Birds of Ardersier
What has actually been seen around Ardersier: 190 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 190 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 43,038 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 5 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.1 h / 6.6 h
What the records say about Ardersier
190 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ardersier (Highland) since 2010, across 43,038 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 51% of records near Ardersier are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in August and are lowest in February — about 3.0 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.
Croy, 6 km to the south, has fewer species on record (156 against 190). Birds logged far more often around Ardersier than there include Great Cormorant, Common Eider, Red-breasted Merganser and Sandwich Tern.
Daylight runs from 18 h 3 min at midsummer to 6 h 34 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:15 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ardersier
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,769 |
| 2 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,504 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,497 |
| 4 | Common GullLarus canus | 1,369 |
| 5 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,008 |
| 6 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 1,002 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 960 |
| 8 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 958 |
| 9 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 958 |
| 10 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 926 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 921 |
| 12 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 831 |
| 13 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 825 |
| 14 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 792 |
| 15 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina | 767 |
| 16 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 741 |
| 17 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 683 |
| 18 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 669 |
| 19 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 665 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 652 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ardersier
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Highland
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 Ardersier?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ardersier are Carrion Crow, Starling, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Pied Wagtail, based on 43,038 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ardersier?
190 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ardersier?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:15.
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.