Birds of Croydon
What has actually been seen around Croydon: 231 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 231 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 289,652 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 54 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Croydon
231 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Croydon (Greater London) since 2010, across 289,652 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Robin.
The records split between garden birds (55%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Croydon sees the familiar Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Robin, while Eurasian Coot and others turn up on nearby water.
18 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard 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 April and are lowest in July — about 2.6 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.
Shirley, 4 km to the east, has fewer species on record (127 against 231). Birds logged far more often around Croydon than there include Gadwall, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Teal and Cetti's Warbler.
Daylight runs from 16 h 37 min at midsummer to 7 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:43 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Croydon
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 8,060 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 8,002 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 7,734 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 7,680 |
| 5 | Great TitParus major | 6,946 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 6,784 |
| 7 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 6,566 |
| 8 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 6,075 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 6,073 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 6,045 |
| 11 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 5,959 |
| 12 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 5,954 |
| 13 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 5,924 |
| 14 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 5,836 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 5,565 |
| 16 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 5,551 |
| 17 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 5,541 |
| 18 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 5,403 |
| 19 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 5,378 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 5,186 |
Records by month
What to put out in Croydon
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Greater London
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 Croydon?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Croydon are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Robin, Magpie and Great Tit, based on 289,652 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Croydon?
231 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Croydon?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:43.
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.