Birds of Melton Mowbray
What has actually been seen around Melton Mowbray: 172 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 172 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 37,149 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 79 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Melton Mowbray
172 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire) since 2010, across 37,149 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Common Buzzard.
The records split between garden birds (56%) and waterbirds (33%), so a feeder in Melton Mowbray sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Carrion Crow, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
13 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 April and are lowest in June — 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.
Asfordby, 5 km to the west, has fewer species on record (160 against 172). Birds logged far more often around Melton Mowbray than there include Little Grebe.
Daylight runs from 16 h 53 min at midsummer to 7 h 36 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Melton Mowbray
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,700 |
| 2 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,440 |
| 3 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 991 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 985 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 902 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 848 |
| 7 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 759 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 741 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 718 |
| 10 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 717 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 697 |
| 12 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 658 |
| 13 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 648 |
| 14 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 635 |
| 15 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 633 |
| 16 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 621 |
| 17 | Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus | 585 |
| 18 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 568 |
| 19 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 564 |
| 20 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 556 |
Records by month
What to put out in Melton Mowbray
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
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 Melton Mowbray?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Melton Mowbray are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch and House Sparrow, based on 37,149 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Melton Mowbray?
172 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Melton Mowbray?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 4:38.
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.