Birds of Shalbourne
What has actually been seen around Shalbourne: 83 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 83 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,414 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 136 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Shalbourne
83 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Shalbourne (Wiltshire) since 2010, across 1,414 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Red Kite.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near Shalbourne are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard 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 August and are lowest in March — about 27.7 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.
Great Bedwyn, 4 km to the north-west, has more species on record (97 against 83).
Daylight runs from 16 h 37 min at midsummer to 7 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:49 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Shalbourne
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 643 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 50 |
| 3 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 43 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 34 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 33 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 31 |
| 7 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 28 |
| 8 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 24 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 24 |
| 10 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 22 |
| 11 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 21 |
| 12 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 20 |
| 13 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 19 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 17 |
| 15 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 16 |
| 16 | MagpiePica pica | 15 |
| 17 | Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major | 14 |
| 18 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 14 |
| 19 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 14 |
| 20 | Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa | 13 |
Records by month
What to put out in Shalbourne
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 Shalbourne?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Shalbourne are Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Wren, based on 1,414 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Shalbourne?
83 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Shalbourne?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 4:49.
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.