Birds of Exeter
What has actually been seen around Exeter: 170 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 170 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 25,665 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 46 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 8 h
What the records say about Exeter
170 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Exeter (Devon) since 2010, across 25,665 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, European Herring Gull and Robin.
Exeter is a garden-bird place: 72% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Carrion Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
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 January and are lowest in August — about 3.1 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.
Stoke Canon, 6 km to the north, has fewer species on record (118 against 170). Birds logged far more often around Exeter than there include Mute Swan, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Coot and Graylag Goose.
Daylight runs from 16 h 30 min at midsummer to 7 h 58 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 Exeter
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,533 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,417 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,297 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,224 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,143 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 1,113 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,058 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 975 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 937 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 777 |
| 11 | SwiftApus apus | 698 |
| 12 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 625 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 601 |
| 14 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 538 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 537 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 529 |
| 17 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 478 |
| 18 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 465 |
| 19 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 452 |
| 20 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 441 |
Records by month
What to put out in Exeter
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
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
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 Exeter?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Exeter are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Magpie, based on 25,665 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Exeter?
170 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Exeter?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in August. 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.