Birds of Oban
What has actually been seen around Oban: 153 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 153 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 11,907 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 17 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.7 h / 6.9 h
What the records say about Oban
153 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Oban (Argyll and Bute) since 2010, across 11,907 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Black Guillemot and Hooded Crow.
Water shapes this list. 46% of records near Oban are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black Guillemot and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Hooded Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and White-tailed Eagle.
Records peak in June and are lowest in December — about 16.7 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.
Dunbeg, 4 km to the north-east, has a similar number of species on record (150 against 153).
Daylight runs from 17 h 44 min at midsummer to 6 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:17 in mid-April and 4:31 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Oban
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 879 |
| 2 | Black GuillemotCepphus grylle | 850 |
| 3 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 803 |
| 4 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 425 |
| 5 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 415 |
| 6 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 354 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 346 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 345 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 319 |
| 10 | Common GullLarus canus | 317 |
| 11 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 310 |
| 12 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 284 |
| 13 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 265 |
| 14 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 251 |
| 15 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 243 |
| 16 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 220 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 220 |
| 18 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 205 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 201 |
| 20 | Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres | 199 |
Records by month
What to put out in Oban
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Seasonal bird notes for Argyll and Bute
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 Oban?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Oban are Hooded Crow, Rock Pigeon, House Sparrow, Robin and Blackbird, based on 11,907 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Oban?
153 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Oban?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:31.
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.