Birds of Cowbridge
What has actually been seen around Cowbridge: 154 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 154 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 14,207 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Blackbird
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 35 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Cowbridge
154 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Cowbridge (Vale of Glamorgan) since 2010, across 14,207 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Blackbird, Robin and Woodpigeon.
Cowbridge is a garden-bird place: 82% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blackbird, Robin, Woodpigeon and Blue Tit make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, 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 March and are lowest in August — about 4.0 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.
Llanharry, 6 km to the north, has fewer species on record (95 against 154). Birds logged far more often around Cowbridge than there include Eurasian Skylark, Common Pheasant, Common Linnet and Common Raven.
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:20 in mid-April and 4:56 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Cowbridge
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 763 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 626 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 583 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 522 |
| 5 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 481 |
| 6 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 443 |
| 7 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 430 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 409 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 408 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 407 |
| 11 | MagpiePica pica | 400 |
| 12 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 367 |
| 13 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 353 |
| 14 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 327 |
| 15 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 314 |
| 16 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 278 |
| 17 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 276 |
| 18 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 275 |
| 19 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 223 |
| 20 | BlackcapSylvia atricapilla | 215 |
Records by month
What to put out in Cowbridge
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
Seasonal bird notes for Vale of Glamorgan
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 Cowbridge?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Cowbridge are Blackbird, Robin, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit and House Sparrow, based on 14,207 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Cowbridge?
154 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Cowbridge?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in August. Sunrise in late June is around 4:56.
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.