Birds of Essendon
What has actually been seen around Essendon: 139 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 139 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 23,295 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 104 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Essendon
139 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Essendon (Hertfordshire) since 2010, across 23,295 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Robin and Blue Tit.
Essendon is a garden-bird place: 67% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in March and are lowest in August — about 3.7 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.
Hatfield, 5 km to the west, has more species on record (185 against 139).
Daylight runs from 16 h 41 min at midsummer to 7 h 47 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 Essendon
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 940 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 856 |
| 3 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 853 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 832 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 800 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 739 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 734 |
| 8 | Great TitParus major | 716 |
| 9 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 617 |
| 10 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 572 |
| 11 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 522 |
| 12 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 499 |
| 13 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 498 |
| 14 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 494 |
| 15 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 480 |
| 16 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 419 |
| 17 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 418 |
| 18 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 407 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 390 |
| 20 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 382 |
Records by month
What to put out in Essendon
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Hertfordshire
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 Essendon?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Essendon are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit, Magpie and Carrion Crow, based on 23,295 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Essendon?
139 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Essendon?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in August. 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.