Aberdeenshire · 57.51°N

Birds of Peterhead

What has actually been seen around Peterhead: 172 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 172 within 5 km
Observation records: 4,528 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Eurasian Oystercatcher
Busiest month: September
Elevation: 11 m
Daylight, June / December: 18 h / 6.6 h

What the records say about Peterhead

172 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Peterhead (Aberdeenshire) since 2010, across 4,528 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Redshank and European Shag.

Water shapes this list. 64% of records near Peterhead are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Redshank and European Shag lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Starling is still the most logged garden bird.

9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.

Records peak in September and are lowest in January — about 2.1 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.

Boddam, 4 km to the south, has more species on record (178 against 172).

Daylight runs from 18 h 2 min at midsummer to 6 h 35 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:00 in mid-April and 4:07 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Peterhead

#	Bird	Records
1	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	124
2	Common RedshankTringa totanus	121
3	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	121
4	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	117
5	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	111
6	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	103
7	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	100
8	House SparrowPasser domesticus	92
9	Carrion CrowCorvus corone	84
10	Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres	83
11	BlackbirdTurdus merula	82
12	Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata	81
13	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	80
14	Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla	80
15	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	76
16	GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis	73
17	Northern GannetMorus bassanus	71
18	Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula	69
19	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	69
20	DunlinCalidris alpina	67

Records by month

What to put out in Peterhead

Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.

Starling
Suet · Mealworms
House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts

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 Peterhead?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Peterhead are Starling, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Goldfinch, based on 4,528 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Peterhead?

172 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).

When is the best month for birds in Peterhead?

Observation records peak in September and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:07.

Sources

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.