Birds of Darwen
What has actually been seen around Darwen: 131 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 131 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 11,822 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 172 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Darwen
131 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Darwen (Blackburn with Darwen) since 2010, across 11,822 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Robin and Woodpigeon.
Darwen is a garden-bird place: 79% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Magpie, Robin, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 April and are lowest in September — about 2.7 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.
Blackburn, 6 km to the north, has more species on record (143 against 131).
Daylight runs from 17 h 5 min at midsummer to 7 h 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Darwen
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 596 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 580 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 572 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 554 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 540 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 531 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 510 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 509 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 473 |
| 10 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 436 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 404 |
| 12 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 339 |
| 13 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 326 |
| 14 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 315 |
| 15 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 278 |
| 16 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 245 |
| 17 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 239 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 219 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 203 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 201 |
Records by month
What to put out in Darwen
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Blackburn with Darwen
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 Darwen?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Darwen are Magpie, Robin, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Blackbird, based on 11,822 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Darwen?
131 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Darwen?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:38.
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.