Birds of Hawkinge
What has actually been seen around Hawkinge: 135 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 135 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 10,966 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mediterranean Gull
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 155 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Hawkinge
135 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Hawkinge (Kent) since 2010, across 10,966 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mediterranean Gull, European Herring Gull and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 50% of records near Hawkinge 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.
9 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 January and are lowest in March — about 3.0 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.
Folkestone, 4 km to the south, has more species on record (143 against 135).
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 Hawkinge
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus | 4,150 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 623 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 364 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 361 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 327 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 304 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 276 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 258 |
| 9 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 258 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 218 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 211 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 208 |
| 13 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 202 |
| 14 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 196 |
| 15 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 179 |
| 16 | Great TitParus major | 173 |
| 17 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 150 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 129 |
| 19 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 128 |
| 20 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 123 |
Records by month
What to put out in Hawkinge
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 Hawkinge?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Hawkinge are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Robin, based on 10,966 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Hawkinge?
135 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Hawkinge?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in March. 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.