Birds of Melbourne
What has actually been seen around Melbourne: 183 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 183 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 38,920 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 57 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Melbourne
183 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Melbourne (Derbyshire) since 2010, across 38,920 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Mallard and Carrion Crow.
The records split between garden birds (58%) and waterbirds (36%), so a feeder in Melbourne sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Robin, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in May and are lowest in September — about 3.9 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.
Ticknall, 4 km to the west, has more species on record (188 against 183).
Daylight runs from 16 h 54 min at midsummer to 7 h 36 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Melbourne
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,177 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,154 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,127 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,118 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,086 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,084 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,003 |
| 8 | Great TitParus major | 960 |
| 9 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 877 |
| 10 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 835 |
| 11 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 809 |
| 12 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 791 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 791 |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 786 |
| 15 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 773 |
| 16 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 760 |
| 17 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 756 |
| 18 | MagpiePica pica | 752 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 741 |
| 20 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 721 |
Records by month
What to put out in Melbourne
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Derbyshire
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 Melbourne?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Melbourne are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit, based on 38,920 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Melbourne?
183 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Melbourne?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.
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.