Birds of Failsworth
What has actually been seen around Failsworth: 195 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 195 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 72,583 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 97 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Failsworth
195 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Failsworth (Oldham) since 2010, across 72,583 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Failsworth are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Canada Goose lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Common Kestrel. 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 June — about 2.8 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.
Droylsden, 3 km to the south-east, has a similar number of species on record (199 against 195).
Daylight runs from 17 h 2 min at midsummer to 7 h 28 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Failsworth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 2,946 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,602 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,554 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,232 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,144 |
| 6 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,089 |
| 7 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 2,051 |
| 8 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,996 |
| 9 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,933 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,798 |
| 11 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,775 |
| 12 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,735 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,728 |
| 14 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,602 |
| 15 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,538 |
| 16 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,537 |
| 17 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,473 |
| 18 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,435 |
| 19 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 1,346 |
| 20 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 1,321 |
Records by month
What to put out in Failsworth
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 Failsworth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Failsworth are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Rock Pigeon, based on 72,583 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Failsworth?
195 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Failsworth?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 4:38.
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.