Birds of Arbroath
What has actually been seen around Arbroath: 159 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 159 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 4,395 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 10 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.8 h / 6.8 h
What the records say about Arbroath
159 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Arbroath (Angus) since 2010, across 4,395 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 50% of records near Arbroath are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Great Black-backed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in February — about 4.3 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.
Friockheim, 10 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (78 against 159). Birds logged far more often around Arbroath than there include European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Rock Pigeon and Eurasian Rock Pipit.
Daylight runs from 17 h 46 min at midsummer to 6 h 49 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:18 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Arbroath
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 223 |
| 2 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 173 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 146 |
| 4 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 122 |
| 5 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 120 |
| 6 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 118 |
| 7 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 109 |
| 8 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 109 |
| 9 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 108 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 105 |
| 11 | Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla | 98 |
| 12 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 98 |
| 13 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 96 |
| 14 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 94 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 85 |
| 16 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina | 83 |
| 17 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 81 |
| 18 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 80 |
| 19 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 77 |
| 20 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 72 |
Records by month
What to put out in Arbroath
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for Angus
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 Arbroath?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Arbroath are Carrion Crow, Starling, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Rock Pipit and Jackdaw, based on 4,395 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Arbroath?
159 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Arbroath?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:18.
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.