City waterways might conjure up images of shopping trollies, rubbish bags and broken glass but some urban rivers are proving to be wildlife havens.
Volunteers counted an astonishing 6,000 birds and 250 bats along Birmingham’s waterways alone last year, and it is hoped that even more wild creatures will have set up home there this year.
Intrepid surveyors have been out early in the morning looking at what birds and other wildlife live in the rivers and streams about the UK’s second city.
The survey is part of a project organised by the RSPB and Birmingham City Council.
More than 35 km of canals were examined, and with endless restaurants, bars and shopping centres just seconds away from many of the rivers no-one expected them to be especially healthy for wildlife.
But a whole range of species were seen around the rivers and streams, including more common birds like blackbirds, great tits, wrens, song thrushes, blue tits and robins.
There were also some more unusual birds seen around the canals including red kites, linnets, tree pipets and ring necked parakeets.
But birds aren’t the only flying creatures that use the waterways for feeding and commuting. A staggering 254 records of bats were noted including common pipistrelle, Daubenton’s bat, noctule and soprano pipistrelle.
Hollie Kent, RSPB Birmingham spokesperson said: “I was gobsmacked when I saw the results from the survey. There are sections of the canal and river network that are absolutely teeming with wildlife, which is excellent news.”
Dr Stefan Bodbar, Biodiversity Officer with Birmingham City Council said: “We are doing this survey to find out more about nature along our waterways in the city. As we get more information about the birds and wildlife that live here, we’ll be in a better position to decide how we can improve Birmingham’s streams and rivers.”