Birds of Riseley
What has actually been seen around Riseley: 97 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 97 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,367 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 58 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Riseley
97 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Riseley (Bedford) since 2010, across 1,367 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Turtle Dove and Woodpigeon.
Riseley is a garden-bird place: 73% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. European Turtle Dove, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in May and are lowest in January — about 9.3 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.
Thurleigh, 4 km to the south, has more species on record (105 against 97). Birds logged far more often around Riseley than there include European Turtle Dove.
Daylight runs from 16 h 47 min at midsummer to 7 h 42 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:39 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Riseley
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 165 |
| 2 | European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turtur | 69 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 60 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 56 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 50 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 38 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 38 |
| 8 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 38 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 34 |
| 10 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 32 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 31 |
| 12 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 30 |
| 13 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 29 |
| 14 | YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella | 28 |
| 15 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 28 |
| 16 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 26 |
| 17 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 25 |
| 18 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 25 |
| 19 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 25 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 24 |
Records by month
What to put out in Riseley
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 Riseley?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Riseley are European Turtle Dove, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin and Blue Tit, based on 1,367 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Riseley?
97 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Riseley?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:39.
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.