Birds of Rainham
What has actually been seen around Rainham: 255 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 255 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 344,896 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 7 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Rainham
255 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Rainham (Greater London) since 2010, across 344,896 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, Mallard and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near Rainham are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Northern Lapwing lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Records peak in April and are lowest in June — about 2.1 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.
Erith, 4 km to the south, has a similar number of species on record (252 against 255).
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Rainham
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 7,419 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 7,374 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 7,274 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 7,209 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 7,039 |
| 6 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 6,743 |
| 7 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 6,526 |
| 8 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 6,435 |
| 9 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 6,154 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 6,145 |
| 11 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 6,022 |
| 12 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 5,941 |
| 13 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 5,928 |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 5,892 |
| 15 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 5,863 |
| 16 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 5,593 |
| 17 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 5,517 |
| 18 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 5,484 |
| 19 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 5,332 |
| 20 | Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti | 5,281 |
Records by month
What to put out in Rainham
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
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 Rainham?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Rainham are Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Starling and Goldfinch, based on 344,896 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Rainham?
255 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Rainham?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 4:41.
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.