Birds of Bideford
What has actually been seen around Bideford: 172 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 172 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 10,057 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mediterranean Gull
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 42 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Bideford
172 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bideford (Devon) since 2010, across 10,057 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mediterranean Gull, European Herring Gull and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Bideford are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mediterranean Gull, European Herring Gull and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Jackdaw is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard 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 June and are lowest in April — about 5.7 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.
Appledore, 4 km to the north, has more species on record (192 against 172).
Daylight runs from 16 h 33 min at midsummer to 7 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:23 in mid-April and 5:01 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bideford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus | 1,580 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 385 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 300 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 236 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 233 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 229 |
| 7 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 223 |
| 8 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 216 |
| 9 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 212 |
| 10 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 202 |
| 11 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 198 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 195 |
| 13 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 193 |
| 14 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 177 |
| 15 | MagpiePica pica | 176 |
| 16 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 174 |
| 17 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 172 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 171 |
| 19 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 165 |
| 20 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 158 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bideford
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
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 Bideford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bideford are Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Robin and House Sparrow, based on 10,057 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bideford?
172 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bideford?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in April. Sunrise in late June is around 5:01.
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.