Birds of Taunton
What has actually been seen around Taunton: 113 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 113 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 8,125 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 22 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Taunton
113 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Taunton (Somerset) since 2010, across 8,125 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Robin and Blackbird.
Taunton is a garden-bird place: 74% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
9 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 March and are lowest in September — about 4.9 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.
Creech Saint Michael, 5 km to the east, has more species on record (125 against 113). Birds logged far more often around Taunton than there include Little Egret, Bullfinch, Siskin and Meadow Pipit.
Daylight runs from 16 h 33 min at midsummer to 7 h 55 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 Taunton
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 413 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 408 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 346 |
| 4 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 345 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 336 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 327 |
| 7 | SwiftApus apus | 312 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 285 |
| 9 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 279 |
| 10 | Great TitParus major | 267 |
| 11 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 253 |
| 12 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 239 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 212 |
| 14 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 196 |
| 15 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 196 |
| 16 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 194 |
| 17 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 185 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 167 |
| 19 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 164 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 157 |
Records by month
What to put out in Taunton
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
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 Taunton?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Taunton are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie and Carrion Crow, based on 8,125 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Taunton?
113 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Taunton?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in September. 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.