Birds of Stafford
What has actually been seen around Stafford: 177 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 177 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 43,126 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 77 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Stafford
177 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Stafford (Staffordshire) since 2010, across 43,126 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Mallard.
The records split between garden birds (57%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Stafford sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Magpie, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in December — about 3.9 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.
Derrington, 3 km to the west, has fewer species on record (153 against 177).
Daylight runs from 16 h 54 min at midsummer to 7 h 36 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:42 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Stafford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,806 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,455 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,053 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 1,432 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,297 |
| 6 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,283 |
| 7 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,153 |
| 8 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,131 |
| 9 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,084 |
| 10 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 979 |
| 11 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 974 |
| 12 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 943 |
| 13 | Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus | 926 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 880 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 877 |
| 16 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 865 |
| 17 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 835 |
| 18 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 767 |
| 19 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 735 |
| 20 | Great TitParus major | 695 |
Records by month
What to put out in Stafford
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Staffordshire
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 Stafford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Stafford are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Magpie, Robin and Carrion Crow, based on 43,126 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Stafford?
177 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Stafford?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:42.
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.