Birds of Dunbar
What has actually been seen around Dunbar: 248 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 248 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 54,097 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 21 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.6 h / 7 h
What the records say about Dunbar
248 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Dunbar (East Lothian) since 2010, across 54,097 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 51% of records near Dunbar are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Eurasian Curlew 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 .
Records peak in September and are lowest in December — about 2.4 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.
East Linton, 9 km to the west, has fewer species on record (141 against 248). Birds logged far more often around Dunbar than there include Eurasian Oystercatcher, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Redshank and Starling.
Daylight runs from 17 h 37 min at midsummer to 6 h 57 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:22 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Dunbar
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,735 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,603 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,510 |
| 4 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 1,244 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,216 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,177 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,162 |
| 8 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 1,114 |
| 9 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 1,077 |
| 10 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 1,077 |
| 11 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,068 |
| 12 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 1,004 |
| 13 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 981 |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 954 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 930 |
| 16 | MagpiePica pica | 906 |
| 17 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 893 |
| 18 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 870 |
| 19 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 850 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 823 |
Records by month
What to put out in Dunbar
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for East Lothian
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 Dunbar?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Dunbar are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Starling and Goldfinch, based on 54,097 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Dunbar?
248 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Dunbar?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:22.
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.