Birds of Sonning
What has actually been seen around Sonning: 174 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 174 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 86,445 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 43 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Sonning
174 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Sonning (Wokingham) since 2010, across 86,445 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Robin and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Sonning are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Canada Goose and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in October — about 2.9 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.
Binfield Heath, 3 km to the north, has fewer species on record (136 against 174). Birds logged far more often around Sonning than there include Northern Shoveler, Little Egret, Eurasian Teal and Northern Lapwing.
Daylight runs from 16 h 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Sonning
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,332 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 3,165 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 3,066 |
| 4 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 2,927 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,803 |
| 6 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 2,746 |
| 7 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,585 |
| 8 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,506 |
| 9 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 2,419 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,239 |
| 11 | Great TitParus major | 2,228 |
| 12 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 2,126 |
| 13 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 2,117 |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 2,012 |
| 15 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,966 |
| 16 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,735 |
| 17 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 1,700 |
| 18 | Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca | 1,689 |
| 19 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 1,666 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,601 |
Records by month
What to put out in Sonning
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Wokingham
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 Sonning?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Sonning are Woodpigeon, Robin, Magpie, Blue Tit and Carrion Crow, based on 86,445 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Sonning?
174 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Sonning?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
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.