Birds of Isle of South Uist
What has actually been seen around Isle of South Uist: 145 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 145 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,502 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 86 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18 h / 6.7 h
What the records say about Isle of South Uist
145 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Isle of South Uist (Eilean Siar) since 2010, across 3,502 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Red-breasted Merganser, Blackbird and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 49% of records near Isle of South Uist are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Red-breasted Merganser, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Gray Heron lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Blackbird is still the most logged garden bird.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Short-eared Owl and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in June and are lowest in February — about 1578.0 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.
Benbecula, 22 km to the north, has more species on record (153 against 145). Birds logged far more often around Isle of South Uist than there include Robin, Wren, Chaffinch and Willow Warbler.
Daylight runs from 17 h 58 min at midsummer to 6 h 39 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:22 in mid-April and 4:31 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Isle of South Uist
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 114 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 106 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 105 |
| 4 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 104 |
| 5 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 101 |
| 6 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 94 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 91 |
| 8 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 87 |
| 9 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 86 |
| 10 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 85 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 85 |
| 12 | Common GullLarus canus | 81 |
| 13 | Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus | 79 |
| 14 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 75 |
| 15 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 72 |
| 16 | Common CuckooCuculus canorus | 68 |
| 17 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 67 |
| 18 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 63 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 61 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 61 |
Records by month
What to put out in Isle of South Uist
Seasonal bird notes for Eilean Siar
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 Isle of South Uist?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Isle of South Uist are Blackbird, Meadow Pipit, Robin, Starling and Wren, based on 3,502 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Isle of South Uist?
145 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Isle of South Uist?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:31.
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.