Wildlife survey reveals kingfishers thriving on canals

Encouragingly, this year’s results indicate healthy populations of the iconic blue bird even in urban areas like central London, Leeds, Manchester, Aylesbury, Coventry and Preston.

British Waterways’ ecologists were particularly keen to track sightings of the kingfisher as it is generally accepted as a key indicator of good water quality and a healthy ecosystem. In response, a number of kingfisher habitat improvement projects are planned, including the installation of kingfisher boxes, posts and tunnels to help support populations in a number of locations including the Regent’s Canal in central London, the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal and the Grand Union Canal at Leighton Buzzard.

Kingfishers indicate good water quality

Mark Robinson, national ecology manager for British Waterways, comments: “We are delighted to hear of so many sightings of kingfishers on our waterways. As well as being a strikingly beautiful bird, kingfishers are an important indicator of the general health of the waterway ecosystem, like the big cats on the African plains, they are at the top of the waterway food chain. And good populations of kingfishers even in urban areas show the important role waterways have in greening our towns and cities by providing wildlife corridors which help sustain populations of a variety of both common and endangered species including bats, water voles and otters.

Determine impact of weather on wildlife

"On behalf of British Waterways, I’d like to thank everyone who took part in this year’s waterway wildlife survey. As well as highlighting areas for us to focus our habitat enhancement work, surveys like this help us to determine the impact of extreme weather on our wildlife and, wherever possible, to take action to help populations recover."

Warm autumn has caused confusion

The survey also indicates the warm autumn days that followed our wet summer appear to have caused confusion. Common Darter dragonflies, which have normally disappeared by this time of year, are still being spotted, while two unusual southern insects, the Saw Fly and a Gristled Skipper butterfly, have been spotted in the Midlands for the first time.

The kingfisher was the fourth most common sighting behind the mallard, swan and heron. Encouragingly there were also plenty of records of some of the UK’s rarer species including water voles, otters and bats and a number of more unexpected animals were spotted, including seals and an alligator snapping turtle.

2007 Wildlife Survey Results

Total survey animal count: 3724