Birds of Knottingley
What has actually been seen around Knottingley: 159 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 159 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,710 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 28 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Knottingley
159 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Knottingley (Wakefield) since 2010, across 5,710 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 45% of records near Knottingley are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite 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 April and are lowest in October — about 4.3 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.
Darrington, 4 km to the south, has fewer species on record (130 against 159). Birds logged far more often around Knottingley than there include Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck and Great Cormorant.
Daylight runs from 17 h 5 min at midsummer to 7 h 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Knottingley
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 283 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 265 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 164 |
| 4 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 156 |
| 5 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 155 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 147 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 146 |
| 8 | Common PochardAythya ferina | 146 |
| 9 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 146 |
| 10 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 142 |
| 11 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 142 |
| 12 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 140 |
| 13 | MagpiePica pica | 137 |
| 14 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 131 |
| 15 | SwiftApus apus | 128 |
| 16 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 124 |
| 17 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 102 |
| 18 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 102 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 100 |
| 20 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 100 |
Records by month
What to put out in Knottingley
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
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 Knottingley?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Knottingley are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Robin and Carrion Crow, based on 5,710 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Knottingley?
159 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Knottingley?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:33.
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.