Perfect Ten survey results

Greater Manchester boroughs select their favourite birds to help promote eco-tourism plans

Manchester’s boroughs will all be represented by a different resident bird species, under an ambitious concept –

The Perfect Ten – from the Greater Manchester Birding City Region Project.

The aim is for a different species to officially represent each of the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, to increase civic pride and awareness and investment in the environment, and to provide a basic framework for a future Greater Manchester Ecotourism Plan.

James Walsh, known as the Mancunian Birder, said: “The GMBCR Project made the initial selections based on the ecology, character and heritage of each of the 10 boroughs.

“Big factors were also that we wanted to select a resident bird that people can see at all times of the year, and also marketing potential. We spent two years doing our research, including cycling 5,000 miles around Greater Manchester and looking at literature, including bird reports. We attempted to select 10 species that give people a real representation of Greater Manchester’s avian ecology.

“We basically selected 10 species that we would attempt to show a visitor to Greater

Manchester, or a resident who didn’t know much about birds, in 10 days of eco-friendly travel around the city region.”

The Perfect Ten Birds of Greater Manchester Survey and the Manchester Festival of Nature 2021 were part of the launch of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, that launched around the world in June. The Greater Manchester Birding City Region (GMBCR) Project is officially affiliated with the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust hosted the survey online in June. The boroughs with the most respondents were Manchester, Stockport, Salford, Trafford and Bury.

An overwhelming 86% of respondents said that concept was a good idea.

A Perfect Ten Birds of Greater Manchester Survey report is now being compiled, published and sent to all the Borough Councils and conservation organisations in Greater Manchester.

Support for the survey also came from That’s Manchester TV, Manchester Evening News, Tameside Correspondent, Quest Media, manchesterbirding.com, Friends of Carrington Moss, RSPB Manchester and Northern Roots.

● A short film about the project is at youtu.be/PzTxso-2KGo