Birds of Castletown
What has actually been seen around Castletown: 137 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 137 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,004 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Eurasian Oystercatcher
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 23 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.4 h / 6.3 h
What the records say about Castletown
137 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Castletown (Highland) since 2010, across 3,004 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 63% of records near Castletown are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Jackdaw is still the most logged garden bird.
7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in June and are lowest in November — about 69.2 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.
Thurso, 8 km to the west, has fewer species on record (117 against 137). Birds logged far more often around Castletown than there include Sanderling, Chaffinch, Common Linnet and Common Buzzard.
Daylight runs from 18 h 22 min at midsummer to 6 h 18 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:03 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Castletown
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 134 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 122 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 115 |
| 4 | Common GullLarus canus | 95 |
| 5 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 79 |
| 6 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 76 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 71 |
| 8 | Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula | 70 |
| 9 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 68 |
| 10 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 67 |
| 11 | Common LoonGavia immer | 63 |
| 12 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 62 |
| 13 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 61 |
| 14 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 60 |
| 15 | Red-throated DiverGavia stellata | 60 |
| 16 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 60 |
| 17 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 58 |
| 18 | Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis | 57 |
| 19 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 56 |
| 20 | Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis | 55 |
Records by month
What to put out in Castletown
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 Castletown?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Castletown are Jackdaw, Barn Swallow, Hooded Crow, Starling and Pied Wagtail, based on 3,004 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Castletown?
137 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Castletown?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:03.
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.