Birds of Kilmarnock
What has actually been seen around Kilmarnock: 91 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 91 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,677 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Jackdaw
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 39 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.5 h / 7 h
What the records say about Kilmarnock
91 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Kilmarnock (East Ayrshire) since 2010, across 1,677 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and European Herring Gull.
Kilmarnock is a garden-bird place: 65% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
Records peak in June and are lowest in September — about 7.7 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.
Crosshouse, 4 km to the west, has more species on record (117 against 91).
Daylight runs from 17 h 32 min at midsummer to 7 h 2 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Kilmarnock
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 107 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 97 |
| 3 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 91 |
| 4 | SwiftApus apus | 88 |
| 5 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 87 |
| 6 | MagpiePica pica | 78 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 62 |
| 8 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 56 |
| 9 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 55 |
| 10 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 54 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 53 |
| 12 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 50 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 49 |
| 14 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 48 |
| 15 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 41 |
| 16 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 38 |
| 17 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 34 |
| 18 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 33 |
| 19 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 31 |
| 20 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 29 |
Records by month
What to put out in Kilmarnock
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for East Ayrshire
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 Kilmarnock?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Kilmarnock are Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie and Blackbird, based on 1,677 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Kilmarnock?
91 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Kilmarnock?
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.