Birds of Tobermory
What has actually been seen around Tobermory: 134 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 134 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,037 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 44 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.8 h / 6.8 h
What the records say about Tobermory
134 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Tobermory (Argyll and Bute) since 2010, across 5,037 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Robin and Hooded Crow.
The records split between garden birds (57%) and waterbirds (39%), so a feeder in Tobermory sees the familiar Robin, Hooded Crow and Chaffinch, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and White-tailed Eagle.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 754.0 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.
Isle Of Mull, 27 km to the south-east, has a similar number of species on record (138 against 134). Birds logged far more often around Tobermory than there include Manx Shearwater, Little Grebe, Greenfinch and Bullfinch.
Daylight runs from 17 h 47 min at midsummer to 6 h 48 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:19 in mid-April and 4:31 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Tobermory
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 260 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 209 |
| 3 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 202 |
| 4 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 198 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 184 |
| 6 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 172 |
| 7 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 159 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 157 |
| 9 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 149 |
| 10 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 115 |
| 11 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 113 |
| 12 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 109 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 101 |
| 14 | Great TitParus major | 99 |
| 15 | Common GullLarus canus | 98 |
| 16 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 95 |
| 17 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 88 |
| 18 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 87 |
| 19 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 84 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 81 |
Records by month
What to put out in Tobermory
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Song Thrush
Mealworms · Soaked sultanas · Fruit
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
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 Tobermory?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Tobermory are Robin, Hooded Crow, Chaffinch, Blackbird and House Sparrow, based on 5,037 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Tobermory?
134 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Tobermory?
Observation records peak in May 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.