Birds of Rufford
What has actually been seen around Rufford: 232 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 232 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 104,063 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 16 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Rufford
232 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Rufford (Lancashire) since 2010, across 104,063 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Common Moorhen.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near Rufford are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Common Moorhen 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 Buzzard, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in January and are lowest in July — about 2.1 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.
Croston, 4 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (167 against 232). Birds logged far more often around Rufford than there include Whooper Swan, Graylag Goose, Tufted Duck and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Daylight runs from 17 h 4 min at midsummer to 7 h 27 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 Rufford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,787 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,565 |
| 3 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 2,453 |
| 4 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 2,400 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,378 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,270 |
| 7 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 2,096 |
| 8 | Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus | 2,092 |
| 9 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,064 |
| 10 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,064 |
| 11 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 2,046 |
| 12 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,011 |
| 13 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 1,984 |
| 14 | Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus | 1,967 |
| 15 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,940 |
| 16 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 1,935 |
| 17 | Great TitParus major | 1,933 |
| 18 | MagpiePica pica | 1,848 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,833 |
| 20 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 1,721 |
Records by month
What to put out in Rufford
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 Rufford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Rufford are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit, Blackbird and Goldfinch, based on 104,063 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Rufford?
232 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Rufford?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in July. 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.