Birds of Gainford
What has actually been seen around Gainford: 87 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 87 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 939 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Blackbird
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 80 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.3 h
What the records say about Gainford
87 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Gainford (County Durham) since 2010, across 939 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Blackbird, Woodpigeon and House Sparrow.
Gainford is a garden-bird place: 79% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blackbird, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow and Jackdaw make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Barn Owl. 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 January and are lowest in August — about 8.8 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.
Ingleton, 4 km to the north, has more species on record (101 against 87).
Daylight runs from 17 h 16 min at midsummer to 7 h 16 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:30 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Gainford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 81 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 74 |
| 3 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 67 |
| 4 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 47 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 45 |
| 6 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 35 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 29 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 28 |
| 9 | SwiftApus apus | 26 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 26 |
| 11 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 26 |
| 12 | MagpiePica pica | 25 |
| 13 | Great TitParus major | 24 |
| 14 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 21 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 19 |
| 16 | Tree SparrowPasser montanus | 19 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 17 |
| 18 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 16 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 15 |
| 20 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 15 |
Records by month
What to put out in Gainford
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Collared Dove
Seed mix
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for County Durham
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 Gainford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Gainford are Blackbird, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow, Jackdaw and Collared Dove, based on 939 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Gainford?
87 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Gainford?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in August. Sunrise in late June is around 4:30.
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.