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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in West Sussex

Our list for West Sussex has 213 bird species recorded regularly there: 93 residents, 32 summer visitors, 48 winter visitors, 33 passage migrants and 7 scarce visitors

The list comes from 784,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Species on our list
213
In October
157
Common
107
Busiest month
Apr

What's special about West Sussex

vs England

The birds recorded far more often here than across England, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones West Sussex is worth visiting for.

  1. White-tailed Sea-eagleWhite-tailed Sea-eagle11×Summer visitor · 0.12% of records here, 0.01% across England
  2. NightingaleNightingale7.3×Summer visitor · 0.20% of records here, 0.03% across England
  3. Cattle EgretCattle Egret3.1×Resident · 0.19% of records here, 0.06% across England
  4. Red-breasted MerganserRed-breasted Merganser2.7×Winter visitor · 0.16% of records here, 0.06% across England
  5. Mediterranean GullMediterranean Gull2.5×Resident · 0.46% of records here, 0.19% across England
  6. WhimbrelWhimbrel2.4×Summer visitor · 0.23% of records here, 0.10% across England
  7. Sandwich TernSandwich Tern2.2×Summer visitor · 0.34% of records here, 0.15% across England
  8. Little TernLittle Tern2.2×Summer visitor · 0.08% of records here, 0.04% across England

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. WoodpigeonWoodpigeon3.22%
  2. Carrion CrowCarrion Crow3.09%
  3. European RobinEuropean Robin2.86%
  4. MagpieMagpie2.67%
  5. Blue TitBlue Tit2.35%
  6. European Herring GullEuropean Herring Gull2.22%

Arriving now

  1. RedwingRedwingWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.72%
  2. Common RedpollCommon RedpollWinter visitorSep 0.03% → Oct 0.24%
  3. FieldfareFieldfareWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.17%
  4. BramblingBramblingWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.10%
  5. Ring OuzelRing OuzelPassage migrantSep 0.00% → Oct 0.09%
  6. Red CrossbillRed CrossbillSummer visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.06%

Share of all bird records in West Sussex in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for West Sussex

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in West Sussex

Records by month
Bird records in West Sussex by month, 2019–2024
January71,075
February51,286
March71,975
April98,250
May81,557
June61,124
July57,874
August64,103
September66,584
October57,515
November51,365
December51,182

April has the most records (98,000). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 32
All 32 families in West Sussex

How common

More of England

All of England

All 213 birds, A to Z

Show all 213 birds

Questions

4

What birds is West Sussex known for?

Compared with the rest of England, West Sussex stands out for White-tailed Sea-eagle, Nightingale, Cattle Egret and Red-breasted Merganser. Each is recorded at least 2.6 times as often here as across England, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for West Sussex?

213 species, each recorded regularly in West Sussex (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 93 residents, 32 summer visitors, 48 winter visitors, 33 passage migrants and 7 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in West Sussex, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in West Sussex in October?

157 species on our list for West Sussex are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, European Robin, Magpie and Blue Tit.

What are the most common birds in West Sussex?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in West Sussex are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, European Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit.

Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made

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