Devon · 51.02°N

Birds of South Molton

What has actually been seen around South Molton: 71 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 71 within 5 km
Observation records: 1,356 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Lesser Black-backed Gull
Busiest month: June
Elevation: 131 m
Daylight, June / December: 16.6 h / 7.9 h

What the records say about South Molton

71 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of South Molton (Devon) since 2010, across 1,356 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Blackbird.

South Molton is a garden-bird place: 73% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Pied Wagtail and House Martin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite 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 October — about 33.0 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.

North Molton, 5 km to the north-east, has a similar number of species on record (69 against 71). Birds logged far more often around South Molton than there include Lesser Black-backed Gull and House Martin.

Daylight runs from 16 h 33 min at midsummer to 7 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:22 in mid-April and 5:00 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near South Molton

#	Bird	Records
1	Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus	90
2	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	83
3	BlackbirdTurdus merula	74
4	Common BuzzardButeo buteo	69
5	Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus	62
6	SwiftApus apus	56
7	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	54
8	House MartinDelichon urbicum	51
9	Barn SwallowHirundo rustica	48
10	House SparrowPasser domesticus	47
11	RobinErithacus rubecula	45
12	JackdawColoeus monedula	44
13	Carrion CrowCorvus corone	44
14	Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus	43
15	MagpiePica pica	40
16	ChaffinchFringilla coelebs	37
17	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	33
18	GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis	32
19	DunnockPrunella modularis	31
20	Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto	30

Records by month

What to put out in South Molton

Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.

Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps

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 South Molton?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of South Molton are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Pied Wagtail, House Martin and Barn Swallow, based on 1,356 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near South Molton?

71 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).

When is the best month for birds in South Molton?

Observation records peak in June and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 5:00.

Sources

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.