Birds of Cliffe
What has actually been seen around Cliffe: 259 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 259 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 204,667 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 14 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Cliffe
259 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Cliffe (Medway) since 2010, across 204,667 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Cliffe are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
19 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — 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.
High Halstow, 4 km to the east, has fewer species on record (188 against 259).
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Cliffe
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,818 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 3,801 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 3,624 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,578 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 3,467 |
| 6 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 3,459 |
| 7 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 3,454 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 3,374 |
| 9 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 3,312 |
| 10 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 3,290 |
| 11 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 3,278 |
| 12 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 3,271 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 3,175 |
| 14 | Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta | 3,152 |
| 15 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 3,082 |
| 16 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 3,052 |
| 17 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 3,050 |
| 18 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 3,048 |
| 19 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 2,825 |
| 20 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina | 2,823 |
Records by month
What to put out in Cliffe
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Medway
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 Cliffe?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Cliffe are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch and Robin, based on 204,667 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Cliffe?
259 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Cliffe?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. 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.