Birds of Great Yarmouth
What has actually been seen around Great Yarmouth: 251 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 251 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 35,991 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 6 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Great Yarmouth
251 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Great Yarmouth (Norfolk) since 2010, across 35,991 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Great Yarmouth are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — 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.
Bradwell, 4 km to the south-west, has more species on record (259 against 251).
Daylight runs from 16 h 51 min at midsummer to 7 h 38 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:57 in mid-April and 4:28 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Great Yarmouth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,541 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,449 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,043 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,016 |
| 5 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,005 |
| 6 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 973 |
| 7 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 937 |
| 8 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 786 |
| 9 | MagpiePica pica | 741 |
| 10 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 671 |
| 11 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 601 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 593 |
| 13 | Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus | 575 |
| 14 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 562 |
| 15 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 560 |
| 16 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 557 |
| 17 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 551 |
| 18 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 518 |
| 19 | DunlinCalidris alpina | 501 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 491 |
Records by month
What to put out in Great Yarmouth
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
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 Great Yarmouth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Great Yarmouth are Carrion Crow, Starling, Woodpigeon, Rock Pigeon and Magpie, based on 35,991 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Great Yarmouth?
251 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Great Yarmouth?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:28.
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.