Birds of Otford
What has actually been seen around Otford: 188 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 188 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 32,365 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 70 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Otford
188 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Otford (Kent) since 2010, across 32,365 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Otford are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Eurasian Coot and Canada Goose lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Red Kite.
Records peak in May and are lowest in October — about 2.5 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.
Sevenoaks, 5 km to the south, has a similar number of species on record (187 against 188).
Daylight runs from 16 h 36 min at midsummer to 7 h 52 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:42 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Otford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 1,429 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,349 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,144 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,085 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 982 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 940 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 818 |
| 8 | Great TitParus major | 793 |
| 9 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 779 |
| 10 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 772 |
| 11 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 736 |
| 12 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 732 |
| 13 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 724 |
| 14 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 717 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 676 |
| 16 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 672 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 664 |
| 18 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 654 |
| 19 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 589 |
| 20 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 583 |
Records by month
What to put out in Otford
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 Otford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Otford are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit, based on 32,365 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Otford?
188 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Otford?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:42.
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.