Birds of Bourton
What has actually been seen around Bourton: 116 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 116 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,630 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 128 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Bourton
116 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bourton (Dorset) since 2010, across 5,630 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Blackbird.
Bourton is a garden-bird place: 66% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin and Carrion Crow 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 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 October and are lowest in February — about 6.5 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.
Mere, 5 km to the east, has a similar number of species on record (113 against 116). Birds logged far more often around Bourton than there include Isabelline Shrike.
Daylight runs from 16 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:16 in mid-April and 4:53 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bourton
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 563 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 247 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 230 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 214 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 203 |
| 6 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 194 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 173 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 172 |
| 9 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 158 |
| 10 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 147 |
| 11 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 125 |
| 12 | Great TitParus major | 124 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 123 |
| 14 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 116 |
| 15 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 115 |
| 16 | MagpiePica pica | 115 |
| 17 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 112 |
| 18 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 105 |
| 19 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 104 |
| 20 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 99 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bourton
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Dorset
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 Bourton?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bourton are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw, based on 5,630 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bourton?
116 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bourton?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:53.
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.