Birds of Marsden
What has actually been seen around Marsden: 123 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 123 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,895 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 251 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Marsden
123 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Marsden (Kirklees) since 2010, across 2,895 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Mallard and Carrion Crow.
Marsden is a garden-bird place: 70% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
15 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 5.8 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.
Meltham Mills, 5 km to the east, has more species on record (140 against 123).
At about 251 m above sea level, Marsden sits higher than most places in Kirklees. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter.
Daylight runs from 17 h 4 min at midsummer to 7 h 27 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Marsden
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 132 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 126 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 123 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 122 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 116 |
| 6 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 113 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 104 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 90 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 77 |
| 10 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 74 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 73 |
| 12 | SwiftApus apus | 68 |
| 13 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 66 |
| 14 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 63 |
| 15 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 62 |
| 16 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 56 |
| 17 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 53 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 52 |
| 19 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 51 |
| 20 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 48 |
Records by month
What to put out in Marsden
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Marsden?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Marsden are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Robin and Jackdaw, based on 2,895 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Marsden?
123 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Marsden?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:37.
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.