0:00:38 > 0:00:42Nine out of ten of us, more than 50 million people,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45live in Britain's towns and cities.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52These places were created just for us,
0:00:52 > 0:00:56and provide everything the sophisticated city-dweller...
0:00:56 > 0:00:59could possibly need.
0:00:59 > 0:01:06MUSIC: "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" from Mozart's Serenade # 13 in G Major
0:01:09 > 0:01:13But with so many people crowded into such a small space,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16it's hard to imagine there'd be any room left for wildlife.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Yet somehow, plants and animals always manage to find a way,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24not just to survive, but to thrive.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Even if, sometimes, it does take a bit of a leap of faith.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Every spring, the ducklings here at the Barbican Centre
0:01:45 > 0:01:47really do take the plunge.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56They jump 60ft from their nest, and then swim
0:01:56 > 0:01:59for the very first time in their lives.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05These ducklings, though you can bet your bottom dollar they don't realise it,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09are enjoying one of the many benefits of city life.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11It may be a long way to fall,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14but it's also a long way for any predator to climb.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16So by nesting on these balconies,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20next to this concert hall in the heart of the city, they're safe.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25So although this place was designed for us, the ducks have found a way
0:02:25 > 0:02:27to take advantage of it, too.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32And they're not the only wild creatures to enjoy life
0:02:32 > 0:02:35in the so-called urban jungle.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39MUSIC: "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" from Mozart's Serenade # 13 in G Major
0:02:54 > 0:02:57There's a little bit of everything here,
0:02:57 > 0:03:02from otters to orchids, sea birds to squirrels,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05butterflies to badgers, even the occasional whale!
0:03:05 > 0:03:08But what is it about our cities that provides
0:03:08 > 0:03:11so many opportunities for wildlife?
0:03:28 > 0:03:32I know what you're thinking - "Not very urban, is it?"
0:03:32 > 0:03:36But there's a good reason to start our story here...
0:03:36 > 0:03:42on the remote, wild and windswept Scottish coastline.
0:03:47 > 0:03:53Hidden among this spectacular scenery is an ordinary little bird,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56with an extraordinary story -
0:03:56 > 0:03:59the shy, reclusive rock dove.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05And if it looks familiar, that's because it is.
0:04:05 > 0:04:11For the rock dove is the ancestor of that classic city creature...
0:04:12 > 0:04:14..the urban pigeon.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21And what an amazing transformation they've made.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38These birds are almost as well adapted to city life as we are.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Perhaps more so! Their whole lifecycle -
0:04:41 > 0:04:45from the food they eat, to the places they build their nests -
0:04:45 > 0:04:47take advantage of what we provide.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54DOG BARKS
0:04:55 > 0:04:57It's not a bad life for a street pigeon.
0:05:00 > 0:05:06Just like us, they rather enjoy the creature comforts of our cities.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Takeaway food, 24/7.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Running water on tap.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Convenient, city-centre homes.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27And even a varied love life(!)
0:05:29 > 0:05:33By becoming so at home in our home,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35pigeons have attracted plenty of criticism.
0:05:35 > 0:05:41They've been called "vermin", "pests" and even "rats with wings".
0:05:41 > 0:05:46But that's a bit unkind. After all, it's not THEIR fault they're here.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Pigeons may not be everybody's cup of tea,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55but if we don't like 'em we've only got ourselves to blame,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59because our ancestors brought his ancestors here in the first place.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02For hundreds of years, we've been breeding pigeons
0:06:02 > 0:06:04for every conceivable quality -
0:06:04 > 0:06:10for beautiful plumage, tasty meat, or, in this chap's case, speed.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13But pigeons are clever creatures,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15and they didn't stay cooped up for long.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Once they were free, they interbred.
0:06:31 > 0:06:37And many generations later, they'd created a super-pigeon.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41But instead of returning to the rigours of living by the sea,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43they plumped for city life.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49And that's how a shy, rural creature
0:06:49 > 0:06:53became the cocky, streetwise bird we know so well.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03But now, there's a shadow being cast
0:07:03 > 0:07:06over the urban pigeon's carefree existence,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08by an old enemy from the coast.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23Up here, I'm in the territory of the very latest arrival
0:07:23 > 0:07:26on the urban skyline - the peregrine falcon,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28the fastest creature on the planet.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34The peregrine is the ultimate flying machine,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38capable of hunting at speeds of up to 200mph.
