Birds of Denshaw
What has actually been seen around Denshaw: 115 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 115 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,093 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 257 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Denshaw
115 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Denshaw (Oldham) since 2010, across 2,093 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Canada Goose and Carrion Crow.
Denshaw is a garden-bird place: 64% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Jackdaw make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, 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 April and are lowest in October — about 9.4 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.
Shaw, 4 km to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (114 against 115). Birds logged far more often around Denshaw than there include Canada Goose, Swift, Mallard and Lesser Black-backed Gull.
At about 257 m above sea level, Denshaw sits higher than most places in Oldham. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter.
Daylight runs from 17 h 4 min at midsummer to 7 h 27 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Denshaw
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 83 |
| 2 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 77 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 76 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 70 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 62 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 61 |
| 7 | SwiftApus apus | 61 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 60 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 58 |
| 10 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 56 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 56 |
| 12 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 49 |
| 13 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 47 |
| 14 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 45 |
| 15 | Great TitParus major | 43 |
| 16 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 38 |
| 17 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 36 |
| 18 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola | 36 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 35 |
| 20 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 33 |
Records by month
What to put out in Denshaw
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Oldham
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 Denshaw?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Denshaw are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw and Robin, based on 2,093 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Denshaw?
115 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Denshaw?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:37.
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.