Birds of Barnstaple
What has actually been seen around Barnstaple: 164 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 164 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 16,244 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mediterranean Gull
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 12 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Barnstaple
164 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Barnstaple (Devon) since 2010, across 16,244 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mediterranean Gull, European Herring Gull and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 60% of records near Barnstaple are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mediterranean Gull, European Herring Gull and Little Egret lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in September and are lowest in June — about 2.9 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.
Fremington, 6 km to the west, has more species on record (188 against 164).
Daylight runs from 16 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:23 in mid-April and 5:00 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Barnstaple
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus | 3,706 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 520 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 458 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 444 |
| 5 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 435 |
| 6 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 420 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 419 |
| 8 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 390 |
| 9 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 373 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 335 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 329 |
| 12 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 321 |
| 13 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 306 |
| 14 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 306 |
| 15 | MagpiePica pica | 304 |
| 16 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 280 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 249 |
| 18 | Common GreenshankTringa nebularia | 245 |
| 19 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 219 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 216 |
Records by month
What to put out in Barnstaple
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Seasonal bird notes for Devon
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 Barnstaple?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Barnstaple are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Robin and Carrion Crow, based on 16,244 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Barnstaple?
164 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Barnstaple?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 5:00.
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.