0:07:38 > 0:07:43Until recently, it was a rare bird, found only in remote wild places.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46So how's it getting on here, in the city?
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Rather well, actually!
0:07:48 > 0:07:53That's because, to the peregrine, the city is a home away from home.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56There are cliff-faces, albeit made of concrete,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58on which it can build a nest,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02lots of lofty vantage points from which it can survey the scene, but most importantly,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06plenty of airspace in which it can hunt down its favourite food.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32This time, the pigeon got away.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36BELL TOLLS But they're not always quite so lucky.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42So why, if things are so ideal for peregrines here,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45have they only been living in our cities for the past 20 years or so?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50It all comes down to numbers.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55For many years, peregrines were persecuted and poisoned,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59and almost disappeared from Britain.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04But when the killing stopped, and numbers began to rise again,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08the birds started to look for new places to live.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14And they found the ideal des res right here.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Today, the peregrine is perfectly positioned
0:09:19 > 0:09:23to take advantage of what the city has to offer.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39No wonder they're doing so well all over urban Britain.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43In Bristol and Bath, Belfast and Birmingham,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Glasgow...Liverpool...
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Swansea...
0:09:48 > 0:09:50FADING OUT: Exeter...Cardiff....
0:10:14 > 0:10:19It may seem obvious, but one of the most important influences
0:10:19 > 0:10:24on our urban wildlife is where our towns and cities are situated.
0:10:29 > 0:10:35It's hardly surprising that almost all our major cities are built on rivers.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Our ancestors had the good sense to settle
0:10:38 > 0:10:40where they had ample supplies of fresh water,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42and where they could repel invaders.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Hence the name of the place where I am now -
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Newcastle upon Tyne.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54In the days before these magnificent bridges were built,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57to bring road and rail travellers to the city,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00the main way to get in and out was by boat.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Nowadays the river's hardly used as a highway for people,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08which always makes boaters like me rather sad.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12But it's still an important thoroughfare for masses of wildlife,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16most of which we never even notice.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39You might have thought the River Tyne was more about heavy industry than wildlife.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Not any more.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Today these waters are home to some very special animals,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54including the occasional seal.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11But it's under cover of darkness
0:12:11 > 0:12:16that Tyneside's most charismatic creature takes centre stage.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23They used to be called "water gypsies",
0:12:23 > 0:12:27"goose-footed prowlers", or "shadows of the stream" -
0:12:27 > 0:12:32names that reflect their elusive and nomadic nature.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Indeed, for many years, otters were so rare
0:12:39 > 0:12:43that they weren't seen at all along the urban stretches of the Tyne.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49So how come they're back here now?
0:12:55 > 0:13:00During the late 20th century, as heavy industry declined,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03the river became much less polluted,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06allowing the fish otters feed on to return.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13DUCKS QUACK Eventually, the otters came back too.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Nowadays, sights like this are becoming much more regular -
0:13:26 > 0:13:28and very welcome.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50TRAIN RUMBLES
0:14:01 > 0:14:04This delightful scene - on the banks of the Tyne -
0:14:04 > 0:14:09shows how the clean-up of Britain's rivers is, once again,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13bringing wildlife back to the very heart of our cities.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36And as dawn breaks over the city centre,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40the famous Tyne Bridge is now attracting a new visitor.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45This time, from even further afield - the open ocean.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48BIRDS CALL RHYTHMICALLY
0:14:49 > 0:14:52If you listen carefully, it'll tell you its name.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56"Kitt-ee-wake, kitt-ee-wake!"
0:14:59 > 0:15:01In the past few years,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04more and more of these charming little sea birds
0:15:04 > 0:15:07have chosen to raise a family high above the quayside.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Kittiwakes usually nest on sheer sea cliffs,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15huddled together on narrow ledges.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20So the man-made ledges of the Tyne Bridge are a home from home.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23But what's so unusual about this nesting site
0:15:23 > 0:15:26is that it's more than ten miles from the sea,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30making this the most inland kittiwake colony in the world.
