Birds of Montrose
What has actually been seen around Montrose: 209 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 209 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 22,704 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 11 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.8 h / 6.8 h
What the records say about Montrose
209 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Montrose (Angus) since 2010, across 22,704 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Woodpigeon.
Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Montrose are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Eider lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in September and are lowest in December — about 5.7 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.
Hillside, 3 km to the north, has a similar number of species on record (207 against 209).
Daylight runs from 17 h 49 min at midsummer to 6 h 47 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:16 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Montrose
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 657 |
| 2 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 651 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 622 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 622 |
| 5 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 554 |
| 6 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 535 |
| 7 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 464 |
| 8 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 450 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 441 |
| 10 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 439 |
| 11 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 416 |
| 12 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 405 |
| 13 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 387 |
| 14 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 371 |
| 15 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 366 |
| 16 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 362 |
| 17 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 354 |
| 18 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 352 |
| 19 | Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus | 346 |
| 20 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 340 |
Records by month
What to put out in Montrose
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
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 Montrose?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Montrose are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Robin and House Sparrow, based on 22,704 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Montrose?
209 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Montrose?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:16.
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.