Birds of Crofton
What has actually been seen around Crofton: 196 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 196 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 42,142 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 64 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Crofton
196 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Crofton (Wakefield) since 2010, across 42,142 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Coot.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near Crofton are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in January and are lowest in September — 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.
Ryhill, 4 km to the south, has fewer species on record (188 against 196).
Daylight runs from 17 h 4 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 Crofton
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,382 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,329 |
| 3 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,307 |
| 4 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,252 |
| 5 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,242 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,178 |
| 7 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,153 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,105 |
| 9 | MagpiePica pica | 1,079 |
| 10 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,078 |
| 11 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 1,056 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,046 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 965 |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 952 |
| 15 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 946 |
| 16 | Great TitParus major | 931 |
| 17 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 818 |
| 18 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 807 |
| 19 | GadwallMareca strepera | 740 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 739 |
Records by month
What to put out in Crofton
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 Crofton?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Crofton are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, Magpie and Blackbird, based on 42,142 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Crofton?
196 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Crofton?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in September. 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.