Birds of Walthamstow
What has actually been seen around Walthamstow: 242 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 242 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 416,274 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 18 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Walthamstow
242 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Walthamstow (Greater London) since 2010, across 416,274 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Walthamstow are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Coot and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
18 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 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.
Tottenham, 4 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (232 against 242).
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 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Walthamstow
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 12,982 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 12,919 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 12,235 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 11,247 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 10,986 |
| 6 | Great TitParus major | 10,540 |
| 7 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 10,488 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 9,596 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 9,561 |
| 10 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 9,450 |
| 11 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 9,332 |
| 12 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 9,316 |
| 13 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 9,050 |
| 14 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 8,872 |
| 15 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 8,647 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 8,599 |
| 17 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 8,501 |
| 18 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 8,418 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 8,356 |
| 20 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 7,801 |
Records by month
What to put out in Walthamstow
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 Walthamstow?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Walthamstow are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Robin and Blue Tit, based on 416,274 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Walthamstow?
242 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Walthamstow?
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.