Birds of Kirkcaldy
What has actually been seen around Kirkcaldy: 142 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 142 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,645 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 39 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.7 h / 6.9 h
What the records say about Kirkcaldy
142 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Kirkcaldy (Fife) since 2010, across 3,645 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 52% of records near Kirkcaldy are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Eider lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in March and are lowest in September — about 4.1 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.
Kinghorn, 5 km to the south, has more species on record (170 against 142). Birds logged far more often around Kirkcaldy than there include Velvet Scoter.
Daylight runs from 17 h 39 min at midsummer to 6 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:24 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Kirkcaldy
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 146 |
| 2 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 138 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 134 |
| 4 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 121 |
| 5 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 108 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 106 |
| 7 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 104 |
| 8 | MagpiePica pica | 102 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 95 |
| 10 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 87 |
| 11 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 85 |
| 12 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 79 |
| 13 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 71 |
| 14 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 71 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 67 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 67 |
| 17 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 64 |
| 18 | Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres | 63 |
| 19 | Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis | 62 |
| 20 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 62 |
Records by month
What to put out in Kirkcaldy
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
- Pied Wagtail
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 Kirkcaldy?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Kirkcaldy are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin and Rock Pigeon, based on 3,645 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Kirkcaldy?
142 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Kirkcaldy?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:24.
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.