Dumfries and Galloway · 54.97°N

Birds of Cairnryan

What has actually been seen around Cairnryan: 148 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 148 within 5 km
Observation records: 3,729 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Common Eider
Busiest month: January
Elevation: 5 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.4 h / 7.2 h

What the records say about Cairnryan

148 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Cairnryan (Dumfries and Galloway) since 2010, across 3,729 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Common Eider, Eurasian Oystercatcher and European Herring Gull.

Water shapes this list. 73% of records near Cairnryan are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Common Eider, Eurasian Oystercatcher and European Herring Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.

9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.

Records peak in January and are lowest in June — about 3.9 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.

Stranraer, 8 km to the south, has fewer species on record (138 against 148). Birds logged far more often around Cairnryan than there include Twite, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit and European Golden Plover.

Daylight runs from 17 h 22 min at midsummer to 7 h 11 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:19 in mid-April and 4:40 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Cairnryan

#	Bird	Records
1	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	176
2	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	173
3	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	172
4	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	131
5	Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator	116
6	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	112
7	Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata	105
8	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	93
9	BrantBranta bernicla	93
10	Carrion CrowCorvus corone	90
11	Northern GannetMorus bassanus	87
12	Common GullLarus canus	85
13	Black GuillemotCepphus grylle	71
14	Red-throated DiverGavia stellata	70
15	Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope	70
16	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	64
17	Common ScoterMelanitta nigra	64
18	Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula	61
19	RookCorvus frugilegus	60
20	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	59

Records by month

What to put out in Cairnryan

Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.

Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Starling
Suet · Mealworms
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms

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 Cairnryan?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Cairnryan are Carrion Crow, Rook, Pied Wagtail, Jackdaw and Starling, based on 3,729 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Cairnryan?

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

When is the best month for birds in Cairnryan?

Observation records peak in January and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 4:40.

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.