Birds of Annan
What has actually been seen around Annan: 156 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 156 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,312 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Eurasian Oystercatcher
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 20 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Annan
156 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Annan (Dumfries and Galloway) since 2010, across 5,312 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 52% of records near Annan are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 8.5 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.
Eastriggs, 5 km to the east, has more species on record (164 against 156).
Daylight runs from 17 h 22 min at midsummer to 7 h 10 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Annan
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 217 |
| 2 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 190 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 174 |
| 4 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 167 |
| 5 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 132 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 130 |
| 7 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 127 |
| 8 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 122 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 120 |
| 10 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 119 |
| 11 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 119 |
| 12 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 119 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 115 |
| 14 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 114 |
| 15 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 111 |
| 16 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 109 |
| 17 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 108 |
| 18 | DunlinCalidris alpina | 108 |
| 19 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 100 |
| 20 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 91 |
Records by month
What to put out in Annan
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
Seasonal bird notes for Dumfries and Galloway
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 Annan?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Annan are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Starling, Blackbird and Barn Swallow, based on 5,312 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Annan?
156 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Annan?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:33.
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.