Birds of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
What has actually been seen around Ashby-de-la-Zouch: 173 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 173 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 34,189 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 126 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Ashby-de-la-Zouch
173 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ashby-de-la-Zouch (Leicestershire) since 2010, across 34,189 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Eurasian Coot.
Water shapes this list. 52% of records near Ashby-de-la-Zouch are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Robin is still the most logged garden bird.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 March and are lowest in August — 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.
Moira, 4 km to the west, has more species on record (189 against 173).
Daylight runs from 16 h 53 min at midsummer to 7 h 37 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ashby-de-la-Zouch
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 2,143 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,372 |
| 3 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,320 |
| 4 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,215 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,183 |
| 6 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,145 |
| 7 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,110 |
| 8 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 960 |
| 9 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 897 |
| 10 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 778 |
| 11 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 659 |
| 12 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 642 |
| 13 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 616 |
| 14 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 604 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 576 |
| 16 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 556 |
| 17 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 554 |
| 18 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 534 |
| 19 | Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis | 528 |
| 20 | Great TitParus major | 500 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Leicestershire
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 Ashby-de-la-Zouch?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ashby-de-la-Zouch are Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon and Green Woodpecker, based on 34,189 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ashby-de-la-Zouch?
173 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ashby-de-la-Zouch?
Observation records peak in March 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.