Birds of Bellaghy
What has actually been seen around Bellaghy: 113 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 113 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,370 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Whooper Swan
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 26 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Bellaghy
113 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bellaghy (Mid Ulster) since 2010, across 1,370 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Whooper Swan, Little Egret and Wren.
Water shapes this list. 49% of records near Bellaghy are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Whooper Swan, Little Egret and Northern Lapwing lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Wren is still the most logged garden bird.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in August and are lowest in January — about 12.2 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.
Castledawson, 5 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (95 against 113).
Daylight runs from 17 h 20 min at midsummer to 7 h 13 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:25 in mid-April and 4:47 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bellaghy
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus | 46 |
| 2 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 44 |
| 3 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 40 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 38 |
| 5 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 37 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 37 |
| 7 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 37 |
| 8 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 34 |
| 9 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 32 |
| 10 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 31 |
| 11 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 31 |
| 12 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 31 |
| 13 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 30 |
| 14 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 30 |
| 15 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 29 |
| 16 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 29 |
| 17 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 28 |
| 18 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 28 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 27 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 26 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bellaghy
Seasonal bird notes for Mid Ulster
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 Bellaghy?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bellaghy are Wren, Robin, Woodpigeon, Hooded Crow and Barn Swallow, based on 1,370 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bellaghy?
113 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bellaghy?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:47.
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.