Birds of Swillington
What has actually been seen around Swillington: 227 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 227 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 147,464 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Eurasian Coot
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 59 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Swillington
227 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Swillington (Leeds) since 2010, across 147,464 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Eurasian Coot, Magpie and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Swillington are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull and Tufted Duck lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Red Kite and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 3.1 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.
Kippax, 3 km to the east, has more species on record (235 against 227).
Daylight runs from 17 h 6 min at midsummer to 7 h 25 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:34 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Swillington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 3,898 |
| 2 | MagpiePica pica | 3,877 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 3,796 |
| 4 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 3,737 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,667 |
| 6 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 3,648 |
| 7 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 3,560 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 3,534 |
| 9 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 3,511 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,452 |
| 11 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 3,449 |
| 12 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 3,408 |
| 13 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 3,284 |
| 14 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 3,204 |
| 15 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 2,983 |
| 16 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 2,870 |
| 17 | GadwallMareca strepera | 2,862 |
| 18 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 2,762 |
| 19 | Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus | 2,719 |
| 20 | Common PochardAythya ferina | 2,715 |
Records by month
What to put out in Swillington
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Leeds
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 Swillington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Swillington are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Common Reed Bunting and Blackbird, based on 147,464 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Swillington?
227 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Swillington?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:34.
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.