Birds of Hockley Heath
What has actually been seen around Hockley Heath: 160 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 160 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 13,974 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 143 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Hockley Heath
160 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Hockley Heath (Solihull) since 2010, across 13,974 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Woodpigeon and Robin.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Hockley Heath sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Robin and Blackbird, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in August and are lowest in November — about 3.6 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.
Knowle, 5 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (146 against 160). Birds logged far more often around Hockley Heath than there include Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Common Tern and Common Snipe.
Daylight runs from 16 h 48 min at midsummer to 7 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Hockley Heath
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 706 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 701 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 616 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 537 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 529 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 494 |
| 7 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 465 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 462 |
| 9 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 461 |
| 10 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 450 |
| 11 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 433 |
| 12 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 429 |
| 13 | Great TitParus major | 373 |
| 14 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 329 |
| 15 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 327 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 307 |
| 17 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 280 |
| 18 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 277 |
| 19 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 265 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 258 |
Records by month
What to put out in Hockley Heath
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 Hockley Heath?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Hockley Heath are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie and Carrion Crow, based on 13,974 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Hockley Heath?
160 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Hockley Heath?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in November. 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.