Birds of Cople
What has actually been seen around Cople: 166 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 166 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 14,399 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 28 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Cople
166 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Cople (Bedford) since 2010, across 14,399 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Cople are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in March and are lowest in November — about 3.0 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.
Great Barford, 5 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (149 against 166).
Daylight runs from 16 h 46 min at midsummer to 7 h 43 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Cople
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,585 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 475 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 452 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 436 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 419 |
| 6 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 397 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 396 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 382 |
| 9 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 376 |
| 10 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 331 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 310 |
| 12 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 292 |
| 13 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 290 |
| 14 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 271 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 266 |
| 16 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 260 |
| 17 | Great TitParus major | 257 |
| 18 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 256 |
| 19 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 256 |
| 20 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 252 |
Records by month
What to put out in Cople
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Bedford
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 Cople?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Cople are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Robin and Blackbird, based on 14,399 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Cople?
166 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Cople?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.
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.