Birds of Leigh
What has actually been seen around Leigh: 208 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 208 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 63,978 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 32 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Leigh
208 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Leigh (Wigan) since 2010, across 63,978 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 45% of records near Leigh are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in July — about 2.4 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.
Tyldesley, 4 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (165 against 208). Birds logged far more often around Leigh than there include Great Crested Grebe, Northern Shoveler, Common Merganser and Cetti's Warbler.
Daylight runs from 17 h 2 min at midsummer to 7 h 28 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Leigh
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,632 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,603 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 1,587 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,567 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,547 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,500 |
| 7 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,443 |
| 8 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,426 |
| 9 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,405 |
| 10 | Great TitParus major | 1,371 |
| 11 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,354 |
| 12 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,354 |
| 13 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,290 |
| 14 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 1,284 |
| 15 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,251 |
| 16 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,245 |
| 17 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,181 |
| 18 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,136 |
| 19 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 1,131 |
| 20 | GadwallMareca strepera | 1,094 |
Records by month
What to put out in Leigh
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Wigan
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 Leigh?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Leigh are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit, based on 63,978 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Leigh?
208 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Leigh?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.
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.