Birds of Royston
What has actually been seen around Royston: 191 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 191 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 42,621 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 69 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Royston
191 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Royston (Barnsley) since 2010, across 42,621 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Mallard and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 44% of records near Royston are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in December — about 2.8 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.
Ryhill, 4 km to the north-east, has a similar number of species on record (188 against 191).
Daylight runs from 17 h 4 min at midsummer to 7 h 27 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Royston
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,333 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,288 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,251 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,242 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,238 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 1,177 |
| 7 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,176 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,123 |
| 9 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,057 |
| 10 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,055 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,043 |
| 12 | Great TitParus major | 1,028 |
| 13 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,013 |
| 14 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 984 |
| 15 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 957 |
| 16 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 877 |
| 17 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 869 |
| 18 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 820 |
| 19 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 792 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 779 |
Records by month
What to put out in Royston
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Barnsley
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 Royston?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Royston are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Magpie and Carrion Crow, based on 42,621 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Royston?
191 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Royston?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:35.
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.