Birds of Shifnal
What has actually been seen around Shifnal: 128 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 128 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 6,164 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- December
- Elevation
- 91 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Shifnal
128 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Shifnal (Shropshire) since 2010, across 6,164 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 54% of records near Shifnal are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
7 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 December and are lowest in May — about 2.4 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.
Telford, 5 km to the west, has more species on record (146 against 128).
Daylight runs from 16 h 52 min at midsummer to 7 h 38 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:13 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Shifnal
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,310 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 209 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 196 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 189 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 182 |
| 6 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 175 |
| 7 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 170 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 161 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 157 |
| 10 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 153 |
| 11 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 153 |
| 12 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 148 |
| 13 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 143 |
| 14 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 138 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 132 |
| 16 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 112 |
| 17 | Great TitParus major | 101 |
| 18 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 98 |
| 19 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 95 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 93 |
Records by month
What to put out in Shifnal
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 Shifnal?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Shifnal are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Robin, based on 6,164 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Shifnal?
128 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Shifnal?
Observation records peak in December and are lowest in May. 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.