Birds of Ossett
What has actually been seen around Ossett: 153 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 153 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 12,496 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 105 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Ossett
153 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ossett (Wakefield) since 2010, across 12,496 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Woodpigeon and Blackbird.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (36%), so a feeder in Ossett sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Blue Tit, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 September — about 6.9 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.
Kirkhamgate, 3 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (123 against 153). Birds logged far more often around Ossett than there include Common Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Wigeon and Common Reed Bunting.
Daylight runs from 17 h 5 min at midsummer to 7 h 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ossett
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 560 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 535 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 512 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 449 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 433 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 421 |
| 7 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 408 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 386 |
| 9 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 352 |
| 10 | Great TitParus major | 337 |
| 11 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 299 |
| 12 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 274 |
| 13 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 269 |
| 14 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 266 |
| 15 | Common MerganserMergus merganser | 265 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 263 |
| 17 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 262 |
| 18 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 254 |
| 19 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 240 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 230 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ossett
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
- Long-tailed Tit
Suet · Sunflower hearts
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · 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 Ossett?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ossett are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Robin and Magpie, based on 12,496 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ossett?
153 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ossett?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:35.
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.