Birds of Somerton
What has actually been seen around Somerton: 112 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 112 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,814 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 112 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Somerton
112 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Somerton (Oxfordshire) since 2010, across 2,814 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Red Kite and Woodpigeon.
The records split between garden birds (56%) and waterbirds (31%), so a feeder in Somerton sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Jackdaw, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
13 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 August and are lowest in February — about 7.4 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.
Fritwell, 3 km to the east, has a similar number of species on record (116 against 112).
Daylight runs from 16 h 44 min at midsummer to 7 h 45 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Somerton
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 708 |
| 2 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 125 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 113 |
| 4 | SwiftApus apus | 110 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 91 |
| 6 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 86 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 77 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 74 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 73 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 69 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 65 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 58 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 56 |
| 14 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 55 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 48 |
| 16 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 48 |
| 17 | Great TitParus major | 46 |
| 18 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 45 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 44 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 43 |
Records by month
What to put out in Somerton
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 Somerton?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Somerton are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Blue Tit and Carrion Crow, based on 2,814 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Somerton?
112 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Somerton?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:44.
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.