Birds of Rainham
What has actually been seen around Rainham: 161 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 161 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 13,706 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-headed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 41 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Rainham
161 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Rainham (Medway) since 2010, across 13,706 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Rainham 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.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in May and are lowest in September — about 2.8 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.
Upchurch, 3 km to the north-east, has a similar number of species on record (164 against 161).
Daylight runs from 16 h 37 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 Rainham
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 661 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 639 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 498 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 493 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 483 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 451 |
| 7 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 371 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 358 |
| 9 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 344 |
| 10 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 339 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 317 |
| 12 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 316 |
| 13 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 302 |
| 14 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 302 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 292 |
| 16 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 271 |
| 17 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 264 |
| 18 | Great TitParus major | 259 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 224 |
| 20 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 207 |
Records by month
What to put out in Rainham
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 Rainham?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Rainham are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blackbird, Robin and Carrion Crow, based on 13,706 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Rainham?
161 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Rainham?
Observation records peak in May 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.