Birds of Portishead
What has actually been seen around Portishead: 220 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 220 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 90,749 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 13 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Portishead
220 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Portishead (North Somerset) since 2010, across 90,749 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Blackbird.
The records split between garden birds (57%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in Portishead sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Robin, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 April and are lowest in July — about 2.5 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.
Easton-in-Gordano, 5 km to the east, has fewer species on record (214 against 220).
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:17 in mid-April and 4:53 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Portishead
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 2,633 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,591 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,293 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,264 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,209 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 2,174 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,100 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,004 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 1,982 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,979 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,874 |
| 12 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,861 |
| 13 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,836 |
| 14 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,819 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 1,694 |
| 16 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,626 |
| 17 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 1,617 |
| 18 | BlackcapSylvia atricapilla | 1,550 |
| 19 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,549 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,521 |
Records by month
What to put out in Portishead
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for North Somerset
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 Portishead?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Portishead are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow and Magpie, based on 90,749 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Portishead?
220 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Portishead?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:53.
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.