Birds of Orford
What has actually been seen around Orford: 250 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 250 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 82,135 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 14 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Orford
250 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Orford (Suffolk) since 2010, across 82,135 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Redshank and Little Egret.
Water shapes this list. 58% of records near Orford are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Redshank and Little Egret lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
18 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 3.0 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.
Aldeburgh, 8 km to the north-east, has more species on record (282 against 250). Birds logged far more often around Orford than there include Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Daylight runs from 16 h 45 min at midsummer to 7 h 44 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:58 in mid-April and 4:32 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Orford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 8,388 |
| 2 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 1,691 |
| 3 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 1,669 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,645 |
| 5 | Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta | 1,631 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,568 |
| 7 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,493 |
| 8 | Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa | 1,482 |
| 9 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 1,475 |
| 10 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,433 |
| 11 | Eurasian Marsh-HarrierCircus aeruginosus | 1,403 |
| 12 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 1,403 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,345 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,342 |
| 15 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,326 |
| 16 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,307 |
| 17 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 1,304 |
| 18 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 1,294 |
| 19 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 1,216 |
| 20 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,207 |
Records by month
What to put out in Orford
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for Suffolk
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 Orford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Orford are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Common Reed Bunting, based on 82,135 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Orford?
250 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Orford?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:32.
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.