Birds of Harwich
What has actually been seen around Harwich: 299 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 299 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 70,282 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 1 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Harwich
299 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Harwich (Essex) since 2010, across 70,282 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 42% of records near Harwich are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
20 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Records peak in October and are lowest in December — about 3.7 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.
Shotley, 4 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (246 against 299). Birds logged far more often around Harwich than there include Northern Wheatear.
Daylight runs from 16 h 43 min at midsummer to 7 h 45 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:00 in mid-April and 4:34 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Harwich
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,866 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,803 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 1,637 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,626 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,622 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,477 |
| 7 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,429 |
| 8 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,358 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,261 |
| 10 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina | 1,222 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,216 |
| 12 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 1,209 |
| 13 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,198 |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,189 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,102 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 1,096 |
| 17 | Great TitParus major | 1,084 |
| 18 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,047 |
| 19 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,002 |
| 20 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 958 |
Records by month
What to put out in Harwich
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for Essex
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 Harwich?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Harwich are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Starling, based on 70,282 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Harwich?
299 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Harwich?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:34.
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.