St James’s Park
About this location
St. James’s Park is the oldest of London’s Royal Parks, reshaped over centuries from marshy ground and royal hunting park into the formal landscape seen today. Its lake, reedbeds, wildflower areas and mature trees support a surprisingly rich bird community within the ceremonial centre of London, including more than 40 species of waterbird.
The park is particularly famous for its pelicans, first introduced in 1664 as a gift from the Russian ambassador to Charles II and maintained as a resident feature ever since. In 2026 the park recorded its first successful pelican breeding in roughly 360 years, with four chicks hatching there.
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Habitat types
- Wetland, Parkland
- First visit
- 1 February 2025