Birds of Looe
What has actually been seen around Looe: 151 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 151 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,243 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 40 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.4 h / 8 h
What the records say about Looe
151 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Looe (Cornwall) since 2010, across 5,243 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Little Egret.
Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Looe are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Little Egret lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in August and are lowest in March — 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.
Pelynt, 5 km to the west, has fewer species on record (120 against 151). Birds logged far more often around Looe than there include Common Eider, Ruddy Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull and Common Loon.
Daylight runs from 16 h 26 min at midsummer to 8 h 1 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:26 in mid-April and 5:06 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Looe
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 356 |
| 2 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 228 |
| 3 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 216 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 203 |
| 5 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 194 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 186 |
| 7 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 180 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 157 |
| 9 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 155 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 149 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 145 |
| 12 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 143 |
| 13 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 125 |
| 14 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 114 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 99 |
| 16 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 92 |
| 17 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 90 |
| 18 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 90 |
| 19 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 88 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 88 |
Records by month
What to put out in Looe
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
Seasonal bird notes for Cornwall
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 Looe?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Looe are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Robin, Jackdaw and Pied Wagtail, based on 5,243 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Looe?
151 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Looe?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 5:06.
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.