Birds of Saint Ives
What has actually been seen around Saint Ives: 229 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 229 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 156,547 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mute Swan
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 12 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Saint Ives
229 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Saint Ives (Cambridgeshire) since 2010, across 156,547 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mute Swan, Mallard and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 46% of records near Saint Ives are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mute Swan, Mallard and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
17 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in October — about 3.4 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.
Needingworth, 3 km to the east, has more species on record (246 against 229).
Daylight runs from 16 h 48 min at midsummer to 7 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Saint Ives
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 3,809 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,751 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 3,550 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 3,487 |
| 5 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 3,372 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,372 |
| 7 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 3,306 |
| 8 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 3,295 |
| 9 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 3,257 |
| 10 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 3,217 |
| 11 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 3,142 |
| 12 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 3,115 |
| 13 | MagpiePica pica | 3,044 |
| 14 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 3,033 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,984 |
| 16 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,890 |
| 17 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 2,730 |
| 18 | Great TitParus major | 2,662 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 2,592 |
| 20 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 2,562 |
Records by month
What to put out in Saint Ives
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Cambridgeshire
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 Saint Ives?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Saint Ives are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Robin and Blue Tit, based on 156,547 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Saint Ives?
229 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Saint Ives?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:37.
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.