Birds of Ware
What has actually been seen around Ware: 226 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 226 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 429,419 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 36 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Ware
226 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ware (Hertfordshire) since 2010, across 429,419 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Ware are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
16 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 May and are lowest in September — about 1.5 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.
Hertford, 4 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (169 against 226). Birds logged far more often around Ware than there include Common Tern and Common Goldeneye.
Daylight runs from 16 h 42 min at midsummer to 7 h 47 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ware
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 10,002 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 9,769 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 9,741 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 9,702 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 9,584 |
| 6 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 9,582 |
| 7 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 9,255 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 9,139 |
| 9 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 9,120 |
| 10 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 9,095 |
| 11 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 9,075 |
| 12 | GadwallMareca strepera | 9,059 |
| 13 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 8,964 |
| 14 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 8,758 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 8,692 |
| 16 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 8,569 |
| 17 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 8,359 |
| 18 | Great TitParus major | 8,191 |
| 19 | Common PochardAythya ferina | 8,087 |
| 20 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 7,861 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ware
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 Ware?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ware are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin and Blue Tit, based on 429,419 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ware?
226 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ware?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.
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.