Birds of Swaffham Prior
What has actually been seen around Swaffham Prior: 189 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 189 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 40,566 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 16 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Swaffham Prior
189 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Swaffham Prior (Cambridgeshire) since 2010, across 40,566 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 43% of records near Swaffham Prior are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Northern Lapwing and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in October — 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.
Burwell, 3 km to the north-east, has more species on record (208 against 189).
Daylight runs from 16 h 47 min at midsummer to 7 h 42 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Swaffham Prior
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,203 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,153 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,042 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 1,002 |
| 5 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 950 |
| 6 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 924 |
| 7 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 900 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 875 |
| 9 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 847 |
| 10 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 847 |
| 11 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 843 |
| 12 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 838 |
| 13 | Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus | 802 |
| 14 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 799 |
| 15 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 796 |
| 16 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 761 |
| 17 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 737 |
| 18 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 728 |
| 19 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 723 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 706 |
Records by month
What to put out in Swaffham Prior
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
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 Swaffham Prior?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Swaffham Prior are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Goldfinch and Jackdaw, based on 40,566 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Swaffham Prior?
189 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Swaffham Prior?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:36.
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.