Birds of Swimbridge
What has actually been seen around Swimbridge: 83 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 83 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,522 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Blackbird
- Busiest month
- December
- Elevation
- 51 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Swimbridge
83 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Swimbridge (Devon) since 2010, across 1,522 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Blackbird, Common Pheasant and House Sparrow.
Swimbridge is a garden-bird place: 78% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blackbird, House Sparrow, Blue Tit and Great Tit make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 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 December and are lowest in September — about 26.7 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.
Barnstaple, 7 km to the north-west, has more species on record (164 against 83). Birds logged far more often around Swimbridge than there include Common Pheasant, Starling, Rook and Collared Dove.
Daylight runs from 16 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 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 Swimbridge
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 110 |
| 2 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 92 |
| 3 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 87 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 80 |
| 5 | Great TitParus major | 69 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 65 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 59 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 55 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 54 |
| 10 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 50 |
| 11 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 46 |
| 12 | MagpiePica pica | 45 |
| 13 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 44 |
| 14 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 41 |
| 15 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 40 |
| 16 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 40 |
| 17 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 40 |
| 18 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 39 |
| 19 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 38 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 35 |
Records by month
What to put out in Swimbridge
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- 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 Swimbridge?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Swimbridge are Blackbird, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Woodpigeon, based on 1,522 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Swimbridge?
83 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Swimbridge?
Observation records peak in December and are lowest in September. 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.