Birds of Thatcham
What has actually been seen around Thatcham: 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
- 30,369 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 78 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Thatcham
159 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Thatcham (West Berkshire) since 2010, across 30,369 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Thatcham is a garden-bird place: 60% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 4.9 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.
Newbury, 5 km to the west, has a similar number of species on record (159 against 159).
Daylight runs from 16 h 37 min at midsummer to 7 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:47 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Thatcham
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 2,432 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,117 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,112 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,028 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 1,007 |
| 6 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 945 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 846 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 813 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 725 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 707 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 672 |
| 12 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 634 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 633 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 627 |
| 15 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 590 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 558 |
| 17 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 547 |
| 18 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 484 |
| 19 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola | 470 |
| 20 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 463 |
Records by month
What to put out in Thatcham
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for West Berkshire
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 Thatcham?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Thatcham are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Magpie and Blue Tit, based on 30,369 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Thatcham?
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 Thatcham?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:47.
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.