Birds of Ballyclare
What has actually been seen around Ballyclare: 75 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 75 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,030 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Blackbird
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 74 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Ballyclare
75 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ballyclare (Antrim and Newtownabbey) since 2010, across 1,030 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Blackbird, Robin and House Sparrow.
Ballyclare is a garden-bird place: 78% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blackbird, Robin, House Sparrow and Starling make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
Records peak in May and are lowest in October — about 9.0 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and winter visitors), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.
Doagh, 5 km to the west, has a similar number of species on record (74 against 75).
Daylight runs from 17 h 19 min at midsummer to 7 h 13 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:23 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ballyclare
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 65 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 59 |
| 3 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 58 |
| 4 | SwiftApus apus | 57 |
| 5 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 54 |
| 6 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 49 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 45 |
| 8 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 38 |
| 9 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 37 |
| 10 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 35 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 34 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 33 |
| 13 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 33 |
| 14 | MagpiePica pica | 32 |
| 15 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 29 |
| 16 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 27 |
| 17 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 24 |
| 18 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 22 |
| 19 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 22 |
| 20 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 21 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ballyclare
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Collared Dove
Seed mix
Seasonal bird notes for Antrim and Newtownabbey
What's arriving, what to feed and when to clean feeders, written for UK gardens. One email a month at most.
Nearby places
Frequently asked
What birds visit gardens in Ballyclare?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ballyclare are Blackbird, Robin, House Sparrow, Starling and Jackdaw, based on 1,030 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ballyclare?
75 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ballyclare?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.