Birds of Penarth
What has actually been seen around Penarth: 240 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 240 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 111,807 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 51 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Penarth
240 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Penarth (Vale of Glamorgan) since 2010, across 111,807 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Blackbird.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Penarth are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Coot and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
17 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 August — about 2.0 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.
Cardiff, 5 km to the north, has fewer species on record (233 against 240).
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:19 in mid-April and 4:55 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Penarth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 3,853 |
| 2 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 3,747 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 3,690 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 3,689 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,650 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 3,622 |
| 7 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 3,613 |
| 8 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,547 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 3,259 |
| 10 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 3,090 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,885 |
| 12 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 2,878 |
| 13 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 2,845 |
| 14 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,601 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,109 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 2,065 |
| 17 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 2,061 |
| 18 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 2,051 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,984 |
| 20 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,852 |
Records by month
What to put out in Penarth
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Penarth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Penarth are Magpie, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Robin, based on 111,807 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Penarth?
240 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Penarth?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in August. Sunrise in late June is around 4:55.
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.