Birds of Sherborne
What has actually been seen around Sherborne: 103 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 103 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,660 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 58 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Sherborne
103 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Sherborne (Dorset) since 2010, across 3,660 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Blackbird.
Sherborne is a garden-bird place: 81% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Blackbird and Rook make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
9 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 September — about 23.4 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.
Milborne Port, 5 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (86 against 103).
Daylight runs from 16 h 32 min at midsummer to 7 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:17 in mid-April and 4:55 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Sherborne
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 262 |
| 2 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 233 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 213 |
| 4 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 170 |
| 5 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 165 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 162 |
| 7 | SwiftApus apus | 152 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 152 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 137 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 131 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 112 |
| 12 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 112 |
| 13 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 95 |
| 14 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 93 |
| 15 | Great TitParus major | 93 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 80 |
| 17 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 73 |
| 18 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 71 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 65 |
| 20 | MagpiePica pica | 60 |
Records by month
What to put out in Sherborne
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · 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 Sherborne?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Sherborne are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Rook and Goldfinch, based on 3,660 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Sherborne?
103 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Sherborne?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:55.
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.