Wildlife
Identify species, read the latest news stories and discover the best spots to see wildlife in Britain
Guide to British seabirds: how to identify and where to see them
Our guide explores some of the UK's most common types of seabird, where they live and the best places to see them.
British Wildlife Photography Awards 2024 winners
A powerful image of a barnacle-encased football that travelled across the Atlantic Ocean and was found on the Dorset coast has won the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2024.
What do ladybirds eat?
What do ladybirds eat? Do ladybirds bite? How long do they live? And where do they live? Find out all about these spotted insects with our expert guide.
Roe deer guide: how to identify, where to see and species facts
Once abundant, then almost gone, now rising again, this native species knew this land before we named it and has become a parable of ecological change.
Stunning bee photographs shine light on the life (and death) of more than 20,000 species
A provocative new exhibition aimed at highlighting the existential threat to thousands of bee species around the world is coming to the UK. We look at what to expect from 'Bees: A Story of Survival' through a series of spectacular images...
What's new?
How to identify spring blossom
As light flows slowly into our woodlands and hedgerows, once-bare branches begin to bloom. The brief blossoming of blackthorn, rowan, wild cherry and hawthorn is a magical spectacle, wreathed in ancient folklore. Learn how to identify spring blossom found in the UK and best places to spot blossom with our ID guide.
Blackthorn guide: how to identify, folklore and uses
As February turns to March, millions of tiny blooms spring from the spiny shrubs in our hedgerows, covering their dark stems in creamy white blossom – later in the year, sloe berries appear. Learn all about blackthorn through the seasons with our expert guide.
National Nest Box Week: how to help birds in your garden
Give a bird a home during National Nest Box Week, which runs from 14th February to the 21st February. Here's all you need to know to take part in 2024.
15 of the most sweet-sounding songbirds in Britain
In Britain we are blessed with an incredible variety of beautiful birdsong from late winter into early summer. From the nightingale to the blackbird, here is your guide to the best British songbirds, including how to identify each species.
Snowdrops guide: best walks, how to grow and when they bloom
After the darkness of winter, snowdrops are a welcome sign that spring will soon be here. Our snowdrop guide looks at the best snowdrop walks in the UK, when to plant snowdrops, when they bloom and how to care for them.
Birds
Guide to tit species in the UK: how to identify and where to see these small charismatic birds
Learn more about the different types of tit species in Britain and how to tell them apart with our ID guide, which includes blue tits, great tits, crested tits, willow tits, long-tailed tits, marsh tits and coal tits
Spring wildlife guide: what to look for and where to see it
From the fragrant aroma of wild garlic to the delightful song of the chiffchaff, the British countryside comes to life in the spring months. Our expert spring wildlife guide explains how to identify the season's best wildlife spectacles and best places to see.
Big Garden Birdwatch 2024: how to take part and garden birds to spot
With 1 in 4 birds in serious decline, it's never been more important to monitor the UK's bird populations. Find out how to take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, how to submit your results and the best birds to spot in your garden in winter.
Crustaceans
How to identify
British birds of prey guide: how to identify raptors and where to see
Here is our expert guide to British birds of prey, also known as raptors, and best places to see them in the UK. Learn how to identify hawks, falcons and harriers from their wing shape, colour and flight patterns.
British spider guide - and why there are so many around
During autumn and winter you may notice an influx of spiders appearing in your garden and home. Learn why this is, as well as how long they live, what they eat and common UK species with our expert guide to British spiders.
Guide to jellyfish: British species identification and how to treat stings
Jellyfish swarm British seas in the summer months and often wash up along the shoreline. Learn how to identify, what they eat and what to do if you're unlucky enough to be stung by one.
Insects & invertebrates
All you need to know about earthworms, including why they are so good for our soil
There’s a lot more to earthworms than meets the eye says Joanna Carter. Here she explains how these little critters play a crucial role in keeping our soil healthy.
British beetle guide: where to see and how to identify these fascinating insects
From the striking rose chafer to the stag, beetles are a fascinating group of insects found widely throughout the UK. Here is our expert UK beetle species guide, which explains how to identify and best places to spot them.
British wasp guide: how to identify common species, lifecycle and why wasps sting in autumn
These stinging picnic pests don’t deserve our enmity and fear – they are impressive architects that belong to highly developed and complex societies – our expert guide to wasps looks at the common species, their lifecycle and why wasps tend to sting in autumn
Mammals
The best hedgehog houses for your garden in 2024
Provide a safe and sheltered spot for your spiky visitors this year with a charming hedgehog house.
Scotland's pine martens enjoy their new homes
Rare pine martens in Galloway Forest have taken advantage of artificial den boxes to breed and extend their range
Wild bison thriving in the UK
Follow the herd with our gallery documenting the first year of wild bison living in Britain.
Marine life
185 hectares of new seagrass meadows discovered in UK waters
Almost 100 new seagrass beds covering a surface area the size of 200 football pitches have been found as part of the inaugural Great Seagrass Survey.
Jellyfish boom: sightings up 32% in UK waters
A new report by the Marine Conservation Society has revealed a huge rise in jellyfish sightings in UK and Irish waters over the past year.
Oyster reef the 'size of a football pitch' created in North East England
10,000 European native oysters have been introduced to a newly built living reef off the coast of Sunderland in bid to restore the threatened species and support Britain’s marine life.
Trees & plants
What are conkers and how do you find the best conker?
Prepare for battle with conkers this autumn
Journey into Britain’s forgotten rainforests
When we think of rainforests, the Amazon or the Congo spring to mind, but Britain has its own share, full of wild character, thronging with life and in desperate need of protection. Guy Shrubsole tells the story of these secret forgotten habitats.
British trees: common types and how to identify them
Can you spot an oak from a horse chestnut tree, or an birch from a hazel? Learn how to identify common tree species in the UK with our expert guide on British trees.
Where to see
Best winter wildlife spectacles in Britain
The short, sparkling days and long, cold nights of winter are perfect for wildlife watching. But which species of animal can be seen and heard in winter, and where are the best places in the UK to experience winter wildlife spectacles?
Best places in the UK to see the magnificent autumn deer rut
The annual deer rut is one of Britain's most exciting autumn wildlife spectacles – here are 11 great locations where you can see these magnificent animals in action with our guide to the UK's best deer rutting destinations.
Best forest campsites in the UK in 2024
Get closer to nature with a family camping trip in the UK. Here are the most rewarding forest campsites to book this summer.
Wildlife stories
Try 3 issues of BBC Countryfile Magazine for just £5!
Enjoy the best of the British outdoors with a subscription to BBC Countryfile Magazine, get your first 3 issues for just £5, saving 70% off the shop price!
National Tree Week: planting for the future
The UK's biggest annual festival of trees begins this weekend, running from 25 November to 3 December – celebrate these wonders of nature by joining a tree event near you.
Discover Britain's most spectacular autumn wildlife
Step into the British countryside this autumn and discover some of nature's most magnificent wildlife spectacles, from the drama of rutting deer to epic starling murmurations