Birds of Wellington
What has actually been seen around Wellington: 140 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 140 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 10,991 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 101 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.9 h / 7.6 h
What the records say about Wellington
140 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Wellington (Telford and Wrekin) since 2010, across 10,991 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Wellington is a garden-bird place: 68% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 November — 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.
Telford, 5 km to the south-east, has more species on record (146 against 140). Birds logged far more often around Wellington than there include Nuthatch, Common Pheasant, Common Linnet and Meadow Pipit.
Daylight runs from 16 h 52 min at midsummer to 7 h 37 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:13 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Wellington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,191 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 485 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 442 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 441 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 423 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 363 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 343 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 325 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 303 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 299 |
| 11 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 233 |
| 12 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 228 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 228 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 226 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 206 |
| 16 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 186 |
| 17 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 185 |
| 18 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 184 |
| 19 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 176 |
| 20 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 170 |
Records by month
What to put out in Wellington
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Telford and Wrekin
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 Wellington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Wellington are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Magpie, based on 10,991 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Wellington?
140 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Wellington?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
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.