Birds of Bala
What has actually been seen around Bala: 131 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 131 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,240 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black Grouse
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 168 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Bala
131 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bala (Gwynedd) since 2010, across 2,240 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black Grouse, Swift and Canada Goose.
The records split between garden birds (53%) and waterbirds (31%), so a feeder in Bala sees the familiar Carrion Crow, Robin and Jackdaw, while Canada Goose and others turn up on nearby water.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in May and are lowest in October — about 5.5 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.
Cynwyd, 14 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (109 against 131). Birds logged far more often around Bala than there include Canada Goose, Common Merganser, Black-headed Gull and Great Cormorant.
Daylight runs from 16 h 55 min at midsummer to 7 h 35 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:17 in mid-April and 4:48 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bala
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black GrouseLyrurus tetrix | 96 |
| 2 | SwiftApus apus | 66 |
| 3 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 58 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 58 |
| 5 | Common MerganserMergus merganser | 57 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 56 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 56 |
| 8 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 54 |
| 9 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 53 |
| 10 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 52 |
| 11 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 51 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 50 |
| 13 | White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus | 48 |
| 14 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 47 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 47 |
| 16 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 46 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 43 |
| 18 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 41 |
| 19 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 39 |
| 20 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 37 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bala
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Gwynedd
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 Bala?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bala are Carrion Crow, Robin, Jackdaw, Blackbird and Pied Wagtail, based on 2,240 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bala?
131 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bala?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:48.
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.