Birds of Distington
What has actually been seen around Distington: 112 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 112 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,209 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 76 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.3 h
What the records say about Distington
112 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Distington (Cumbria) since 2010, across 1,209 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Blackbird and Robin.
Distington is a garden-bird place: 69% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Barn Owl and Common Kestrel. 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 April and are lowest in December — about 30.0 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.
Workington, 5 km to the north, has more species on record (152 against 112).
Daylight runs from 17 h 17 min at midsummer to 7 h 15 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:14 in mid-April and 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Distington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 47 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 47 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 41 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 41 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 40 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 39 |
| 7 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 34 |
| 8 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 33 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 32 |
| 10 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 30 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 30 |
| 12 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 26 |
| 13 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 25 |
| 14 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 24 |
| 15 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 23 |
| 16 | Great TitParus major | 23 |
| 17 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 22 |
| 18 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 22 |
| 19 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 20 |
| 20 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola | 20 |
Records by month
What to put out in Distington
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Cumbria
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 Distington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Distington are Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Woodpigeon, based on 1,209 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Distington?
112 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Distington?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:36.
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.