Birds of Tarves
What has actually been seen around Tarves: 89 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 89 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 923 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 89 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18 h / 6.6 h
What the records say about Tarves
89 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Tarves (Aberdeenshire) since 2010, across 923 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mallard and Chaffinch.
Tarves is a garden-bird place: 64% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Blackbird and Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Tawny Owl, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in June and are lowest in December — about 38.3 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.
Pitmedden, 5 km to the south-east, has fewer species on record (77 against 89). Birds logged far more often around Tarves than there include Mute Swan and Graylag Goose.
Daylight runs from 17 h 60 min at midsummer to 6 h 37 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:02 in mid-April and 4:10 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Tarves
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major | 56 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 44 |
| 3 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 40 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 32 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 29 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 28 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 28 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 27 |
| 9 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 27 |
| 10 | Tawny OwlStrix aluco | 24 |
| 11 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 22 |
| 12 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 22 |
| 13 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 22 |
| 14 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 22 |
| 15 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 20 |
| 16 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 19 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 19 |
| 18 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 19 |
| 19 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 18 |
| 20 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 18 |
Records by month
What to put out in Tarves
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
Peanuts · Suet
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
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 Tarves?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Tarves are Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Robin and Woodpigeon, based on 923 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Tarves?
89 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Tarves?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:10.
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.