Birds of Whitburn
What has actually been seen around Whitburn: 288 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 288 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 134,681 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 40 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Whitburn
288 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Whitburn (South Tyneside) since 2010, across 134,681 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near Whitburn are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Great Cormorant lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel.
Records peak in October and are lowest in December — about 2.6 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.
Sunderland, 6 km to the south, has fewer species on record (232 against 288). Birds logged far more often around Whitburn than there include Northern Fulmar, Common Murre, Northern Gannet and Black-legged Kittiwake.
Daylight runs from 17 h 22 min at midsummer to 7 h 11 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:25 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Whitburn
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 3,774 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 3,297 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,259 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 3,167 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,863 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,844 |
| 7 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 2,755 |
| 8 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 2,733 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,688 |
| 10 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 2,583 |
| 11 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 2,549 |
| 12 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 2,521 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,498 |
| 14 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 2,479 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 2,343 |
| 16 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 2,200 |
| 17 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,196 |
| 18 | Common GullLarus canus | 2,171 |
| 19 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 2,089 |
| 20 | Great TitParus major | 2,052 |
Records by month
What to put out in Whitburn
Seasonal bird notes for South Tyneside
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 Whitburn?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Whitburn are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blackbird and Starling, based on 134,681 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Whitburn?
288 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Whitburn?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:25.
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.