Birds of Rottingdean
What has actually been seen around Rottingdean: 184 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 184 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 16,906 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 37 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Rottingdean
184 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Rottingdean (Brighton and Hove) since 2010, across 16,906 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon.
Rottingdean is a garden-bird place: 68% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Starling make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
13 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 March — about 2.6 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.
Peacehaven, 4 km to the south-east, has more species on record (206 against 184). Birds logged far more often around Rottingdean than there include Common Ringed Plover.
Daylight runs from 16 h 31 min at midsummer to 7 h 57 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:46 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Rottingdean
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,057 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 773 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 733 |
| 4 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 687 |
| 5 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 673 |
| 6 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 614 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 593 |
| 8 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 530 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 471 |
| 10 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 446 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 428 |
| 12 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 413 |
| 13 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 379 |
| 14 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 364 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 360 |
| 16 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 341 |
| 17 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 323 |
| 18 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 317 |
| 19 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 316 |
| 20 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 313 |
Records by month
What to put out in Rottingdean
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Brighton and Hove
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 Rottingdean?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Rottingdean are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Starling and Rock Pigeon, based on 16,906 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Rottingdean?
184 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Rottingdean?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 4:46.
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.