Birds of Farnham
What has actually been seen around Farnham: 205 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 205 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 74,786 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 71 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Farnham
205 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Farnham (Surrey) since 2010, across 74,786 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Robin and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Farnham are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Common Moorhen, Mallard and Gray Heron lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in February — about 3.6 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.
Rowledge, 4 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (193 against 205). Birds logged far more often around Farnham than there include Northern Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull and House Sparrow.
Daylight runs from 16 h 35 min at midsummer to 7 h 53 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:46 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Farnham
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,908 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,763 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 1,747 |
| 4 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,672 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,648 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,647 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,625 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,611 |
| 9 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 1,513 |
| 10 | Great TitParus major | 1,497 |
| 11 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,478 |
| 12 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,469 |
| 13 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,442 |
| 14 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,435 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,430 |
| 16 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,409 |
| 17 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,400 |
| 18 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,342 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,239 |
| 20 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,198 |
Records by month
What to put out in Farnham
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Surrey
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 Farnham?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Farnham are Woodpigeon, Robin, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Blackbird, based on 74,786 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Farnham?
205 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Farnham?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:46.
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.