Birds of Islington
What has actually been seen around Islington: 240 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 240 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 353,944 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Rock Pigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 37 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Islington
240 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Islington (Greater London) since 2010, across 353,944 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Rock Pigeon, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 43% of records near Islington are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Eurasian Coot, European Herring Gull and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Rock Pigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
19 birds of prey are on record nearby, including 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 November — about 1.8 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.
London, 4 km to the south-west, has more species on record (305 against 240).
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 49 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:42 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Islington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 20,885 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 16,624 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 15,829 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 14,192 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 13,693 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 11,906 |
| 7 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 11,902 |
| 8 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 11,766 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 11,469 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 11,346 |
| 11 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 10,908 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 10,473 |
| 13 | Great TitParus major | 10,261 |
| 14 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 9,698 |
| 15 | Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca | 9,602 |
| 16 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 8,861 |
| 17 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 8,567 |
| 18 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 8,490 |
| 19 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 7,937 |
| 20 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 7,761 |
Records by month
What to put out in Islington
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 Islington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Islington are Rock Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Robin, based on 353,944 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Islington?
240 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Islington?
Observation records peak in April 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.