Birds of Heckmondwike
What has actually been seen around Heckmondwike: 127 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 127 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 36,059 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 61 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Heckmondwike
127 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Heckmondwike (Kirklees) since 2010, across 36,059 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Magpie.
Heckmondwike 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, Blackbird, Magpie and Goldfinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard 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 April and are lowest in September — about 2.2 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.
Cleckheaton, 3 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (109 against 127). Birds logged far more often around Heckmondwike than there include Common Pheasant, Common Kingfisher, Eurasian Coot and Mute Swan.
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 Heckmondwike
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,570 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,217 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 2,101 |
| 4 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,997 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,929 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,687 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,654 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,607 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,443 |
| 10 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 1,264 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 1,196 |
| 12 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 979 |
| 13 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 853 |
| 14 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 835 |
| 15 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 775 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 744 |
| 17 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 599 |
| 18 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 522 |
| 19 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 518 |
| 20 | BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula | 484 |
Records by month
What to put out in Heckmondwike
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 Heckmondwike?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Heckmondwike are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Magpie, Goldfinch and Carrion Crow, based on 36,059 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Heckmondwike?
127 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Heckmondwike?
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.