Birds of Thetford
What has actually been seen around Thetford: 182 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 182 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 60,112 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 24 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Thetford
182 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Thetford (Norfolk) since 2010, across 60,112 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
The records split between garden birds (57%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Thetford sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Robin and Blue Tit, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
17 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in March and are lowest in November — about 3.2 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.
Weeting, 11 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (173 against 182). Birds logged far more often around Thetford than there include Lesser Black-backed Gull, Canada Goose, Graylag Goose and Egyptian Goose.
Daylight runs from 16 h 49 min at midsummer to 7 h 40 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:01 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Thetford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 7,591 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,738 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,656 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,648 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,602 |
| 6 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,544 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,420 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,419 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 1,404 |
| 10 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,274 |
| 11 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 1,246 |
| 12 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,238 |
| 13 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,216 |
| 14 | MagpiePica pica | 1,177 |
| 15 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,047 |
| 16 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 1,040 |
| 17 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 1,027 |
| 18 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 1,026 |
| 19 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,022 |
| 20 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 986 |
Records by month
What to put out in Thetford
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 Thetford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Thetford are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit, Blackbird and Wren, based on 60,112 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Thetford?
182 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Thetford?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:33.
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.