Birds of Dawlish
What has actually been seen around Dawlish: 228 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 228 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 25,745 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 7 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 8 h
What the records say about Dawlish
228 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Dawlish (Devon) since 2010, across 25,745 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Great Cormorant.
Water shapes this list. 46% of records near Dawlish are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Great Cormorant and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in December — about 2.0 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.
Teignmouth, 5 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (196 against 228). Birds logged far more often around Dawlish than there include Brant, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin and Common Moorhen.
Daylight runs from 16 h 28 min at midsummer to 7 h 59 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:21 in mid-April and 5:00 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Dawlish
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,061 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 796 |
| 3 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 726 |
| 4 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 718 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 714 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 666 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 603 |
| 8 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 596 |
| 9 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 579 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 552 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 528 |
| 12 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina | 522 |
| 13 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola | 508 |
| 14 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 503 |
| 15 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 479 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 476 |
| 17 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 436 |
| 18 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 430 |
| 19 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 428 |
| 20 | BrantBranta bernicla | 398 |
Records by month
What to put out in Dawlish
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Pied Wagtail
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 Dawlish?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Dawlish are Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Robin and Blackbird, based on 25,745 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Dawlish?
228 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Dawlish?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. 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.