Birds of Andover
What has actually been seen around Andover: 134 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 134 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 10,771 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 71 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Andover
134 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Andover (Hampshire) since 2010, across 10,771 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
The records split between garden birds (57%) and waterbirds (35%), so a feeder in Andover sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Robin and Blackbird, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel. 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 7.3 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.
Abbotts Ann, 4 km to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (134 against 134).
Daylight runs from 16 h 35 min at midsummer to 7 h 53 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:49 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Andover
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,431 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 549 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 457 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 424 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 406 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 362 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 315 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 281 |
| 9 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 279 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 277 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 276 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 258 |
| 13 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 254 |
| 14 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 239 |
| 15 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 232 |
| 16 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 220 |
| 17 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 196 |
| 18 | SwiftApus apus | 194 |
| 19 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 194 |
| 20 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 190 |
Records by month
What to put out in Andover
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Hampshire
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 Andover?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Andover are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie and Blue Tit, based on 10,771 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Andover?
134 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Andover?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:49.
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.