Birds of Northampton
What has actually been seen around Northampton: 167 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 167 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 35,344 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 97 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Northampton
167 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Northampton (West Northamptonshire) since 2010, across 35,344 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (36%), so a feeder in Northampton sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Magpie and Robin, while Lesser Black-backed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in November — about 2.3 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.
Hardingstone, 4 km to the south, has a similar number of species on record (168 against 167).
Daylight runs from 16 h 47 min at midsummer to 7 h 42 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Northampton
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 3,331 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,495 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 1,321 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,264 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,201 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,184 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,174 |
| 8 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,053 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 856 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 738 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 709 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 692 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 688 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 684 |
| 15 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 678 |
| 16 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 637 |
| 17 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 614 |
| 18 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 612 |
| 19 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 611 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 552 |
Records by month
What to put out in Northampton
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 Northampton?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Northampton are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin, Carrion Crow and Blue Tit, based on 35,344 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Northampton?
167 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Northampton?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:41.
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.