Birds of Staithes
What has actually been seen around Staithes: 164 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 164 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,224 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 13 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.3 h
What the records say about Staithes
164 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Staithes (North Yorkshire) since 2010, across 5,224 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Jackdaw and House Sparrow.
The records split between garden birds (56%) and waterbirds (39%), so a feeder in Staithes sees the familiar Jackdaw, House Sparrow and Woodpigeon, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel.
Records peak in August and are lowest in December — about 6.0 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.
Loftus, 7 km to the west, has more species on record (184 against 164). Birds logged far more often around Staithes than there include Black-legged Kittiwake, Northern Gannet, Common Murre and Sandwich Tern.
Daylight runs from 17 h 16 min at midsummer to 7 h 16 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:26 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Staithes
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 281 |
| 2 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 210 |
| 3 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 177 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 175 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 173 |
| 6 | Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis | 134 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 130 |
| 8 | Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla | 115 |
| 9 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 115 |
| 10 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 114 |
| 11 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 112 |
| 12 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 109 |
| 13 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 108 |
| 14 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 106 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 103 |
| 16 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 102 |
| 17 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 100 |
| 18 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 99 |
| 19 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 96 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 91 |
Records by month
What to put out in Staithes
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for North Yorkshire
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 Staithes?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Staithes are Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Robin, based on 5,224 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Staithes?
164 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Staithes?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:26.
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.