Birds of Otterton
What has actually been seen around Otterton: 213 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 213 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 35,726 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 16 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 8 h
What the records say about Otterton
213 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Otterton (Devon) since 2010, across 35,726 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 43% of records near Otterton are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Mallard and Little Egret lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in September — about 3.0 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.
Budleigh Salterton, 4 km to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (215 against 213).
Daylight runs from 16 h 29 min at midsummer to 7 h 58 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:20 in mid-April and 4:59 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Otterton
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,271 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,120 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,077 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 925 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 899 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 882 |
| 7 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 788 |
| 8 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 757 |
| 9 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 754 |
| 10 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 707 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 697 |
| 12 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 672 |
| 13 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 659 |
| 14 | MagpiePica pica | 658 |
| 15 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 651 |
| 16 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 648 |
| 17 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 647 |
| 18 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 623 |
| 19 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 622 |
| 20 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 616 |
Records by month
What to put out in Otterton
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 Otterton?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Otterton are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, Blackbird and Wren, based on 35,726 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Otterton?
213 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Otterton?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:59.
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.