Aberdeenshire · 56.96°N

Birds of Stonehaven

What has actually been seen around Stonehaven: 151 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 151 within 5 km
Observation records: 5,305 since 2010
Most recorded bird: European Herring Gull
Busiest month: June
Elevation: 11 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.9 h / 6.7 h

What the records say about Stonehaven

151 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Stonehaven (Aberdeenshire) since 2010, across 5,305 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Jackdaw and Common Eider.

Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Stonehaven are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Northern Fulmar lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Jackdaw is still the most logged garden bird.

10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.

Records peak in June and are lowest in November — about 13.7 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.

Newtonhill, 9 km to the north-east, has more species on record (159 against 151). Birds logged far more often around Stonehaven than there include Common Redshank, Common Merganser and Hooded Crow.

Daylight runs from 17 h 53 min at midsummer to 6 h 43 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:13 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Stonehaven

#	Bird	Records
1	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	342
2	JackdawColoeus monedula	231
3	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	230
4	Carrion CrowCorvus corone	193
5	Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis	159
6	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	156
7	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	155
8	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	146
9	Rock PigeonColumba livia	139
10	Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla	138
11	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	137
12	House SparrowPasser domesticus	137
13	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	132
14	YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella	129
15	RazorbillAlca torda	129
16	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	123
17	House MartinDelichon urbicum	121
18	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	112
19	Barn SwallowHirundo rustica	109
20	Common MurreUria aalge	108

Records by month

What to put out in Stonehaven

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

Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Woodpigeon
Seed mix
House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Starling
Suet · Mealworms

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 Stonehaven?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Stonehaven are Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Rock Pigeon and House Sparrow, based on 5,305 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Stonehaven?

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

When is the best month for birds in Stonehaven?

Observation records peak in June and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:13.

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.