Birds of Holywood
What has actually been seen around Holywood: 170 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 170 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 43,265 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-headed Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 44 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Holywood
170 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Holywood (Ards and North Down) since 2010, across 43,265 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 68% of records near Holywood are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Hooded Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .
Records peak in August and are lowest in November — about 3.0 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.
Dundonald, 6 km to the south, has fewer species on record (103 against 170). Birds logged far more often around Holywood than there include Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Shelduck and Eurasian Curlew.
Daylight runs from 17 h 18 min at midsummer to 7 h 15 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:23 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Holywood
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,536 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,293 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,196 |
| 4 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 1,132 |
| 5 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,111 |
| 6 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,102 |
| 7 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 1,093 |
| 8 | Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa | 1,033 |
| 9 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 1,020 |
| 10 | MagpiePica pica | 941 |
| 11 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 940 |
| 12 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 934 |
| 13 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 921 |
| 14 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 910 |
| 15 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 849 |
| 16 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 796 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 784 |
| 18 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 770 |
| 19 | Common TernSterna hirundo | 766 |
| 20 | Common GullLarus canus | 761 |
Records by month
What to put out in Holywood
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for Ards and North Down
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 Holywood?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Holywood are Hooded Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail and Starling, based on 43,265 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Holywood?
170 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Holywood?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
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.