Birds of London
What has actually been seen around London: 305 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 305 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 404,277 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Rock Pigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 25 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about London
305 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of London (Greater London) since 2010, across 404,277 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Rock Pigeon, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 50% of records near London are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Eurasian Coot, Egyptian Goose and Mute Swan 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 Peregrine Falcon and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in November — about 1.9 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.
Islington, 4 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (240 against 305).
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 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 London
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 23,252 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 17,811 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 17,701 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 17,118 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 15,519 |
| 6 | Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca | 15,413 |
| 7 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 14,300 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 13,494 |
| 9 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 13,443 |
| 10 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 13,216 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 13,206 |
| 12 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 13,074 |
| 13 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 12,975 |
| 14 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 12,234 |
| 15 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 11,992 |
| 16 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 11,511 |
| 17 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 11,144 |
| 18 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 10,809 |
| 19 | Great TitParus major | 9,806 |
| 20 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 9,192 |
Records by month
What to put out in London
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 London?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of London are Rock Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie and Robin, based on 404,277 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near London?
305 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in London?
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.