Birds of Kettering
What has actually been seen around Kettering: 134 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 134 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 13,596 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 95 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Kettering
134 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Kettering (North Northamptonshire) since 2010, across 13,596 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw.
The records split between garden birds (56%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in Kettering sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Blackbird, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in September and are lowest in March — about 4.1 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.
Broughton, 4 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (113 against 134). Birds logged far more often around Kettering than there include Tree Sparrow.
Daylight runs from 16 h 49 min at midsummer to 7 h 40 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:39 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Kettering
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 2,657 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 752 |
| 3 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 584 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 564 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 478 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 477 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 476 |
| 8 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 439 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 411 |
| 10 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 406 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 382 |
| 12 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 379 |
| 13 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 320 |
| 14 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 320 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 291 |
| 16 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 268 |
| 17 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 255 |
| 18 | SwiftApus apus | 223 |
| 19 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 191 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 188 |
Records by month
What to put out in Kettering
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Collared Dove
Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for North Northamptonshire
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 Kettering?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Kettering are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Robin, based on 13,596 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Kettering?
134 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Kettering?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 4:39.
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.