Highland · 57.88°N

Birds of Dornoch

What has actually been seen around Dornoch: 160 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 160 within 5 km
Observation records: 4,800 since 2010
Most recorded bird: European Herring Gull
Busiest month: April
Elevation: 13 m
Daylight, June / December: 18.1 h / 6.5 h

What the records say about Dornoch

160 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Dornoch (Highland) since 2010, across 4,800 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Eider.

Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Dornoch 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. Jackdaw is still the most logged garden bird.

10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite.

Records peak in April and are lowest in November — 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.

Tain, 8 km to the south, has fewer species on record (155 against 160). Birds logged far more often around Dornoch than there include Common Eider, Red-throated Diver, Northern Gannet and Eurasian Skylark.

Daylight runs from 18 h 9 min at midsummer to 6 h 29 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:12 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Dornoch

#	Bird	Records
1	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	227
2	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	197
3	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	140
4	JackdawColoeus monedula	132
5	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	132
6	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	116
7	Common GullLarus canus	116
8	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	110
9	Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator	109
10	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	109
11	Carrion CrowCorvus corone	103
12	Red-throated DiverGavia stellata	93
13	Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata	91
14	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	83
15	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	81
16	House SparrowPasser domesticus	78
17	Northern GannetMorus bassanus	77
18	Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis	77
19	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	76
20	Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis	73

Records by month

What to put out in Dornoch

Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.

Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Starling
Suet · Mealworms
House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts

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 Dornoch?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Dornoch are Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Carrion Crow and Hooded Crow, based on 4,800 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Dornoch?

160 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).

When is the best month for birds in Dornoch?

Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:12.

Sources

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.