Birds of St Ives
What has actually been seen around St Ives: 243 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 243 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 69,954 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 83 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.4 h / 8 h
What the records say about St Ives
243 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of St Ives (Cornwall) since 2010, across 69,954 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Great Black-backed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 56% of records near St Ives are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull 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.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in September and are lowest in June — about 2.3 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.
Hayle, 5 km to the south-east, has fewer species on record (228 against 243). Birds logged far more often around St Ives than there include Northern Gannet, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Murre and Razorbill.
Daylight runs from 16 h 25 min at midsummer to 8 h 2 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:30 in mid-April and 5:11 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near St Ives
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 3,292 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,497 |
| 3 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 2,168 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,155 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,950 |
| 6 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,878 |
| 7 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,807 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,705 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,551 |
| 10 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 1,440 |
| 11 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,408 |
| 12 | Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres | 1,377 |
| 13 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 1,374 |
| 14 | Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus | 1,332 |
| 15 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,319 |
| 16 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 1,278 |
| 17 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 1,254 |
| 18 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,229 |
| 19 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,210 |
| 20 | MagpiePica pica | 1,178 |
Records by month
What to put out in St Ives
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
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 St Ives?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of St Ives are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow, Starling and Jackdaw, based on 69,954 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near St Ives?
243 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in St Ives?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 5:11.
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.