Birds of Castleford
What has actually been seen around Castleford: 235 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 235 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 210,161 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Eurasian Coot
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 15 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Castleford
235 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Castleford (Wakefield) since 2010, across 210,161 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull and Mute Swan.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Castleford are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Eurasian Coot, Black-headed Gull and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Red Kite.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 3.0 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.
Kippax, 5 km to the north, has a similar number of species on record (235 against 235).
Daylight runs from 17 h 5 min at midsummer to 7 h 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:34 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Castleford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 5,661 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 5,465 |
| 3 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 5,319 |
| 4 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 5,236 |
| 5 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 5,133 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 5,124 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 5,013 |
| 8 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 4,997 |
| 9 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 4,943 |
| 10 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 4,909 |
| 11 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 4,874 |
| 12 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 4,793 |
| 13 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 4,556 |
| 14 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 4,412 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 4,402 |
| 16 | GadwallMareca strepera | 4,112 |
| 17 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 3,969 |
| 18 | Common PochardAythya ferina | 3,774 |
| 19 | Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus | 3,600 |
| 20 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 3,499 |
Records by month
What to put out in Castleford
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Wakefield
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 Castleford?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Castleford are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Common Reed Bunting and Blackbird, based on 210,161 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Castleford?
235 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Castleford?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:34.
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.