Fife · 56.26°N

Birds of Crail

What has actually been seen around Crail: 231 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 231 within 5 km
Observation records: 33,765 since 2010
Most recorded bird: European Herring Gull
Busiest month: October
Elevation: 33 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.7 h / 6.9 h

What the records say about Crail

231 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Crail (Fife) since 2010, across 33,765 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Northern Gannet and Eurasian Oystercatcher.

Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Crail are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Northern Gannet and Eurasian Oystercatcher 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 Common Kestrel.

Records peak in October and are lowest in February — about 5.4 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.

Anstruther, 6 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (172 against 231). Birds logged far more often around Crail than there include Red-throated Diver, Common Scoter, Manx Shearwater and Arctic Skua.

Daylight runs from 17 h 42 min at midsummer to 6 h 53 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 Crail

#	Bird	Records
1	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	1,147
2	Northern GannetMorus bassanus	991
3	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	970
4	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	885
5	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	875
6	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	846
7	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	801
8	Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla	694
9	Carrion CrowCorvus corone	680
10	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	670
11	Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata	644
12	RazorbillAlca torda	639
13	Common RedshankTringa totanus	635
14	Common MurreUria aalge	598
15	Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis	570
16	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	563
17	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	537
18	Red-throated DiverGavia stellata	533
19	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	523
20	Common GullLarus canus	518

Records by month

What to put out in Crail

Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.

Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Starling
Suet · Mealworms
Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts

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 Crail?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Crail are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Starling and Blackbird, based on 33,765 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Crail?

231 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).

When is the best month for birds in Crail?

Observation records peak in October and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:21.

Sources

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.