Birds of Bridgwater
What has actually been seen around Bridgwater: 156 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 156 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,097 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Swift
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 15 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Bridgwater
156 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bridgwater (Somerset) since 2010, across 3,097 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Swift, Magpie and Woodpigeon.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (30%), so a feeder in Bridgwater sees the familiar Magpie, Woodpigeon and Blackbird, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Common Kestrel. 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 December — about 4.7 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.
North Petherton, 4 km to the south, has a similar number of species on record (158 against 156).
Daylight runs from 16 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:18 in mid-April and 4:56 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bridgwater
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SwiftApus apus | 182 |
| 2 | MagpiePica pica | 164 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 153 |
| 4 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 109 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 101 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 100 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 93 |
| 8 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 80 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 74 |
| 10 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 74 |
| 11 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 72 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 72 |
| 13 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 71 |
| 14 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 71 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 66 |
| 16 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 60 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 59 |
| 18 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 58 |
| 19 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 52 |
| 20 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 45 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bridgwater
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Somerset
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 Bridgwater?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bridgwater are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw, based on 3,097 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bridgwater?
156 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bridgwater?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:56.
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.