0:15:30 > 0:15:37So why should these sea birds choose an urban high-rise, so far upstream?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42The real appeal of this waterfront location
0:15:42 > 0:15:46isn't so much the architecture as the food.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52Kittiwake numbers on the coast have been plummeting because of food shortages,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56but the cleaner waters of the Tyne mean that, here,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58there's plenty to eat.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Soon, these kittiwakes will head out into the open ocean,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07to spend the rest of the year in such far-flung places as West Africa,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Greenland and Canada.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15So while we live here all the year round,
0:16:15 > 0:16:20much of our wildlife simply uses our cities as a holiday home.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26MUSIC: "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square"
0:16:31 > 0:16:36# That certain night The night we met
0:16:36 > 0:16:41# There was magic abroad in the air
0:16:41 > 0:16:45# There were angels dining at The Ritz
0:16:45 > 0:16:52# And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square. #
0:16:58 > 0:17:02It's the middle of the winter and I'm up rather late
0:17:02 > 0:17:06with my ears tuned, not for the sound of a nightingale,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09but for that of another classic British bird.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14OK, you're probably thinking, "He's on a hiding to nothing
0:17:14 > 0:17:18"because birds don't sing in the middle of winter, let alone at night."
0:17:18 > 0:17:24But there is a bird that holds territories all year round
0:17:24 > 0:17:28and sings to defend them. BIRD SINGS A THIN, MUSICAL SONG
0:17:28 > 0:17:30There's one!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33It's a robin.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44And there's another one. But it's the middle of the night,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47hours before the dawn chorus is scheduled to start, so...
0:17:47 > 0:17:51why are these city birds singing their hearts out now?
0:17:53 > 0:17:55The answer is all around us.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Light. Like us,
0:17:59 > 0:18:04robins are meant to be awake during the daytime, and asleep at night.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06But in our cities, artificial lighting
0:18:06 > 0:18:08is confusing their body clocks.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16What scientists reckon is happening here is that this robin,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20like all others, goes to sleep shortly after dusk. But then,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22he's waking up in the middle of the night
0:18:22 > 0:18:27because the street lights have convinced him that dawn's approaching.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Once awake, he'll start to sing,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38and that prompts other robins in the street to join in,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40all defending their own territories.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Delightful as it is to hear a robin sing in t'dead of a winter's night,
0:18:46 > 0:18:51you can't help but wonder if all this nocturnal activity
0:18:51 > 0:18:54is actually good for such a little bird.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Singing burns up a lot of calories, particularly when it's cold.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04And yet far from singing themselves to death
0:19:04 > 0:19:08these robins appear to be in good health.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10How they manage to maintain their body weight
0:19:10 > 0:19:13when they're up half the night is a mystery.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Though it might be that they're stocking up
0:19:16 > 0:19:18with extra food during the daytime.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25So, thanks to the bright lights of urban living,
0:19:25 > 0:19:30we have insomniac birds that seem to cope a darn sight better
0:19:30 > 0:19:34with sleep deprivation than we do! I'm off to bed.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46- RADIO:- '..in London and the south-east it's another fine day.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51'Temperatures will reach 19 degrees Celsius, that's 66 degrees Fahrenheit, in outlying areas.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54'And it'll be a few degrees warmer in the capital.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57'Traffic news. There's been an accident on the M25...'
0:19:57 > 0:20:02As well as light, the city's heat also has a major impact on our wildlife.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10Waste heat spews out of our homes, shops and offices.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13From heaters in winter, air conditioners in summer,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17and from traffic all the year round.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23The smooth, shiny surfaces of buildings reflect all this hot air
0:20:23 > 0:20:25back upon itself, like a giant storage heater.
0:20:25 > 0:20:31And this creates a very modern phenomenon - the urban heat-island.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46In plain English, that means our cities can be up to five degrees warmer
0:20:46 > 0:20:48than the surrounding countryside.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55In the middle of winter, a few degrees can make the difference
0:20:55 > 0:20:59between frost or no frost, life or death.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09The extra warmth also explains why spring comes a few weeks earlier
0:21:09 > 0:21:13to urban areas than it does to rural Britain.
0:21:13 > 0:21:19And why autumn arrives a week or two later than in the countryside.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25But for a really nice, warm, cosy environment,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27with all the creature comforts,
0:21:27 > 0:21:33why not move in with the most successful urban animal of all? Us!
