Birds of Banks
What has actually been seen around Banks: 223 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 223 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 37,914 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 4 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Banks
223 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Banks (Lancashire) since 2010, across 37,914 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Northern Lapwing.
Water shapes this list. 61% of records near Banks are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Northern Lapwing lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Records peak in May and are lowest in August — about 4.3 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.
Tarleton, 6 km to the east, has fewer species on record (175 against 223). Birds logged far more often around Banks than there include Little Egret, Pink-footed Goose, Black-tailed Godwit and Eurasian Wigeon.
Daylight runs from 17 h 5 min at midsummer to 7 h 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:13 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Banks
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,065 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,049 |
| 3 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,047 |
| 4 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 1,015 |
| 5 | Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus | 964 |
| 6 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 950 |
| 7 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 895 |
| 8 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 878 |
| 9 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 840 |
| 10 | Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa | 830 |
| 11 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 808 |
| 12 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 787 |
| 13 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 727 |
| 14 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 687 |
| 15 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 676 |
| 16 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 674 |
| 17 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 660 |
| 18 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 656 |
| 19 | MagpiePica pica | 651 |
| 20 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 639 |
Records by month
What to put out in Banks
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Lancashire
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 Banks?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Banks are Woodpigeon, Starling, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Goldfinch, based on 37,914 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Banks?
223 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Banks?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in August. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.
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.