Birds of Rye
What has actually been seen around Rye: 238 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 238 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 84,397 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 19 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Rye
238 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Rye (East Sussex) since 2010, across 84,397 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Great Cormorant.
Water shapes this list. 58% of records near Rye are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Great Cormorant lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Starling is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 3.1 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.
Winchelsea Beach, 4 km to the south, has more species on record (254 against 238).
Daylight runs from 16 h 32 min at midsummer to 7 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:42 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Rye
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,994 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,975 |
| 3 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,970 |
| 4 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,878 |
| 5 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,847 |
| 6 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 1,755 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,714 |
| 8 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,666 |
| 9 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,646 |
| 10 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 1,638 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 1,593 |
| 12 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,559 |
| 13 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,524 |
| 14 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 1,469 |
| 15 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,385 |
| 16 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 1,358 |
| 17 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 1,352 |
| 18 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina | 1,241 |
| 19 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 1,234 |
| 20 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,214 |
Records by month
What to put out in Rye
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Seasonal bird notes for East Sussex
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 Rye?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Rye are Starling, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Eurasian Skylark, based on 84,397 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Rye?
238 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Rye?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:42.
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.