Birds of Ballykelly
What has actually been seen around Ballykelly: 114 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 114 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,217 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Little Egret
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 22 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Ballykelly
114 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ballykelly (Causeway Coast and Glens) since 2010, across 1,217 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Little Egret, Gray Heron and Hooded Crow.
Water shapes this list. 55% of records near Ballykelly are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Little Egret, Gray Heron and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Hooded Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
5 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in September and are lowest in December — about 14.9 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.
Limavady, 4 km to the east, has fewer species on record (79 against 114). Birds logged far more often around Ballykelly than there include Little Egret, Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Eurasian Curlew.
Daylight runs from 17 h 23 min at midsummer to 7 h 10 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:26 in mid-April and 4:47 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ballykelly
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 45 |
| 2 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 44 |
| 3 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 38 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 38 |
| 5 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 38 |
| 6 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 37 |
| 7 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 35 |
| 8 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 32 |
| 9 | BrantBranta bernicla | 31 |
| 10 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 29 |
| 11 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 27 |
| 12 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 25 |
| 13 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 24 |
| 14 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 23 |
| 15 | Common GullLarus canus | 23 |
| 16 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 22 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 22 |
| 18 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 22 |
| 19 | MagpiePica pica | 22 |
| 20 | Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa | 21 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ballykelly
Seasonal bird notes for Causeway Coast and Glens
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 Ballykelly?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ballykelly are Hooded Crow, Rook, Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Jackdaw, based on 1,217 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ballykelly?
114 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ballykelly?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:47.
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.