Birds of Smarden
What has actually been seen around Smarden: 79 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 79 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,361 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- July
- Elevation
- 24 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Smarden
79 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Smarden (Kent) since 2010, across 1,361 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Robin and Blue Tit.
Smarden is a garden-bird place: 81% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
6 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Tawny Owl. 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 July and are lowest in November — about 13.5 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.
Headcorn, 5 km to the north-west, has more species on record (92 against 79).
Daylight runs from 16 h 35 min at midsummer to 7 h 53 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Smarden
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 84 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 66 |
| 3 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 65 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 62 |
| 5 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 57 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 52 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 52 |
| 8 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 51 |
| 9 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 49 |
| 10 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 47 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 44 |
| 12 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 37 |
| 13 | Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis | 34 |
| 14 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 34 |
| 15 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 32 |
| 16 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 27 |
| 17 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 25 |
| 18 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 24 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 22 |
| 20 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 22 |
Records by month
What to put out in Smarden
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 Smarden?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Smarden are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit, Magpie and Carrion Crow, based on 1,361 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Smarden?
79 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Smarden?
Observation records peak in July and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:41.
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.