Birds of Morpeth
What has actually been seen around Morpeth: 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
- 27,136 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Tufted Duck
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 33 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.1 h
What the records say about Morpeth
176 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Morpeth (Northumberland) since 2010, across 27,136 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Tufted Duck, Northern Lapwing and Gadwall.
Water shapes this list. 57% of records near Morpeth are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Tufted Duck, Northern Lapwing and Gadwall 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 Buzzard.
Records peak in January and are lowest in October — about 3.3 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.
Pegswood, 3 km to the north-east, has more species on record (200 against 176).
Daylight runs from 17 h 25 min at midsummer to 7 h 8 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:25 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Morpeth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,144 |
| 2 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,021 |
| 3 | GadwallMareca strepera | 864 |
| 4 | Common PochardAythya ferina | 842 |
| 5 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 824 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 771 |
| 7 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 745 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 739 |
| 9 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 739 |
| 10 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 692 |
| 11 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 651 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 582 |
| 13 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 575 |
| 14 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 571 |
| 15 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 556 |
| 16 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 549 |
| 17 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 505 |
| 18 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 492 |
| 19 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 459 |
| 20 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 436 |
Records by month
What to put out in Morpeth
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Northumberland
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 Morpeth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Morpeth are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Robin, based on 27,136 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Morpeth?
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 Morpeth?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:25.
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.