Birds of Shepton Mallet
What has actually been seen around Shepton Mallet: 81 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 81 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,578 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- July
- Elevation
- 144 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Shepton Mallet
81 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Shepton Mallet (Somerset) since 2010, across 1,578 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Swift and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 46% of records near Shepton Mallet are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Red Kite. 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 July and are lowest in January — about 17.0 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.
Croscombe, 3 km to the west, has more species on record (108 against 81). Birds logged far more often around Shepton Mallet than there include Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Daylight runs from 16 h 35 min at midsummer to 7 h 53 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:16 in mid-April and 4:54 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Shepton Mallet
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 670 |
| 2 | SwiftApus apus | 93 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 59 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 48 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 40 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 39 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 32 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 30 |
| 9 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 29 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 28 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 28 |
| 12 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 28 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 27 |
| 14 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 26 |
| 15 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 25 |
| 16 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 24 |
| 17 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 19 |
| 18 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 18 |
| 19 | Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus | 16 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 16 |
Records by month
What to put out in Shepton Mallet
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 Shepton Mallet?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Shepton Mallet are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Robin and Great Tit, based on 1,578 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Shepton Mallet?
81 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Shepton Mallet?
Observation records peak in July and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:54.
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.