Birds of Folkestone
What has actually been seen around Folkestone: 143 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 143 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 11,022 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mediterranean Gull
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 46 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Folkestone
143 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Folkestone (Kent) since 2010, across 11,022 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mediterranean Gull, European Herring Gull and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 49% of records near Folkestone are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mediterranean Gull, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
8 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 September and are lowest in February — about 3.2 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.
Hawkinge, 4 km to the north, has fewer species on record (135 against 143).
Daylight runs from 16 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:02 in mid-April and 4:39 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Folkestone
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus | 3,934 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 651 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 368 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 362 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 343 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 302 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 280 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 263 |
| 9 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 252 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 222 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 215 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 210 |
| 13 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 209 |
| 14 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 201 |
| 15 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 181 |
| 16 | Great TitParus major | 175 |
| 17 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 171 |
| 18 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 151 |
| 19 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 131 |
| 20 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 125 |
Records by month
What to put out in Folkestone
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Folkestone?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Folkestone are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Robin, based on 11,022 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Folkestone?
143 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Folkestone?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:39.
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.