Birds of Golspie
What has actually been seen around Golspie: 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
- 5,356 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 7 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.2 h / 6.5 h
What the records say about Golspie
150 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Golspie (Highland) since 2010, across 5,356 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Jackdaw.
Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Golspie are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Eurasian Curlew 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 Common Buzzard, Osprey and Red Kite.
Records peak in June and are lowest in December — about 7.4 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.
Brora, 9 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (141 against 150). Birds logged far more often around Golspie than there include Eurasian Wigeon, Osprey, Great Tit and Red Kite.
Daylight runs from 18 h 11 min at midsummer to 6 h 28 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:11 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Golspie
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 210 |
| 2 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 207 |
| 3 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 151 |
| 4 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 140 |
| 5 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 140 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 133 |
| 7 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 128 |
| 8 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 126 |
| 9 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 122 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 121 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 117 |
| 12 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 116 |
| 13 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 114 |
| 14 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 113 |
| 15 | Common GullLarus canus | 110 |
| 16 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 109 |
| 17 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 97 |
| 18 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 96 |
| 19 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 95 |
| 20 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 90 |
Records by month
What to put out in Golspie
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
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 Golspie?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Golspie are Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Robin and Hooded Crow, based on 5,356 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Golspie?
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 Golspie?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:11.
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.