Birds of Ellesmere
What has actually been seen around Ellesmere: 166 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 166 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 8,223 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 94 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Ellesmere
166 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ellesmere (Shropshire) since 2010, across 8,223 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Coot.
Water shapes this list. 50% of records near Ellesmere are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in January and are lowest in May — about 7.6 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.
Penley, 5 km to the north, has fewer species on record (105 against 166). Birds logged far more often around Ellesmere than there include Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe and Great Cormorant.
Daylight runs from 16 h 55 min at midsummer to 7 h 35 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ellesmere
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 338 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 290 |
| 3 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 272 |
| 4 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 265 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 252 |
| 6 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 248 |
| 7 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 232 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 230 |
| 9 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 222 |
| 10 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 215 |
| 11 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 209 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 206 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 203 |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 198 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 187 |
| 16 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 186 |
| 17 | Great TitParus major | 175 |
| 18 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 170 |
| 19 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 156 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 147 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ellesmere
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Ellesmere?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ellesmere are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit, based on 8,223 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ellesmere?
166 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ellesmere?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in May. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
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.