Birds of Slimbridge
What has actually been seen around Slimbridge: 289 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 289 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 251,504 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Graylag Goose
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 14 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Slimbridge
289 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Slimbridge (Gloucestershire) since 2010, across 251,504 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Graylag Goose, Mallard and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 61% of records near Slimbridge are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Graylag Goose, Mallard and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
19 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in January and are lowest in September — about 2.3 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.
Frampton on Severn, 5 km to the north, has a similar number of species on record (292 against 289).
Daylight runs from 16 h 41 min at midsummer to 7 h 47 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:50 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Slimbridge
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 5,703 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 5,514 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 5,505 |
| 4 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 5,371 |
| 5 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 5,325 |
| 6 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 5,290 |
| 7 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 5,208 |
| 8 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 5,196 |
| 9 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 5,188 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 5,061 |
| 11 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 5,028 |
| 12 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 4,838 |
| 13 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 4,818 |
| 14 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 4,606 |
| 15 | Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa | 4,220 |
| 16 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 4,082 |
| 17 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 4,060 |
| 18 | Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis | 4,051 |
| 19 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 3,985 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 3,939 |
Records by month
What to put out in Slimbridge
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Gloucestershire
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 Slimbridge?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Slimbridge are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Rook, Robin and Carrion Crow, based on 251,504 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Slimbridge?
289 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Slimbridge?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:50.
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.