Birds of Dumfries
What has actually been seen around Dumfries: 116 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 116 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 4,971 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 21 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Dumfries
116 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Dumfries (Dumfries and Galloway) since 2010, across 4,971 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Carrion Crow.
Dumfries is a garden-bird place: 68% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Red Kite. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in June and are lowest in September — about 4.1 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.
Locharbriggs, 4 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (111 against 116).
Daylight runs from 17 h 24 min at midsummer to 7 h 9 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:13 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Dumfries
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 273 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 225 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 205 |
| 4 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 190 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 171 |
| 6 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 164 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 160 |
| 8 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 157 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 152 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 144 |
| 11 | Common MerganserMergus merganser | 134 |
| 12 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 131 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 126 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 125 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 118 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 110 |
| 17 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 107 |
| 18 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 106 |
| 19 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 105 |
| 20 | Great TitParus major | 105 |
Records by month
What to put out in Dumfries
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
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 Dumfries?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Dumfries are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Chaffinch, based on 4,971 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Dumfries?
116 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Dumfries?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in September. 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.