Birds of Downham Market
What has actually been seen around Downham Market: 170 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 170 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 14,214 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-headed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 32 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Downham Market
170 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Downham Market (Norfolk) since 2010, across 14,214 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Downham Market are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Common Moorhen lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in September — about 13.4 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.
Hilgay, 5 km to the south, has more species on record (176 against 170).
Daylight runs from 16 h 51 min at midsummer to 7 h 38 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:02 in mid-April and 4:34 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Downham Market
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 324 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 316 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 296 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 274 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 253 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 251 |
| 7 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 248 |
| 8 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 245 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 240 |
| 10 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 239 |
| 11 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 229 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 223 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 222 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 220 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 218 |
| 16 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 215 |
| 17 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 209 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 206 |
| 19 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 203 |
| 20 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 201 |
Records by month
What to put out in Downham Market
Seasonal bird notes for Norfolk
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 Downham Market?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Downham Market are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Magpie and Goldfinch, based on 14,214 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Downham Market?
170 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Downham Market?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:34.
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.