Birds of Farnworth
What has actually been seen around Farnworth: 144 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 144 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 25,129 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 102 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Farnworth
144 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Farnworth (Bolton) since 2010, across 25,129 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Farnworth is a garden-bird place: 64% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Magpie, Woodpigeon, Robin and Blackbird make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 January and are lowest in July — about 3.9 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.
Walkden, 4 km to the south, has more species on record (156 against 144).
Daylight runs from 17 h 3 min at midsummer to 7 h 28 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:39 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Farnworth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 1,206 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,186 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,051 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,040 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 916 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 910 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 891 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 813 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 800 |
| 10 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 666 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 665 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 651 |
| 13 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 643 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 616 |
| 15 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 603 |
| 16 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 586 |
| 17 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 520 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 507 |
| 19 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 475 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 471 |
Records by month
What to put out in Farnworth
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Bolton
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 Farnworth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Farnworth are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Carrion Crow, based on 25,129 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Farnworth?
144 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Farnworth?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in July. 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.