Birds of Harlesden
What has actually been seen around Harlesden: 210 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 210 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 142,282 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 50 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Harlesden
210 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Harlesden (Greater London) since 2010, across 142,282 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Magpie and Rock Pigeon.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (35%), so a feeder in Harlesden sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Magpie and Rock Pigeon, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .
Records peak in April and are lowest in February — about 2.4 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.
Cricklewood, 3 km to the north-east, has more species on record (223 against 210).
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 49 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:42 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Harlesden
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 4,737 |
| 2 | MagpiePica pica | 4,520 |
| 3 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 4,517 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 4,496 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 4,257 |
| 6 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 3,769 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 3,670 |
| 8 | Great TitParus major | 3,622 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 3,365 |
| 10 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 3,290 |
| 11 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 3,268 |
| 12 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 3,226 |
| 13 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,863 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,534 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,531 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 2,510 |
| 17 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 2,473 |
| 18 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 2,451 |
| 19 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 2,448 |
| 20 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 2,432 |
Records by month
What to put out in Harlesden
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 Harlesden?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Harlesden are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Rock Pigeon, Carrion Crow and Robin, based on 142,282 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Harlesden?
210 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Harlesden?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in February. 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.