Birds of Balsall Common
What has actually been seen around Balsall Common: 163 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 163 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 11,993 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Blue Tit
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 124 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Balsall Common
163 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Balsall Common (Solihull) since 2010, across 11,993 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Blue Tit, Robin and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 42% of records near Balsall Common are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Blue Tit is still the most logged garden bird.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in February — about 3.1 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.
Meriden, 5 km to the north, has a similar number of species on record (166 against 163).
Daylight runs from 16 h 49 min at midsummer to 7 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:43 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Balsall Common
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 314 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 305 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 303 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 290 |
| 5 | Great TitParus major | 290 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 281 |
| 7 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 279 |
| 8 | MagpiePica pica | 273 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 270 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 257 |
| 11 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 246 |
| 12 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 238 |
| 13 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 235 |
| 14 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 235 |
| 15 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 234 |
| 16 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 234 |
| 17 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 234 |
| 18 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 226 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 222 |
| 20 | GadwallMareca strepera | 216 |
Records by month
What to put out in Balsall Common
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Solihull
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 Balsall Common?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Balsall Common are Blue Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Great Tit, based on 11,993 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Balsall Common?
163 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Balsall Common?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:43.
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.