Birds of Bishop's Castle
What has actually been seen around Bishop's Castle: 89 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 89 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,219 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Swift
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 200 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Bishop's Castle
89 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bishop's Castle (Shropshire) since 2010, across 1,219 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Swift, Woodpigeon and Blackbird.
Bishop's Castle is a garden-bird place: 74% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw and Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, 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 August and are lowest in February — about 11.4 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.
Acton, 5 km to the south, has more species on record (100 against 89).
At about 200 m above sea level, Bishop's Castle sits higher than most places in Shropshire. 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 50 min at midsummer to 7 h 39 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:16 in mid-April and 4:48 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bishop's Castle
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SwiftApus apus | 90 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 62 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 56 |
| 4 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 52 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 50 |
| 6 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 49 |
| 7 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 44 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 42 |
| 9 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 42 |
| 10 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 35 |
| 11 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 32 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 32 |
| 13 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 29 |
| 14 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 28 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 25 |
| 16 | MagpiePica pica | 25 |
| 17 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 24 |
| 18 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 24 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 23 |
| 20 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 22 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bishop's Castle
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Shropshire
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 Bishop's Castle?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bishop's Castle are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Robin and House Sparrow, based on 1,219 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bishop's Castle?
89 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bishop's Castle?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:48.
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.