Birds of Penrith
What has actually been seen around Penrith: 101 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 101 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,292 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 146 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Penrith
101 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Penrith (Cumbria) since 2010, across 2,292 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Swift and Blackbird.
Penrith is a garden-bird place: 71% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
6 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 May and are lowest in November — about 7.4 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.
Stainton, 4 km to the south-west, has more species on record (112 against 101).
Daylight runs from 17 h 18 min at midsummer to 7 h 14 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Penrith
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 143 |
| 2 | SwiftApus apus | 118 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 114 |
| 4 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 110 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 108 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 80 |
| 7 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 78 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 73 |
| 9 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 68 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 63 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 61 |
| 12 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 60 |
| 13 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 58 |
| 14 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 51 |
| 15 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 51 |
| 16 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 49 |
| 17 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 44 |
| 18 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 41 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 41 |
| 20 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 40 |
Records by month
What to put out in Penrith
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
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 Penrith?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Penrith are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Robin, based on 2,292 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Penrith?
101 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Penrith?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:33.
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.