Birds of Elie
What has actually been seen around Elie: 178 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 178 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 11,957 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 15 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.7 h / 6.9 h
What the records say about Elie
178 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Elie (Fife) since 2010, across 11,957 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 52% of records near Elie 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.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in June and are lowest in October — about 2.7 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.
Saint Monans, 4 km to the north-east, has a similar number of species on record (174 against 178). Birds logged far more often around Elie than there include Sanderling, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter and Bar-tailed Godwit.
Daylight runs from 17 h 40 min at midsummer to 6 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:22 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Elie
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 366 |
| 2 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 363 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 336 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 322 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 309 |
| 6 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 280 |
| 7 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 258 |
| 8 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 256 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 232 |
| 10 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 228 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 225 |
| 12 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 221 |
| 13 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 213 |
| 14 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 212 |
| 15 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 211 |
| 16 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 186 |
| 17 | Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus | 186 |
| 18 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 180 |
| 19 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 177 |
| 20 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 176 |
Records by month
What to put out in Elie
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
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 Elie?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Elie are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Starling, Eurasian Skylark and Pied Wagtail, based on 11,957 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Elie?
178 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Elie?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in October. 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.