Birds of Witney
What has actually been seen around Witney: 164 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 164 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 18,150 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 87 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Witney
164 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Witney (Oxfordshire) since 2010, across 18,150 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Blue Tit.
The records split between garden birds (54%) and waterbirds (39%), so a feeder in Witney sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Blue Tit and Carrion Crow, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in December — about 6.1 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.
Minster Lovell, 4 km to the west, has fewer species on record (133 against 164). Birds logged far more often around Witney than there include Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, Graylag Goose and Gadwall.
Daylight runs from 16 h 42 min at midsummer to 7 h 47 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:46 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Witney
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 964 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 692 |
| 3 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 543 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 543 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 529 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 504 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 503 |
| 8 | MagpiePica pica | 471 |
| 9 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 456 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 426 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 425 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 419 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 407 |
| 14 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 391 |
| 15 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 388 |
| 16 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 384 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 361 |
| 18 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 338 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 333 |
| 20 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 328 |
Records by month
What to put out in Witney
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 Witney?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Witney are Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Robin and Blackbird, based on 18,150 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Witney?
164 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Witney?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:46.
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.