Birds of Cottesmore
What has actually been seen around Cottesmore: 235 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 235 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 48,375 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Common Buzzard
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 134 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Cottesmore
235 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Cottesmore (District of Rutland) since 2010, across 48,375 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Common Ringed Plover.
Water shapes this list. 61% of records near Cottesmore are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Common Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Little Egret lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Common Kestrel. 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 May and are lowest in December — about 2.2 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.
Exton, 3 km to the south-east, has more species on record (266 against 235).
Daylight runs from 16 h 53 min at midsummer to 7 h 37 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Cottesmore
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 1,761 |
| 2 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 1,627 |
| 3 | Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula | 1,492 |
| 4 | DunlinCalidris alpina | 1,393 |
| 5 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 1,309 |
| 6 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 1,229 |
| 7 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 1,209 |
| 8 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 984 |
| 9 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 937 |
| 10 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 795 |
| 11 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 756 |
| 12 | Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca | 718 |
| 13 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 686 |
| 14 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 665 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 626 |
| 16 | Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta | 577 |
| 17 | Green SandpiperTringa ochropus | 573 |
| 18 | Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis | 573 |
| 19 | NuthatchSitta europaea | 557 |
| 20 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 552 |
Records by month
What to put out in Cottesmore
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Nuthatch
Peanuts · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
Peanuts · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Jay
Peanuts · Whole acorns
Seasonal bird notes for District of Rutland
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 Cottesmore?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Cottesmore are Woodpigeon, Nuthatch, Carrion Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chiffchaff, based on 48,375 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Cottesmore?
235 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Cottesmore?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:37.
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.