Birds of Sheerness
What has actually been seen around Sheerness: 164 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 164 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 8,122 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Starling
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 5 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Sheerness
164 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Sheerness (Kent) since 2010, across 8,122 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Starling, Magpie and Carrion Crow.
The records split between garden birds (56%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in Sheerness sees the familiar Starling, Magpie and Carrion Crow, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in October and are lowest in November — about 4.4 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.
Grain, 4 km to the north-west, has more species on record (169 against 164).
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:39 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Sheerness
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 413 |
| 2 | MagpiePica pica | 364 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 335 |
| 4 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 308 |
| 5 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 301 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 287 |
| 7 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 285 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 263 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 259 |
| 10 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 184 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 176 |
| 12 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 165 |
| 13 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 132 |
| 14 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 131 |
| 15 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 130 |
| 16 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 119 |
| 17 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 119 |
| 18 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 118 |
| 19 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 116 |
| 20 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 113 |
Records by month
What to put out in Sheerness
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Collared Dove
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
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 Sheerness?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Sheerness are Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch and Rock Pigeon, based on 8,122 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Sheerness?
164 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Sheerness?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in November. 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.