Birds of Smethwick
What has actually been seen around Smethwick: 180 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 180 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 93,957 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 157 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Smethwick
180 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Smethwick (Sandwell) since 2010, across 93,957 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Magpie and Robin.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Smethwick are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Canada Goose and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard 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 April and are lowest in October — about 1.9 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.
West Bromwich, 3 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (174 against 180).
Daylight runs from 16 h 50 min at midsummer to 7 h 39 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Smethwick
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,641 |
| 2 | MagpiePica pica | 3,455 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 3,311 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 3,028 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,958 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,889 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,673 |
| 8 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 2,588 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 2,576 |
| 10 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 2,480 |
| 11 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 2,477 |
| 12 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 2,341 |
| 13 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 2,235 |
| 14 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 2,178 |
| 15 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 2,171 |
| 16 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 2,148 |
| 17 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,001 |
| 18 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,973 |
| 19 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 1,806 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,733 |
Records by month
What to put out in Smethwick
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Sandwell
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 Smethwick?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Smethwick are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin, Carrion Crow and Blackbird, based on 93,957 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Smethwick?
180 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Smethwick?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. 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.