Birds of Motcombe
What has actually been seen around Motcombe: 85 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 85 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,480 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 87 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Motcombe
85 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Motcombe (Dorset) since 2010, across 2,480 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Blackbird.
Motcombe is a garden-bird place: 84% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Blackbird and House Sparrow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Red Kite. 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 5.7 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.
Shaftesbury, 3 km to the south-east, has more species on record (91 against 85).
Daylight runs from 16 h 33 min at midsummer to 7 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:53 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Motcombe
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 192 |
| 2 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 149 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 133 |
| 4 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 131 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 126 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 103 |
| 7 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 102 |
| 8 | MagpiePica pica | 101 |
| 9 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 84 |
| 10 | SwiftApus apus | 81 |
| 11 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 81 |
| 12 | Great TitParus major | 68 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 66 |
| 14 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 61 |
| 15 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 58 |
| 16 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 48 |
| 17 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 48 |
| 18 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 44 |
| 19 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 44 |
| 20 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 44 |
Records by month
What to put out in Motcombe
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
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 Motcombe?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Motcombe are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Blackbird, House Sparrow and Blue Tit, based on 2,480 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Motcombe?
85 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Motcombe?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in October. 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.