Birds of Muirkirk
What has actually been seen around Muirkirk: 64 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 64 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 159 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 228 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.5 h / 7.1 h
What the records say about Muirkirk
64 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Muirkirk (East Ayrshire) since 2010, across 159 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, Common Buzzard and Meadow Pipit.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (23%), so a feeder in Muirkirk sees the familiar Carrion Crow, Meadow Pipit and Jackdaw, while Eurasian Oystercatcher and others turn up on nearby water.
5 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Hen Harrier.
Records peak in April and are lowest in October — about 31.0 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.
Coalburn, 14 km to the north-east, has more species on record (88 against 64).
At about 228 m above sea level, Muirkirk sits higher than most places in East Ayrshire. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter.
Daylight runs from 17 h 30 min at midsummer to 7 h 3 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:14 in mid-April and 4:32 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Muirkirk
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 10 |
| 2 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 9 |
| 3 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 8 |
| 4 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 8 |
| 5 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 7 |
| 6 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 6 |
| 7 | Willow GrouseLagopus lagopus | 5 |
| 8 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 5 |
| 9 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 5 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 5 |
| 11 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 4 |
| 12 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 4 |
| 13 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 4 |
| 14 | European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria | 3 |
| 15 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 3 |
| 16 | Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus | 3 |
| 17 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 3 |
| 18 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola | 3 |
| 19 | Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe | 3 |
| 20 | Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa | 2 |
Records by month
What to put out in Muirkirk
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Goldcrest
Suet
- Coal Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanut fragments
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 Muirkirk?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Muirkirk are Carrion Crow, Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw, Eurasian Skylark and Woodpigeon, based on 159 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Muirkirk?
64 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Muirkirk?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. 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.