Birds of High Legh
What has actually been seen around High Legh: 172 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 172 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 31,461 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 81 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about High Legh
172 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of High Legh (Cheshire East) since 2010, across 31,461 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Jackdaw and Woodpigeon.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (34%), so a feeder in High Legh sees the familiar Jackdaw, Woodpigeon and Blackbird, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 March and are lowest in October — about 2.2 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.
Lymm, 4 km to the north-west, has more species on record (226 against 172). Birds logged far more often around High Legh than there include Nuthatch, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Green Woodpecker and Rook.
Daylight runs from 17 h 1 min at midsummer to 7 h 30 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near High Legh
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,102 |
| 2 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 947 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 935 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 864 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 863 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 849 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 840 |
| 8 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 806 |
| 9 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 801 |
| 10 | MagpiePica pica | 789 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 759 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 704 |
| 13 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 699 |
| 14 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 694 |
| 15 | Great TitParus major | 690 |
| 16 | NuthatchSitta europaea | 679 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 666 |
| 18 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 651 |
| 19 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 605 |
| 20 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 552 |
Records by month
What to put out in High Legh
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Cheshire East
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 High Legh?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of High Legh are Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Robin, based on 31,461 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near High Legh?
172 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in High Legh?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.
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.