Birds of Lairg
What has actually been seen around Lairg: 116 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 116 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,121 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 95 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.2 h / 6.5 h
What the records say about Lairg
116 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Lairg (Highland) since 2010, across 3,121 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Chaffinch and Jackdaw.
The records split between garden birds (59%) and waterbirds (33%), so a feeder in Lairg sees the familiar Chaffinch, Jackdaw and Blackbird, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Osprey and Common Kestrel. 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 December — about 425.0 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.
Golspie, 26 km to the east, has more species on record (150 against 116). Birds logged far more often around Lairg than there include Common Redpoll, Bank Swallow, Common Sandpiper and Little Grebe.
Daylight runs from 18 h 12 min at midsummer to 6 h 27 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:13 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Lairg
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 123 |
| 2 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 114 |
| 3 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 96 |
| 4 | Common GullLarus canus | 90 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 86 |
| 6 | Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus | 85 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 82 |
| 8 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 75 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 74 |
| 10 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 72 |
| 11 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 72 |
| 12 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 71 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 66 |
| 14 | SiskinSpinus spinus | 64 |
| 15 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 63 |
| 16 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 63 |
| 17 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 62 |
| 18 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 58 |
| 19 | Common RedpollAcanthis flammea | 55 |
| 20 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 53 |
Records by month
What to put out in Lairg
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 Lairg?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Lairg are Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Willow Warbler and Robin, based on 3,121 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Lairg?
116 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Lairg?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:13.
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.