Birds of Helmdon
What has actually been seen around Helmdon: 77 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 77 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,540 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 128 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Helmdon
77 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Helmdon (West Northamptonshire) since 2010, across 1,540 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near Helmdon are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull and European Golden Plover lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Tawny Owl. 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 August and are lowest in March — about 21.8 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.
Greatworth, 4 km to the south-west, has more species on record (87 against 77).
Daylight runs from 16 h 45 min at midsummer to 7 h 44 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:43 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Helmdon
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 710 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 69 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 59 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 46 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 46 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 44 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 37 |
| 8 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 35 |
| 9 | YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella | 31 |
| 10 | Great TitParus major | 27 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 26 |
| 12 | MagpiePica pica | 23 |
| 13 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 23 |
| 14 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 22 |
| 15 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 21 |
| 16 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 21 |
| 17 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 20 |
| 18 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 18 |
| 19 | FieldfareTurdus pilaris | 15 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 15 |
Records by month
What to put out in Helmdon
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for West Northamptonshire
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 Helmdon?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Helmdon are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow, based on 1,540 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Helmdon?
77 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Helmdon?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 4:43.
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.