Birds of Gretna
What has actually been seen around Gretna: 160 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 160 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 8,327 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 17 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.4 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Gretna
160 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Gretna (Dumfries and Galloway) since 2010, across 8,327 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, Starling and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 43% of records near Gretna are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 May and are lowest in January — about 2.8 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.
Longtown, 7 km to the east, has fewer species on record (138 against 160). Birds logged far more often around Gretna than there include Great Black-backed Gull, Common Redshank, Eurasian Curlew and Barnacle Goose.
Daylight runs from 17 h 23 min at midsummer to 7 h 10 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:32 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Gretna
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 306 |
| 2 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 269 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 266 |
| 4 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 263 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 227 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 219 |
| 7 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 210 |
| 8 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 210 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 199 |
| 10 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 186 |
| 11 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 173 |
| 12 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 164 |
| 13 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 163 |
| 14 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 159 |
| 15 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 158 |
| 16 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 153 |
| 17 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 152 |
| 18 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 152 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 150 |
| 20 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 142 |
Records by month
What to put out in Gretna
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
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 Gretna?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Gretna are Carrion Crow, Starling, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon and Rook, based on 8,327 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Gretna?
160 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Gretna?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:32.
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.