Birds of Hilgay
What has actually been seen around Hilgay: 176 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 176 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 11,220 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 11 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Hilgay
176 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Hilgay (Norfolk) since 2010, across 11,220 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 44% of records near Hilgay are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in October — about 22.4 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.
Southery, 4 km to the south, has fewer species on record (151 against 176). Birds logged far more often around Hilgay than there include Common Redshank, Eurasian Coot, Gadwall and Cetti's Warbler.
Daylight runs from 16 h 51 min at midsummer to 7 h 39 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 Hilgay
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 244 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 242 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 224 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 211 |
| 5 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 190 |
| 6 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 188 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 179 |
| 8 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 179 |
| 9 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 177 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 176 |
| 11 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 176 |
| 12 | MagpiePica pica | 175 |
| 13 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 170 |
| 14 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 170 |
| 15 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 165 |
| 16 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 164 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 164 |
| 18 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 162 |
| 19 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 160 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 159 |
Records by month
What to put out in Hilgay
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 Hilgay?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Hilgay are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Jackdaw and Magpie, based on 11,220 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Hilgay?
176 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Hilgay?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in October. 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.