baker Street and Great Portland Street stations.
These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.
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