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Our homes play host to an incredible range of creatures.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47Some are with us all the year round, like the tiny silverfish,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51that feeds off the starch found in the bindings of books.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01The woolly bear, larva of the carpet bug,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03with its taste for soft furnishings.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10And the well-dressed person's nightmare -
0:22:10 > 0:22:14the caterpillar of the dreaded clothes moth.
0:22:25 > 0:22:31Others are seasonal visitors, gate-crashing our homes in autumn
0:22:31 > 0:22:35as the weather turns chilly, like ladybirds
0:22:35 > 0:22:38and the large and notorious house spider.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50But not all our lodgers are quite so conspicuous.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Take a look at this chap.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56He may look like a daddy-longlegs caught in a cobweb,
0:22:56 > 0:23:01but then that's exactly what he wants his prey to believe.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06He is, in fact, a daddy-longlegs spider.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09He looks just like the daddy-longlegs
0:23:09 > 0:23:11for a very good reason.
0:23:12 > 0:23:17The thin legs and small body make it far harder to spot
0:23:17 > 0:23:19than the more thickset house spiders,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23so its prey doesn't even notice it's there.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28But that's not the only weapon in the daddy-longlegs spider's repertoire.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Just look what happens when I pretend to be a predator.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Ooh! On springs!
0:23:44 > 0:23:48That vibrating movement puts off any larger creature
0:23:48 > 0:23:51hoping to have the spider for a meal.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55Once the threat has gone, the spider settles down again,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and waits for its own lunch to come along.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Our homes are the equivalent of a five-star hotel -
0:24:09 > 0:24:13warm, comfortable, with room service on tap.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16No wonder our guests are so reluctant to check out!
0:24:25 > 0:24:31How many insects come here and go in an English city garden?
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Quite a few, actually. Metre for metre,
0:24:36 > 0:24:41our urban gardens have more species than a patch of Amazon rainforest,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44making them the most biodiverse habitat on the planet.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49And it's not just creepy-crawlies.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Garden ponds are swimming with life.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55There's a cosy home for hedgehogs,
0:24:55 > 0:25:00and all sorts of birds enjoy the gourmet menu we provide.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07And one of those birds has a fascinating story to tell,
0:25:07 > 0:25:13that reveals just how crucial our city gardens have become for Britain's wildlife.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16BIRDS SING TUNEFULLY
0:25:16 > 0:25:19You know, when I'm out in the garden on a fine spring day,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23there's absolutely nothing I like better than stopping the clatter of the mower
0:25:23 > 0:25:27and just listening to the songbird chorus.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32And there's absolutely no doubt who's the star soloist!
0:25:34 > 0:25:38The blackbird. A champion songster,
0:25:38 > 0:25:43and I reckon just about the best voice of any British bird.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45LOUD, MUSICAL SONG
0:25:45 > 0:25:48It's such a confident air, isn't it?
0:25:48 > 0:25:54With a hint of vibrato - sort of lyric tenor meets cello.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58You don't just hear the song, you feel it.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Today, in suburbs like this,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06blackbirds are one of our commonest garden birds.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10In fact, they're packed in here
0:26:10 > 0:26:12ten times more densely than in the countryside.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16And it's all down to this.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18We, as a nation of gardeners,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22have made it possible for the suburban blackbird to thrive
0:26:22 > 0:26:26by creating a patchwork of mini-habitats
0:26:26 > 0:26:30that cater for all its needs. BLACKBIRD SINGS
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Blackbirds are doing so well in suburban gardens
0:26:34 > 0:26:38it's easy to forget that they don't really belong here.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39Like many other garden birds,
0:26:39 > 0:26:44their ancestral home is the woodland that once covered most of Britain.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Which brings me back to the blackbird's singing prowess.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55In order for potential mates to be able to find one another
0:26:55 > 0:26:58in dense woodland, they needed to make a sound
0:26:58 > 0:27:01that could penetrate the thick, leafy canopy.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Hence the deep, powerful song.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08A song that should forever remind us
0:27:08 > 0:27:13of the blackbird's secret woodland past.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21And there's another reason that blackbirds,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25and many other creatures from the wild wood, are doing so well here.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Your garden may not be very big,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36but it's part of a much larger green network...
0:27:36 > 0:27:41made up of gardens, parks and other green spaces.
