Birds of Methil
What has actually been seen around Methil: 150 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 150 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 6,789 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- February
- Elevation
- 26 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.7 h / 6.9 h
What the records say about Methil
150 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Methil (Fife) since 2010, across 6,789 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 52% of records near Methil are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull 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.
6 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in February and are lowest in October — about 4.9 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.
Kennoway, 3 km to the north-west, has a similar number of species on record (153 against 150).
Daylight runs from 17 h 40 min at midsummer to 6 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:23 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Methil
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 279 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 253 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 233 |
| 4 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 200 |
| 5 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 199 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 195 |
| 7 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 150 |
| 8 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 144 |
| 9 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 141 |
| 10 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 141 |
| 11 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 136 |
| 12 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 129 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 122 |
| 14 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 119 |
| 15 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 117 |
| 16 | MagpiePica pica | 115 |
| 17 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 114 |
| 18 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 114 |
| 19 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 112 |
| 20 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 110 |
Records by month
What to put out in Methil
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 Methil?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Methil are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Rock Pigeon and Robin, based on 6,789 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Methil?
150 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Methil?
Observation records peak in February and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:23.
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.