Birds of Kyle of Lochalsh
What has actually been seen around Kyle of Lochalsh: 111 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 111 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,885 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 50 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18 h / 6.6 h
What the records say about Kyle of Lochalsh
111 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Kyle of Lochalsh (Highland) since 2010, across 1,885 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Hooded Crow and House Sparrow.
Kyle of Lochalsh is a garden-bird place: 62% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Blackbird and Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
5 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and White-tailed Eagle.
Records peak in May and are lowest in March — about 21.2 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.
Broadford, 13 km to the west, has more species on record (150 against 111).
Daylight runs from 17 h 58 min at midsummer to 6 h 39 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:16 in mid-April and 4:24 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Kyle of Lochalsh
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 121 |
| 2 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 100 |
| 3 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 87 |
| 4 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 77 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 70 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 70 |
| 7 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 58 |
| 8 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 51 |
| 9 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 50 |
| 10 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 48 |
| 11 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 44 |
| 12 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 44 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 44 |
| 14 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 42 |
| 15 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 40 |
| 16 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 38 |
| 17 | Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus | 37 |
| 18 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 35 |
| 19 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 34 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 31 |
Records by month
What to put out in Kyle of Lochalsh
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Collared Dove
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
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 Kyle of Lochalsh?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Kyle of Lochalsh are Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Robin and Chaffinch, based on 1,885 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Kyle of Lochalsh?
111 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Kyle of Lochalsh?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 4:24.
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.