0:27:41 > 0:27:47So your little patch is part of a much bigger patchwork quilt.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58And it's this network that has allowed another creature
0:27:58 > 0:28:02from the countryside to colonise our towns and cities -
0:28:02 > 0:28:04the fox.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11DOG WHIMPERS
0:28:15 > 0:28:20The streets of Glasgow are a far cry from the original home of foxes.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23But now that they've made their way into the city,
0:28:23 > 0:28:28they've found that our backyards aren't a bad place to raise cubs.
0:28:35 > 0:28:41And having moved here, city foxes have changed their behaviour.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49While country foxes grow up to be wary of humans,
0:28:49 > 0:28:55these little fellows are likely to be as brash and bold as their parents.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02So confident that they often wander the streets in full view,
0:29:02 > 0:29:05without giving us so much as a second glance.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12But this new-found confidence has its downside.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16An urban fox is a bushy-tailed James Dean -
0:29:16 > 0:29:19living fast and dying young.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23That's because while foraging for food in our busy streets,
0:29:23 > 0:29:25they're in constant danger from traffic.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28So for the fox,
0:29:28 > 0:29:34relocating to the city doesn't always work out for the best.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39Of course, not all the creatures that live in our towns and cities,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42and take advantage of the food on offer, are newcomers.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Some wild residents got here before we did
0:29:45 > 0:29:49and have managed to survive while we built our homes and streets around them.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53But you won't see them till after dark.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56PEOPLE CHATTER
0:30:13 > 0:30:18I'm in Brighton, about a mile from the pier,
0:30:18 > 0:30:22and I'm hoping to tempt some of the town's longest-established inhabitants
0:30:22 > 0:30:25to show their faces with a few titbits.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41PHONE RINGS, DOG BARKS
0:30:50 > 0:30:52You can see it moving.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58There's one coming towards us now.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Of course, most gardeners...
0:31:20 > 0:31:23absolutely dread badgers coming into their garden,
0:31:23 > 0:31:27cos you know, gardeners are good diggers, but badgers are better
0:31:27 > 0:31:30and they always dig where you don't want them digging.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Trouble is, I'd be hard-pressed to decide
0:31:35 > 0:31:38whether I preferred a nice border of dahlias,
0:31:38 > 0:31:42or sitting on my doorstep watching badgers. It's a very tricky call!
0:31:55 > 0:31:57I think I might risk trying to get a bit closer.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58When you think about it, it's pretty remarkable
0:32:58 > 0:33:01that this classic countryside creature
0:33:01 > 0:33:05has been able to hang on here as the city grew up all around it.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Whether it's because we deliberately leave out scraps for them,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25or because we're careless with our rubbish,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28these badgers can enjoy a slap-up meal right on their doorstep.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33And just like the foxes, they've also changed their lifestyle.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Country badgers have to forage from dusk to dawn,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43and cover large areas to find food.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47But the typical badger about town simply pops out for a few hours,
0:33:47 > 0:33:52under cover of darkness, and visits a handful of gardens close to its sett.
0:33:52 > 0:33:57As a result, urban badgers have much smaller territories.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06Compared with their country cousins,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09these city guys are real couch potatoes.
0:34:11 > 0:34:16They don't get much exercise, they don't travel very far for their food,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18they're fatter than their country cousins,
0:34:18 > 0:34:23and they don't really interact with other social groups.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26Sound like anybody you know?!
0:34:29 > 0:34:34'Of course, not all creatures enjoy living cheek by jowl
0:34:34 > 0:34:36'with their human neighbours.'
0:34:38 > 0:34:41Some animals need big open spaces,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44and the peace and quiet that goes with them.
0:34:50 > 0:34:56HOARSE, RASPING CALL So what are the chances of that in our busy cities?
0:35:03 > 0:35:05Actually, they're pretty good!
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Richmond Park, on the outskirts of London.
0:35:35 > 0:35:41Every autumn, red deer perform their annual courtship ritual here.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45They've been doing so for more than 300 years,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49ever since Charles I enclosed the park for hunting.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58While the city around the park has changed beyond recognition,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01this place has provided a welcome sanctuary,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05where our largest land mammal can...
0:36:05 > 0:36:08well, fight in peace.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23And on nearby Wimbledon Common, another creature is taking part
0:36:23 > 0:36:27in head-to-head combat on a rather smaller scale.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33The stag beetle.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Cor! Look at this! Talk about a ringside seat!
