Birds of Dewsbury
What has actually been seen around Dewsbury: 132 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 132 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 35,486 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 44 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Dewsbury
132 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Dewsbury (Kirklees) since 2010, across 35,486 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Magpie.
Dewsbury is a garden-bird place: 80% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Magpie and Goldfinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard. 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 April and are lowest in September — about 2.7 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.
Ossett, 4 km to the east, has more species on record (153 against 132). Birds logged far more often around Dewsbury than there include House Sparrow, Collared Dove and Common Redpoll.
Daylight runs from 17 h 5 min at midsummer to 7 h 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Dewsbury
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,484 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,154 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 1,984 |
| 4 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,962 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,854 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,671 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,570 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,507 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,378 |
| 10 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 1,258 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 1,139 |
| 12 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 959 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 867 |
| 14 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 860 |
| 15 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 740 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 690 |
| 17 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 564 |
| 18 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 521 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 515 |
| 20 | BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula | 488 |
Records by month
What to put out in Dewsbury
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Kirklees
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 Dewsbury?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Dewsbury are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Magpie, Goldfinch and Carrion Crow, based on 35,486 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Dewsbury?
132 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Dewsbury?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:35.
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.