Birds of Anstruther
What has actually been seen around Anstruther: 172 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 172 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 9,012 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 13 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.7 h / 6.9 h
What the records say about Anstruther
172 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Anstruther (Fife) since 2010, across 9,012 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 44% of records near Anstruther are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 December — about 7.2 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.
Saint Monans, 5 km to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (174 against 172).
Daylight runs from 17 h 41 min at midsummer to 6 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:21 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Anstruther
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 356 |
| 2 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 327 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 309 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 298 |
| 5 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 273 |
| 6 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 262 |
| 7 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 244 |
| 8 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 235 |
| 9 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 215 |
| 10 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 211 |
| 11 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 207 |
| 12 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 198 |
| 13 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 195 |
| 14 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 194 |
| 15 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 182 |
| 16 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 181 |
| 17 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 176 |
| 18 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 166 |
| 19 | YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella | 164 |
| 20 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 164 |
Records by month
What to put out in Anstruther
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Seasonal bird notes for Fife
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 Anstruther?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Anstruther are Woodpigeon, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow and House Sparrow, based on 9,012 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Anstruther?
172 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Anstruther?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:21.
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.