Birds of Ashton-under-Lyne
What has actually been seen around Ashton-under-Lyne: 202 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 202 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 74,227 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Goldfinch
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 108 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Ashton-under-Lyne
202 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ashton-under-Lyne (Tameside) since 2010, across 74,227 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Goldfinch, Rock Pigeon and Blue Tit.
Ashton-under-Lyne is a garden-bird place: 64% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Goldfinch, Rock Pigeon, Blue Tit and Woodpigeon make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including 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 April and are lowest in December — about 2.7 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.
Droylsden, 3 km to the west, has a similar number of species on record (199 against 202).
Daylight runs from 17 h 2 min at midsummer to 7 h 28 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ashton-under-Lyne
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,862 |
| 2 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 2,582 |
| 3 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,581 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,522 |
| 5 | Great TitParus major | 2,429 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 2,345 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,181 |
| 8 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,942 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,930 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,883 |
| 11 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,842 |
| 12 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 1,648 |
| 13 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,635 |
| 14 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 1,561 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,543 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 1,516 |
| 17 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,489 |
| 18 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,457 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,455 |
| 20 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 1,288 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ashton-under-Lyne
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Tameside
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 Ashton-under-Lyne?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ashton-under-Lyne are Goldfinch, Rock Pigeon, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon and Great Tit, based on 74,227 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ashton-under-Lyne?
202 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ashton-under-Lyne?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:38.
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.