Birds of Workington
What has actually been seen around Workington: 152 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 152 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,598 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 20 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Workington
152 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Workington (Cumbria) since 2010, across 5,598 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Great Cormorant.
Water shapes this list. 49% of records near Workington are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Great Cormorant and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 10.1 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.
Distington, 5 km to the south, has fewer species on record (112 against 152). Birds logged far more often around Workington than there include Mute Swan, Graylag Goose, Eurasian Coot and Common Merganser.
Daylight runs from 17 h 18 min at midsummer to 7 h 15 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:13 in mid-April and 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Workington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 241 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 206 |
| 3 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 200 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 192 |
| 5 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 184 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 174 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 171 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 170 |
| 9 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 151 |
| 10 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 141 |
| 11 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 136 |
| 12 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 126 |
| 13 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 122 |
| 14 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 121 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 118 |
| 16 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 117 |
| 17 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 108 |
| 18 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 102 |
| 19 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 100 |
| 20 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 99 |
Records by month
What to put out in Workington
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 Workington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Workington are Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Magpie, Woodpigeon and Robin, based on 5,598 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Workington?
152 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Workington?
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.