Birds of Carnforth
What has actually been seen around Carnforth: 208 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 208 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 130,085 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 16 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.2 h / 7.3 h
What the records say about Carnforth
208 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Carnforth (Lancashire) since 2010, across 130,085 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Mute Swan.
Water shapes this list. 51% of records near Carnforth are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Robin is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Eurasian Marsh-Harrier and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in March and are lowest in December — about 2.5 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.
Bolton le Sands, 4 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (164 against 208). Birds logged far more often around Carnforth than there include Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, Gadwall and Graylag Goose.
Daylight runs from 17 h 11 min at midsummer to 7 h 21 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Carnforth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,586 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 3,272 |
| 3 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 3,025 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 3,009 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,988 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,795 |
| 7 | Eurasian Marsh-HarrierCircus aeruginosus | 2,751 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,712 |
| 9 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 2,652 |
| 10 | GadwallMareca strepera | 2,600 |
| 11 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 2,456 |
| 12 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 2,442 |
| 13 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 2,434 |
| 14 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 2,433 |
| 15 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 2,422 |
| 16 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 2,414 |
| 17 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,381 |
| 18 | Great TitParus major | 2,329 |
| 19 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,291 |
| 20 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 2,183 |
Records by month
What to put out in Carnforth
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Carnforth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Carnforth are Robin, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch and Blackbird, based on 130,085 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Carnforth?
208 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Carnforth?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in December. 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.