Birds of Ballywalter
What has actually been seen around Ballywalter: 81 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 81 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 525 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Rook
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 9 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.3 h
What the records say about Ballywalter
81 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ballywalter (Ards and North Down) since 2010, across 525 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Rook, Starling and Brant.
Ballywalter is a garden-bird place: 63% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Rook, Starling, Pied Wagtail and Woodpigeon make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
Records peak in September and are lowest in July — about 35.3 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.
Greyabbey, 5 km to the west, has more species on record (137 against 81).
Daylight runs from 17 h 16 min at midsummer to 7 h 16 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:21 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ballywalter
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 24 |
| 2 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 23 |
| 3 | BrantBranta bernicla | 18 |
| 4 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 18 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 17 |
| 6 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 16 |
| 7 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 15 |
| 8 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 15 |
| 9 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 14 |
| 10 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 13 |
| 11 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 13 |
| 12 | YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella | 13 |
| 13 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 13 |
| 14 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 13 |
| 15 | MagpiePica pica | 12 |
| 16 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 11 |
| 17 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 11 |
| 18 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 11 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 11 |
| 20 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 11 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ballywalter
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for Ards and North Down
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 Ballywalter?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ballywalter are Rook, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon and Barn Swallow, based on 525 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ballywalter?
81 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ballywalter?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in July. 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.