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Gracious me!
0:37:00 > 0:37:04My granny would've loved this. She used to love all-in wrestling!
0:37:04 > 0:37:08But they don't fight to the death. they just until the point's proven
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and it's not always the big one that wins.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21But whichever one does win, wins the lady.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25Ah, now here's madam.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31I suppose when you're that size and shape
0:37:31 > 0:37:34there's really, em... only one approach!
0:37:38 > 0:37:42And it's at times like this that a stable, unchanging place,
0:37:42 > 0:37:46like Wimbledon Common, becomes so important to a stag beetle.
0:37:53 > 0:37:59After mating, the female needs to find a rotting log, where she can lay her eggs.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04When the larva hatches, it'll feed on the decomposing wood
0:38:04 > 0:38:08for up to seven years. Then, one spring,
0:38:08 > 0:38:12it'll finally emerge as a beetle, for an adult life
0:38:12 > 0:38:14that lasts just a few weeks.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19It's rather poignant to think that after so many years underground
0:38:19 > 0:38:22this is their one brief, shining moment.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26And it's rather a privilege to be able to witness it.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29MUSIC: "Parklife" by Blur
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Park life isn't always a haven of peace and quiet.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43But nowadays, it's not US who are making all the noise.
0:38:48 > 0:38:53Yes, these really are wild parakeets.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00These birds originally came from India,
0:39:00 > 0:39:04but they didn't get to suburban London under their own steam.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10Back in the 1960s, they were a popular cage-bird,
0:39:10 > 0:39:15and one day some of them made a successful bid for freedom!
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Everyone thought they'd keel over come the first cold snap.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25But these pretty boys and girls are used to winters
0:39:25 > 0:39:29in the Himalayan foothills, and with plenty of food,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31were never likely to starve.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46They've found places to nest, too,
0:39:46 > 0:39:49though an old woodpecker hole is a bit of a squeeze.
0:39:57 > 0:40:02Ring-necked parakeets are just the latest of many foreign creatures
0:40:02 > 0:40:04to find a home in our cities.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Some of these animals have been around for so long now,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14we think of them as thoroughly British.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Grey squirrels are such a familiar sight in our city parks
0:40:20 > 0:40:25that it's easy to forget that they weren't introduced to Britain,
0:40:25 > 0:40:28from North America, until just over 100 years ago.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33They may not really belong here, but for most city people,
0:40:33 > 0:40:36these are the only furry creatures they're ever likely
0:40:36 > 0:40:38to come face to face with.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51Unless, that is, you happen to live in one rather special location,
0:40:51 > 0:40:53north of the border.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11Dundee is the only British city that can boast resident red squirrels
0:41:11 > 0:41:14in its urban parks and gardens.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20It seems ideal for them here -
0:41:20 > 0:41:24lots of mature trees, plenty of food to eat,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26and nothing to trouble them.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40Just perfect.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44Or it has been, until now.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49Because Dundee's red squirrels are now under threat, from guess who?
0:41:49 > 0:41:54Yep, our old friend, the grey squirrel.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04Being larger, tougher and more resistant to disease,
0:42:04 > 0:42:08grey squirrels simply out-compete the reds.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10It's not the greys' fault.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14It's all down to us for bringing them to Britain in the first place.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19But if greys move in as their neighbours, the reds are doomed.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32It's taken the greys more than a century to travel up the country
0:42:32 > 0:42:36as far as Scotland. But now they're finally here,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39and Dundee's reds are under siege.
0:42:39 > 0:42:45So far at least, measures taken to repel the grey invaders
0:42:45 > 0:42:48mean that the city's red squirrels are still hanging on.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52But how long they'll manage to do so, no-one can tell.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Britain's cities are constantly changing.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12And although that makes life difficult for some creatures,
0:43:12 > 0:43:15it means that there are new opportunities for others.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22For the final chapter in the story of urban Britain,
0:43:22 > 0:43:27I'm heading west, in search of a creature that, whether we like it or not,
0:43:27 > 0:43:31has taken advantage of every opportunity our cities provide.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39LIFT PINGS And I've been told that I'll find it
0:43:39 > 0:43:43in that most chic of urban residences, the penthouse suite.
