Birds of Ellon
What has actually been seen around Ellon: 163 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 163 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 4,185 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 12 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18 h / 6.6 h
What the records say about Ellon
163 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ellon (Aberdeenshire) since 2010, across 4,185 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Curlew.
Water shapes this list. 57% of records near Ellon are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Curlew and Common Redshank lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Osprey.
Records peak in October and are lowest in February — about 4.9 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.
Newburgh, 7 km to the south-east, has more species on record (215 against 163). Birds logged far more often around Ellon than there include Swift.
Daylight runs from 17 h 60 min at midsummer to 6 h 37 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:01 in mid-April and 4:09 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ellon
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 124 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 124 |
| 3 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 119 |
| 4 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 116 |
| 5 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 109 |
| 6 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 101 |
| 7 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 101 |
| 8 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 97 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 97 |
| 10 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 94 |
| 11 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 94 |
| 12 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 87 |
| 13 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 87 |
| 14 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 84 |
| 15 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 77 |
| 16 | Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus | 75 |
| 17 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 74 |
| 18 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 73 |
| 19 | DunlinCalidris alpina | 70 |
| 20 | YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella | 70 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ellon
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
Seasonal bird notes for Aberdeenshire
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 Ellon?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ellon are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Jackdaw and Yellowhammer, based on 4,185 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ellon?
163 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ellon?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:09.
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.