Birds of Whitworth
What has actually been seen around Whitworth: 143 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 143 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 13,776 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Robin
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 222 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Whitworth
143 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Whitworth (Lancashire) since 2010, across 13,776 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Robin, Blackbird and Woodpigeon.
Whitworth is a garden-bird place: 80% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Tawny Owl 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 May and are lowest in September — about 3.0 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.
Rochdale, 5 km to the south, has more species on record (175 against 143). Birds logged far more often around Whitworth than there include Northern Wheatear.
At about 222 m above sea level, Whitworth sits higher than most places in Lancashire. 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 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Whitworth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 649 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 633 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 598 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 585 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 584 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 495 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 476 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 461 |
| 9 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 452 |
| 10 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 378 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 370 |
| 12 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 365 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 342 |
| 14 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 321 |
| 15 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 293 |
| 16 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 286 |
| 17 | BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula | 257 |
| 18 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 239 |
| 19 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 234 |
| 20 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 221 |
Records by month
What to put out in Whitworth
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 Whitworth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Whitworth are Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Magpie and Blue Tit, based on 13,776 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Whitworth?
143 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Whitworth?
Observation records peak in May 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.