Birds of Aberdeen
What has actually been seen around Aberdeen: 239 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 239 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 138,664 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 13 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.9 h / 6.7 h
What the records say about Aberdeen
239 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Aberdeen (Aberdeen City) since 2010, across 138,664 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 45% of records near Aberdeen are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 2.8 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.
Cove, 5 km to the south, has a similar number of species on record (239 against 239).
Daylight runs from 17 h 56 min at midsummer to 6 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:02 in mid-April and 4:11 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Aberdeen
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 5,899 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 4,189 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 4,012 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 3,695 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,579 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 3,529 |
| 7 | Common GullLarus canus | 3,250 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 3,182 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 3,016 |
| 10 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,991 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 2,955 |
| 12 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 2,929 |
| 13 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 2,837 |
| 14 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 2,800 |
| 15 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 2,783 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 2,777 |
| 17 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 2,761 |
| 18 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 2,672 |
| 19 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 2,603 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 2,433 |
Records by month
What to put out in Aberdeen
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Aberdeen City
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 Aberdeen?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Aberdeen are Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Magpie and Robin, based on 138,664 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Aberdeen?
239 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Aberdeen?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:11.
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.