Birds of Bradford on Avon
What has actually been seen around Bradford on Avon: 139 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 139 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 8,663 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 33 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Bradford on Avon
139 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bradford on Avon (Wiltshire) since 2010, across 8,663 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Swift.
Bradford on Avon is a garden-bird place: 66% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin and Jackdaw make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Common Kestrel. 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 June and are lowest in November — about 4.0 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.
Holt, 4 km to the east, has a similar number of species on record (136 against 139). Birds logged far more often around Bradford on Avon than there include White-throated Dipper.
Daylight runs from 16 h 37 min at midsummer to 7 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:51 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bradford on Avon
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 601 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 504 |
| 3 | SwiftApus apus | 477 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 356 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 355 |
| 6 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 321 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 310 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 301 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 281 |
| 10 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 280 |
| 11 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 226 |
| 12 | Great TitParus major | 225 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 218 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 184 |
| 15 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 170 |
| 16 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 167 |
| 17 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 155 |
| 18 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 155 |
| 19 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 153 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 151 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bradford on Avon
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Wiltshire
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 Bradford on Avon?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bradford on Avon are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Jackdaw and Magpie, based on 8,663 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bradford on Avon?
139 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bradford on Avon?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:51.
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.