Birds of Harpenden
What has actually been seen around Harpenden: 141 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 141 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 62,360 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 107 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Harpenden
141 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Harpenden (Hertfordshire) since 2010, across 62,360 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blue Tit and Magpie.
Harpenden is a garden-bird place: 83% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Magpie and Robin 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.
Redbourn, 3 km to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (138 against 141).
Daylight runs from 16 h 42 min at midsummer to 7 h 47 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Harpenden
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,304 |
| 2 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 3,014 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 2,877 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,813 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,752 |
| 6 | Great TitParus major | 2,539 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,512 |
| 8 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 2,298 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 2,217 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,839 |
| 11 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 1,716 |
| 12 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,696 |
| 13 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 1,591 |
| 14 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 1,515 |
| 15 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 1,479 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,249 |
| 17 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 1,060 |
| 18 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 1,059 |
| 19 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 1,014 |
| 20 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 923 |
Records by month
What to put out in Harpenden
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 Harpenden?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Harpenden are Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Magpie, Robin and Carrion Crow, based on 62,360 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Harpenden?
141 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Harpenden?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. 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.