Birds of Hoo
What has actually been seen around Hoo: 177 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 177 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 15,455 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-headed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 16 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Hoo
177 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Hoo (Medway) since 2010, across 15,455 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Hoo are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Records peak in April and are lowest in September — about 3.4 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, 3 km to the north, has more species on record (188 against 177). Birds logged far more often around Hoo than there include Brant.
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 51 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 Hoo
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 605 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 591 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 503 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 491 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 478 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 439 |
| 7 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 352 |
| 8 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 350 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 329 |
| 10 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 329 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 329 |
| 12 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 328 |
| 13 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 291 |
| 14 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 288 |
| 15 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 278 |
| 16 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 268 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 261 |
| 18 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 248 |
| 19 | Great TitParus major | 244 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 234 |
Records by month
What to put out in Hoo
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 Hoo?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Hoo are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin and Blackbird, based on 15,455 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Hoo?
177 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Hoo?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. 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.