Birds of Ashford
What has actually been seen around Ashford: 152 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 152 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 8,511 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 50 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Ashford
152 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ashford (Kent) since 2010, across 8,511 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Magpie and European Herring Gull.
Ashford is a garden-bird place: 71% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blue Tit and Blackbird make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 December — about 4.0 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.
Mersham, 5 km to the south-east, has fewer species on record (141 against 152).
Daylight runs from 16 h 35 min at midsummer to 7 h 53 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ashford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 416 |
| 2 | MagpiePica pica | 407 |
| 3 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 367 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 330 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 317 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 317 |
| 7 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 305 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 300 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 284 |
| 10 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 228 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 220 |
| 12 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 193 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 191 |
| 14 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 187 |
| 15 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 172 |
| 16 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 171 |
| 17 | SwiftApus apus | 160 |
| 18 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 156 |
| 19 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 155 |
| 20 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 143 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ashford
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Kent
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 Ashford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ashford are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blue Tit, Blackbird and Robin, based on 8,511 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ashford?
152 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ashford?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. 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.