Birds of Inverness
What has actually been seen around Inverness: 178 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 178 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 41,177 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 15 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18 h / 6.6 h
What the records say about Inverness
178 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Inverness (Highland) since 2010, across 41,177 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Inverness is a garden-bird place: 61% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Chaffinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 3.5 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.
Westhill, 5 km to the east, has more species on record (185 against 178).
Daylight runs from 18 h 2 min at midsummer to 6 h 36 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:17 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Inverness
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 2,153 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 2,038 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,792 |
| 4 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,638 |
| 5 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 1,353 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,327 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,269 |
| 8 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 1,167 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,098 |
| 10 | Common GullLarus canus | 1,062 |
| 11 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,022 |
| 12 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,009 |
| 13 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,001 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 980 |
| 15 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 935 |
| 16 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 885 |
| 17 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 876 |
| 18 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 868 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 801 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 743 |
Records by month
What to put out in Inverness
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · 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 Inverness?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Inverness are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Chaffinch and Robin, based on 41,177 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Inverness?
178 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Inverness?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:17.
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.