Birds of Thorney
What has actually been seen around Thorney: 145 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 145 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,596 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 6 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Thorney
145 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Thorney (Peterborough) since 2010, across 2,596 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Whooper Swan and Common Buzzard.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Thorney are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Whooper Swan, Northern Lapwing and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Barn Owl.
Records peak in January and are lowest in September — about 8.2 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.
Eye, 6 km to the west, has more species on record (170 against 145). Birds logged far more often around Thorney than there include Whooper Swan, Barn Owl, Common Crane and Tundra Swan.
Daylight runs from 16 h 52 min at midsummer to 7 h 38 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Thorney
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 94 |
| 2 | Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus | 94 |
| 3 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 90 |
| 4 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 89 |
| 5 | Barn OwlTyto alba | 79 |
| 6 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 77 |
| 7 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 76 |
| 8 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 64 |
| 9 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 62 |
| 10 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 56 |
| 11 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 53 |
| 12 | Common CraneGrus grus | 51 |
| 13 | Tundra SwanCygnus columbianus | 48 |
| 14 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 45 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 43 |
| 16 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 41 |
| 17 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 41 |
| 18 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 40 |
| 19 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 39 |
| 20 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 39 |
Records by month
What to put out in Thorney
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for Peterborough
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 Thorney?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Thorney are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Rook, Starling and Meadow Pipit, based on 2,596 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Thorney?
145 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Thorney?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:36.
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.