Birds of Ilfracombe
What has actually been seen around Ilfracombe: 114 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 114 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,971 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- July
- Elevation
- 14 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Ilfracombe
114 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ilfracombe (Devon) since 2010, across 2,971 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Blackbird and Robin.
Ilfracombe is a garden-bird place: 69% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blackbird, Robin, Jackdaw and Woodpigeon make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 July and are lowest in October — about 17.7 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.
Combe Martin, 6 km to the east, has fewer species on record (95 against 114). Birds logged far more often around Ilfracombe than there include Mediterranean Gull.
Daylight runs from 16 h 35 min at midsummer to 7 h 53 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 Ilfracombe
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 222 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 122 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 117 |
| 4 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 106 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 95 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 94 |
| 7 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 81 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 80 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 78 |
| 10 | Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis | 75 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 75 |
| 12 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 73 |
| 13 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 72 |
| 14 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 72 |
| 15 | MagpiePica pica | 70 |
| 16 | Great TitParus major | 69 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 66 |
| 18 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 58 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 54 |
| 20 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola | 54 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ilfracombe
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Ilfracombe?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ilfracombe are Blackbird, Robin, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow, based on 2,971 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ilfracombe?
114 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ilfracombe?
Observation records peak in July and are lowest in October. 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.