Birds of Henley-on-Thames
What has actually been seen around Henley-on-Thames: 121 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 121 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 7,481 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Red Kite
- Busiest month
- November
- Elevation
- 34 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Henley-on-Thames
121 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Henley-on-Thames (Oxfordshire) since 2010, across 7,481 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Red Kite, Woodpigeon and Lesser Black-backed Gull.
The records split between garden birds (53%) and waterbirds (32%), so a feeder in Henley-on-Thames sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Robin, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard 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 November and are lowest in December — about 4.7 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.
Binfield Heath, 4 km to the south-west, has more species on record (136 against 121). Birds logged far more often around Henley-on-Thames than there include Mistle Thrush and Red-legged Partridge.
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 49 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Henley-on-Thames
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 483 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 325 |
| 3 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 286 |
| 4 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 264 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 258 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 249 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 239 |
| 8 | Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca | 239 |
| 9 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 236 |
| 10 | MagpiePica pica | 221 |
| 11 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 201 |
| 12 | SwiftApus apus | 187 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 185 |
| 14 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 177 |
| 15 | Great TitParus major | 170 |
| 16 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 168 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 167 |
| 18 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 145 |
| 19 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 135 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 133 |
Records by month
What to put out in Henley-on-Thames
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Oxfordshire
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 Henley-on-Thames?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Henley-on-Thames are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow and Magpie, based on 7,481 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Henley-on-Thames?
121 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Henley-on-Thames?
Observation records peak in November and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
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.