Birds of Wilstead
What has actually been seen around Wilstead: 148 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 148 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 7,392 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 41 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Wilstead
148 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Wilstead (Bedford) since 2010, across 7,392 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 64% of records near Wilstead are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull and Mallard 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 Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in September and are lowest in December — about 13.5 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.
Kempston Hardwick, 4 km to the west, has more species on record (171 against 148).
Daylight runs from 16 h 45 min at midsummer to 7 h 44 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 Wilstead
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 4,041 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 190 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 165 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 163 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 127 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 121 |
| 7 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 112 |
| 8 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 109 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 100 |
| 10 | Great TitParus major | 88 |
| 11 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 83 |
| 12 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 83 |
| 13 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 82 |
| 14 | SwiftApus apus | 65 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 63 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 60 |
| 17 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 59 |
| 18 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 57 |
| 19 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 56 |
| 20 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 50 |
Records by month
What to put out in Wilstead
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 Wilstead?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Wilstead are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin and Blue Tit, based on 7,392 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Wilstead?
148 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Wilstead?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in December. 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.