Birds of Kirkcudbright
What has actually been seen around Kirkcudbright: 111 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 111 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,057 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Swift
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 4 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Kirkcudbright
111 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Kirkcudbright (Dumfries and Galloway) since 2010, across 1,057 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Swift, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw.
The records split between garden birds (58%) and waterbirds (28%), so a feeder in Kirkcudbright sees the familiar Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Blackbird, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard 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 March — about 21.1 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.
Gatehouse of Fleet, 10 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (99 against 111). Birds logged far more often around Kirkcudbright than there include Gray Heron and Little Egret.
Daylight runs from 17 h 20 min at midsummer to 7 h 12 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Kirkcudbright
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SwiftApus apus | 48 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 43 |
| 3 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 41 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 40 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 40 |
| 6 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 37 |
| 7 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 35 |
| 8 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 34 |
| 9 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 33 |
| 10 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 29 |
| 11 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 23 |
| 12 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 23 |
| 13 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 22 |
| 14 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 22 |
| 15 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 22 |
| 16 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 21 |
| 17 | Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major | 20 |
| 18 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 19 |
| 19 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 18 |
| 20 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 18 |
Records by month
What to put out in Kirkcudbright
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Kirkcudbright?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Kirkcudbright are Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Barn Swallow, based on 1,057 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Kirkcudbright?
111 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Kirkcudbright?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 4:37.
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.