Birds of Eaton Bray
What has actually been seen around Eaton Bray: 171 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 171 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 26,903 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 102 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Eaton Bray
171 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Eaton Bray (Central Bedfordshire) since 2010, across 26,903 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Red Kite.
The records split between garden birds (52%) and waterbirds (39%), so a feeder in Eaton Bray sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Magpie and Carrion Crow, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in November — 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.
Stanbridge, 4 km to the north, has more species on record (176 against 171). Birds logged far more often around Eaton Bray than there include Rook, Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker and Black-throated Thrush.
Daylight runs from 16 h 43 min at midsummer to 7 h 46 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:42 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Eaton Bray
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 5,786 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 934 |
| 3 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 897 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 858 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 832 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 683 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 675 |
| 8 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 661 |
| 9 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 598 |
| 10 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 578 |
| 11 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 576 |
| 12 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 493 |
| 13 | Great TitParus major | 440 |
| 14 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 419 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 418 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 418 |
| 17 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 400 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 396 |
| 19 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 382 |
| 20 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 381 |
Records by month
What to put out in Eaton Bray
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Central Bedfordshire
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 Eaton Bray?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Eaton Bray are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin and Jackdaw, based on 26,903 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Eaton Bray?
171 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Eaton Bray?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:42.
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.