Ards and North Down · 54.61°N

Birds of Millisle

What has actually been seen around Millisle: 105 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 105 within 5 km
Observation records: 1,384 since 2010
Most recorded bird: European Herring Gull
Busiest month: January
Elevation: 14 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.3 h / 7.3 h

What the records say about Millisle

105 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Millisle (Ards and North Down) since 2010, across 1,384 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Brant and Eurasian Oystercatcher.

Water shapes this list. 49% of records near Millisle are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Brant and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Starling is still the most logged garden bird.

6 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Barn Owl 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 January and are lowest in October — about 6.7 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.

Donaghadee, 4 km to the north, has more species on record (122 against 105).

Daylight runs from 17 h 17 min at midsummer to 7 h 15 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:21 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Millisle

#	Bird	Records
1	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	67
2	BrantBranta bernicla	66
3	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	66
4	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	57
5	Common RedshankTringa totanus	49
6	RookCorvus frugilegus	47
7	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	46
8	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	41
9	Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus	33
10	Gray HeronArdea cinerea	33
11	JackdawColoeus monedula	32
12	Common GullLarus canus	32
13	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	31
14	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	30
15	Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres	29
16	SwiftApus apus	29
17	House SparrowPasser domesticus	29
18	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	27
19	Black GuillemotCepphus grylle	27
20	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	27

Records by month

What to put out in Millisle

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

Starling
Suet · Mealworms
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts

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 Millisle?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Millisle are Starling, Rook, Pied Wagtail, Eurasian Rock Pipit and Jackdaw, based on 1,384 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Millisle?

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

When is the best month for birds in Millisle?

Observation records peak in January and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:44.

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.