Birds of Cowdenbeath
What has actually been seen around Cowdenbeath: 147 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 147 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 17,082 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mute Swan
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 128 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.7 h / 6.9 h
What the records say about Cowdenbeath
147 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Cowdenbeath (Fife) since 2010, across 17,082 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mute Swan, Common Goldeneye and Tufted Duck.
Water shapes this list. 68% of records near Cowdenbeath are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mute Swan, Common Goldeneye and Tufted Duck lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in January and are lowest in July — 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.
Kelty, 4 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (139 against 147).
Daylight runs from 17 h 39 min at midsummer to 6 h 56 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:25 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Cowdenbeath
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 1,319 |
| 2 | Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula | 1,190 |
| 3 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,124 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,072 |
| 5 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 778 |
| 6 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 525 |
| 7 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 500 |
| 8 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 489 |
| 9 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 443 |
| 10 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 411 |
| 11 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 408 |
| 12 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 403 |
| 13 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 382 |
| 14 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 380 |
| 15 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 337 |
| 16 | MagpiePica pica | 325 |
| 17 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 308 |
| 18 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 298 |
| 19 | GadwallMareca strepera | 291 |
| 20 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 278 |
Records by month
What to put out in Cowdenbeath
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Cowdenbeath?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Cowdenbeath are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin and Blackbird, based on 17,082 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Cowdenbeath?
147 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Cowdenbeath?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:25.
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.