Birds of Portstewart
What has actually been seen around Portstewart: 159 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 159 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 9,970 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- July
- Elevation
- 26 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.1 h
What the records say about Portstewart
159 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Portstewart (Causeway Coast and Glens) since 2010, across 9,970 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Starling and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 54% of records near Portstewart 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. Starling is still the most logged garden bird.
9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .
Records peak in July and are lowest in January — about 3.2 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.
Portrush, 4 km to the east, has fewer species on record (143 against 159). Birds logged far more often around Portstewart than there include Mallard, Dunlin, Common Shelduck and Little Egret.
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 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Portstewart
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 623 |
| 2 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 449 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 413 |
| 4 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 397 |
| 5 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 339 |
| 6 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 327 |
| 7 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 291 |
| 8 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 273 |
| 9 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 266 |
| 10 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 258 |
| 11 | Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres | 253 |
| 12 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 232 |
| 13 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 228 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 228 |
| 15 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 223 |
| 16 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 200 |
| 17 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 195 |
| 18 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 184 |
| 19 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 167 |
| 20 | MagpiePica pica | 164 |
Records by month
What to put out in Portstewart
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
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 Portstewart?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Portstewart are Starling, House Sparrow, Rook, Pied Wagtail and Hooded Crow, based on 9,970 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Portstewart?
159 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Portstewart?
Observation records peak in July and are lowest in January. 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.