Birds of North Petherton
What has actually been seen around North Petherton: 158 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 158 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,034 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Swift
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 39 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about North Petherton
158 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of North Petherton (Somerset) since 2010, across 3,034 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Swift, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (29%), so a feeder in North Petherton sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Magpie and Carrion Crow, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
12 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 5.3 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.
Bridgwater, 4 km to the north, has a similar number of species on record (156 against 158).
Daylight runs from 16 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:19 in mid-April and 4:56 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near North Petherton
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SwiftApus apus | 175 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 150 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 99 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 98 |
| 5 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 96 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 87 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 85 |
| 8 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 76 |
| 9 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 76 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 72 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 72 |
| 12 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 72 |
| 13 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 70 |
| 14 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 70 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 66 |
| 16 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 63 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 60 |
| 18 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 52 |
| 19 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 52 |
| 20 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 51 |
Records by month
What to put out in North Petherton
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 North Petherton?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of North Petherton are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin and Blackbird, based on 3,034 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near North Petherton?
158 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in North Petherton?
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.