Birds of Chard
What has actually been seen around Chard: 124 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 124 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,438 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 118 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Chard
124 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Chard (Somerset) since 2010, across 2,438 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Mallard and Great Crested Grebe.
Water shapes this list. 43% of records near Chard are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Great Crested Grebe and European Herring Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 January and are lowest in July — about 16.0 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.
Winsham, 6 km to the east, has fewer species on record (117 against 124). Birds logged far more often around Chard than there include Great Crested Grebe.
Daylight runs from 16 h 32 min at midsummer to 7 h 56 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:19 in mid-April and 4:57 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Chard
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 98 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 98 |
| 3 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 82 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 81 |
| 5 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 77 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 73 |
| 7 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 72 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 70 |
| 9 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 66 |
| 10 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 65 |
| 11 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 64 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 63 |
| 13 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 62 |
| 14 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 60 |
| 15 | MagpiePica pica | 56 |
| 16 | SwiftApus apus | 53 |
| 17 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 53 |
| 18 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 50 |
| 19 | Great TitParus major | 49 |
| 20 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 47 |
Records by month
What to put out in Chard
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 Chard?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Chard are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit, based on 2,438 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Chard?
124 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Chard?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:57.
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.