St James Park and Green Park
The highlight of many a young visitor to London is to feed the birds in St James Park. And there can be some surprises. The park has been used for an exotic collection for along time and it's most famous residents are the pelicans.
A short walk away from three palaces (St James's, Westminster and Buckingham Palaces) and in the heart of historical London, the Park welcomes over 5.5 million visitors every year and is one of the most visited Parks in Europe. This heavy use inevitably has an impact on the wildlife in the area, yet it can be surprising to some how much can live and grow alongside humans.
One of the key habitats in St James's Park is the lake. It is home to a wide range of birdlife (including 15 different species of waterfowl) and has nesting sites on Duck Island and West Island.
Birds: British species of duck seen on the lake include Shelduck, Wigeon, Tufetd duck, Gadwall, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Common Pochard and Goldeneye, but do also look out for more exotic water birds from our collection, such as Black Swans, Red-crested Pochard and others. The secluded shrubberies and the woodlands on the islands are important refuges for birds such as long-tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, robin, blackbird, wren, great spotted woodpecker and tawny owl, all of which breed in St James's Park.
Green Park
Neighbouring Green Park is an attractive and tranquil place and all year round visitors can enjoy seeing common birds such as blackbird, starling, and tits. In the winter, migrant birds like redwing and fieldfare are often spotted foraging in groups amongst the grass.
Location: Unmistakeable, the parks lie outside the front gates of Buckingham Palace in the very centre of London.
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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