Wild Birds at Harewood

The grounds at Harewood are ideal for watching wild birds attracted by the variety of different habitats - ideal for those birds living and breeding here or just visiting on a seasonal basis.

The bird life around these areas can be easily observed from the many footpaths and gardens, or even sat on the Terrace relaxing with a cup of tea in The Terrace Cafe.

Harewood Lake offers a vast array of birdlife with some fantastic bird watching opportunities. You'll see Ducks, Geese, Gull and Grebe species and can view our best known dabbling duck the Mallard, diving ducks such as the Tufted Ducks as well as the now naturalised Mandarin Ducks.

Seasonal bird visitors include ‘sawbills’ such as the Goosander which can be seen in small flocks around winter time, often seen on the lake diving for fish. Many types of Geese can be seen on the lake and also grazing on the park grassland, from the year round resident Canada and Greylag Geese, to the overwintering Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese.

Huge flocks of noisy Black Headed Gulls can be seen wheeling around in the winter months, but are also present throughout the year in smaller numbers. They can be seen harassing the Herons in the Bird Garden, trying to snatch food!

Around the streams, ponds and shallow areas of the lake, the bright blue flash of the flying Kingfisher can be seen near to the bridge over the waterfall, and the great Crested Grebes with their fascinating courtship display dance. Listen out for the calls of the Oystercatchers, lapwings and Curlews, although their calls are sometimes copied by Starlings around the Bird Garden.

In the Broadleaved woodland walks you'll hear a variety of birds (often heard before you see them), with the hammering of the Great Spotted Woodpecker and the famous Cuckoo call. Nuthatch’s and tree creepers can be seen going around the bark of trees looking for insects, with treecreeper’s nearly always going upwards and Nuthatches going down the bark.

The open grassland and pasture surrounded by hedging, gardens and woodland around Harewood is home to several species of finches, tits, sparrows, thrushes and starlings. Swifts, swallows & house martins can be seen flying low over the fields catching insects or over the lake having a drink. Visitors at the front entrance of Harewood House can often see the Swallows flying inches above the field and drive, scooping insects up. During the summer you can see them nesting under stone ledges on the front of the house, a perfect artificial cliff with ledges and hollows built in.

Many wild birds live around the Bird garden and share the exotic bird’s food. Wrens and Dunnocks can be seen squeezing through the wire mesh of aviaries to help themselves! Long Tailed Tits nest in shrubs in the Bird Garden and their distinctive ball shaped nest made out of moss and leaves bound together with spiders webs, can sometimes be seen near to paths.

The Crow family is a common site around Harewood with the Crow, Rook, Jay and Jackdaw visible, some in large flocks often seen looking for food on the floor, or gathering nesting material.

Birds of prey are well represented by the re-introduced Red Kite, which during winter and spring can be seen in flocks of up to 80 birds, circling above the Terrace and Bird Garden before going off to roost for the night. They can be seen alongside Buzzards who share the same thermals, but also Sparrowhawks, Goshawks, Kestrels and Peregrine Falcons can all be seen hunting around Harewood. 

Several Owl species can be seen, with Barn Owls around the grassland areas on Estate farmland, Tawny Owls can be seen and heard all over the woodland and garden areas, and not forgetting Little Owls who are seen sitting on fence posts alongside the main drive into Harewood, looking and waiting for mice, insects and even earthworms to eat.

 

Download a list of Wild Birds you can see around the Bird Garden & Lakeside at Harewood.