Birds of Littleborough
What has actually been seen around Littleborough: 176 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 176 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 34,569 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 150 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Littleborough
176 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Littleborough (Rochdale) since 2010, across 34,569 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Mallard.
The records split between garden birds (57%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Littleborough sees the familiar Carrion Crow, Goldfinch and Robin, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in December — about 3.3 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.
Rochdale, 5 km to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (175 against 176). Birds logged far more often around Littleborough than there include Northern Wheatear.
Daylight runs from 17 h 4 min at midsummer to 7 h 27 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Littleborough
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 862 |
| 2 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 811 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 808 |
| 4 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 782 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 779 |
| 6 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 752 |
| 7 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 709 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 685 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 653 |
| 10 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 648 |
| 11 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 641 |
| 12 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 637 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 636 |
| 14 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 617 |
| 15 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 608 |
| 16 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 607 |
| 17 | MagpiePica pica | 596 |
| 18 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 595 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 588 |
| 20 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 564 |
Records by month
What to put out in Littleborough
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
Seasonal bird notes for Rochdale
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 Littleborough?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Littleborough are Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Robin, Pied Wagtail and Woodpigeon, based on 34,569 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Littleborough?
176 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Littleborough?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:37.
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.