Causeway Coast and Glens · 55.15°N

Birds of Castlerock

What has actually been seen around Castlerock: 142 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 142 within 5 km
Observation records: 5,031 since 2010
Most recorded bird: European Herring Gull
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 54 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.4 h / 7.1 h

What the records say about Castlerock

142 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Castlerock (Causeway Coast and Glens) since 2010, across 5,031 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Great Cormorant.

Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Castlerock are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Great Cormorant lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Hooded Crow is still the most logged garden bird.

6 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .

Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 7.4 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.

Portstewart, 6 km to the north-east, has more species on record (159 against 142).

Daylight runs from 17 h 25 min at midsummer to 7 h 8 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:25 in mid-April and 4:46 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Castlerock

#	Bird	Records
1	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	251
2	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	193
3	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	181
4	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	178
5	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	144
6	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	133
7	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	132
8	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	124
9	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	119
10	Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata	117
11	RookCorvus frugilegus	115
12	Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis	107
13	JackdawColoeus monedula	104
14	House SparrowPasser domesticus	103
15	Barn SwallowHirundo rustica	103
16	Common RedshankTringa totanus	102
17	Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis	97
18	Gray HeronArdea cinerea	86
19	Common GullLarus canus	80
20	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	78

Records by month

What to put out in Castlerock

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
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets

Seasonal bird notes for Causeway Coast and Glens

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 Castlerock?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Castlerock are Hooded Crow, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Rook and Meadow Pipit, based on 5,031 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Castlerock?

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

When is the best month for birds in Castlerock?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:46.

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.