0:43:45 > 0:43:50Going up. Soft furnishings... ladies' underwear...
0:43:50 > 0:43:52seagulls...
0:43:54 > 0:43:57Seagulls?!
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Well, they weren't wrong!
0:44:00 > 0:44:05Seagulls everywhere. Even in the middle of Bristol.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07Wonderful!
0:44:07 > 0:44:10They used to go back to the coast
0:44:10 > 0:44:15to breed. But now they don't even bother. They've made this their home.
0:44:18 > 0:44:22Oh! They're very territorial! We were here first, you know?
0:44:26 > 0:44:28Scary!
0:44:29 > 0:44:32Ah. There's chicks here. That'll be why.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35OK, I'm going, I'm going.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37Yes, all right!
0:44:37 > 0:44:41I give in. I'm getting out of here!
0:44:42 > 0:44:46These lesser black-backed and herring gulls
0:44:46 > 0:44:48have moved here from the seaside
0:44:48 > 0:44:52because the city provides everything they could possibly need.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56High-rise homes can't be reached by foxes, and because cities are warmer,
0:44:56 > 0:44:58they can get a head start on their coastal cousins
0:44:58 > 0:45:01by breeding earlier in the year.
0:45:02 > 0:45:07But that isn't the only reason they're doing so well.
0:45:10 > 0:45:13There's one thing that makes a crucial difference
0:45:13 > 0:45:16between success or failure for these gulls.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19And to find out what, I need to do a bit of detective work.
0:45:22 > 0:45:26Here we are. Exhibit A, your honour!
0:45:26 > 0:45:29Chicken bones. Hundreds of 'em!
0:45:29 > 0:45:33They give us a clue why seagulls are doing so well away from the coast.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37It's all about fast food.
0:45:37 > 0:45:41But not the kind that you and I enjoy on a Saturday night.
0:45:41 > 0:45:44So where do they get it?
0:45:45 > 0:45:51From here! We dump 30 million tons of household waste every year.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54That's around a ton for every home in Britain.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58And that's a free lunch, breakfast, dinner and tea,
0:45:58 > 0:46:01for thousands of hungry gulls.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09But the gulls didn't always have it so easy.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13In days gone by, we used to burn our domestic waste,
0:46:13 > 0:46:15leaving nothing for them to scavenge.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23When we decided to dump our rubbish instead,
0:46:23 > 0:46:27we accidentally provided a golden opportunity for the gulls.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33So while they used to have to fly out to sea to find food,
0:46:33 > 0:46:38nowadays they simply pop down to the local landfill site,
0:46:38 > 0:46:41then head back home to town.
0:46:41 > 0:46:47As a result, there are well over 100,000 pairs of gulls
0:46:47 > 0:46:51breeding in our city centres. And that figure is set to rise ten-fold
0:46:51 > 0:46:54over next decade, to around a million pairs.
0:46:54 > 0:46:56So the next time somebody says to you,
0:46:56 > 0:47:00"Ah! Seagulls inland - sign of a storm at sea,"
0:47:00 > 0:47:04you can say, "It ain't necessarily so!"
0:47:07 > 0:47:11In fact, they're all set to become one of our commonest city birds.
0:47:11 > 0:47:16Even outnumbering our old friend the urban pigeon.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18These gulls perfectly demonstrate
0:47:18 > 0:47:22the opportunities our cities offer to wildlife.
0:47:22 > 0:47:26The very structure of the city gives them somewhere safe to nest,
0:47:26 > 0:47:29its warmth means that they can start breeding early,
0:47:29 > 0:47:31and the lights that they can feed at night.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35And there's always a plentiful supply of food, thanks to our wastefulness.
0:47:35 > 0:47:39So I suppose, out of all the creatures that live alongside us,
0:47:39 > 0:47:43the gull is the ultimate city slicker!
0:47:45 > 0:47:49With newcomers like gulls moving in to the neighbourhood,
0:47:49 > 0:47:52alongside the creatures we've always lived with,
0:47:52 > 0:47:55you might say that Britain's towns and cities
0:47:55 > 0:47:59are turning into the new countryside!
0:48:11 > 0:48:15So if you're one of this country's 50 million city folk,
0:48:15 > 0:48:19Britain's wildlife really is where you live.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:48:33 > 0:48:36E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk