Highland · 58.59°N

Birds of Thurso

What has actually been seen around Thurso: 117 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 117 within 5 km
Observation records: 3,405 since 2010
Most recorded bird: European Herring Gull
Busiest month: June
Elevation: 22 m
Daylight, June / December: 18.4 h / 6.3 h

What the records say about Thurso

117 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Thurso (Highland) since 2010, across 3,405 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Black Guillemot and Great Black-backed Gull.

Water shapes this list. 68% of records near Thurso are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black Guillemot and Great Black-backed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Jackdaw is still the most logged garden bird.

9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .

Records peak in June and are lowest in November — about 88.2 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.

Castletown, 8 km to the east, has more species on record (137 against 117). Birds logged far more often around Thurso than there include Black Guillemot, Mallard, House Sparrow and Iceland Gull.

Daylight runs from 18 h 22 min at midsummer to 6 h 18 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:04 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Thurso

#	Bird	Records
1	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	216
2	Black GuillemotCepphus grylle	149
3	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	146
4	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	134
5	JackdawColoeus monedula	111
6	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	110
7	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	107
8	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	102
9	Rock PigeonColumba livia	97
10	Common MurreUria aalge	89
11	Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis	88
12	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	88
13	Barn SwallowHirundo rustica	88
14	RookCorvus frugilegus	85
15	Common GullLarus canus	85
16	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	85
17	Common RedshankTringa totanus	74
18	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	69
19	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	66
20	Common LoonGavia immer	64

Records by month

What to put out in Thurso

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

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

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Thurso are Jackdaw, Rock Pigeon, Hooded Crow, Barn Swallow and Rook, based on 3,405 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Thurso?

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

When is the best month for birds in Thurso?

Observation records peak in June and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:04.

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.