Birds of Rhondda
What has actually been seen around Rhondda: 106 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 106 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,440 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Jackdaw
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 256 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Rhondda
106 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Rhondda (Rhondda Cynon Taf) since 2010, across 3,440 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Jackdaw, Robin and Blackbird.
Rhondda is a garden-bird place: 77% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Jackdaw, Robin, Blackbird and House Sparrow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Tawny Owl and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 September — about 4.5 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.
Treorchy, 4 km to the west, has more species on record (131 against 106). Birds logged far more often around Rhondda than there include Canada Goose and Mute Swan.
At about 256 m above sea level, Rhondda sits higher than most places in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter.
Daylight runs from 16 h 40 min at midsummer to 7 h 48 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:19 in mid-April and 4:54 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Rhondda
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 186 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 136 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 135 |
| 4 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 123 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 120 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 98 |
| 7 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 92 |
| 8 | Great TitParus major | 90 |
| 9 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 86 |
| 10 | SwiftApus apus | 86 |
| 11 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 82 |
| 12 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 74 |
| 13 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 74 |
| 14 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 72 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 72 |
| 16 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 70 |
| 17 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 66 |
| 18 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 66 |
| 19 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 65 |
| 20 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 65 |
Records by month
What to put out in Rhondda
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Rhondda Cynon Taf
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 Rhondda?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Rhondda are Jackdaw, Robin, Blackbird, House Sparrow and Carrion Crow, based on 3,440 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Rhondda?
106 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Rhondda?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:54.
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.