Birds of Ullapool
What has actually been seen around Ullapool: 140 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 140 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,215 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 16 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.2 h / 6.5 h
What the records say about Ullapool
140 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ullapool (Highland) since 2010, across 5,215 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Rook and House Sparrow.
Water shapes this list. 42% of records near Ullapool are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Great Black-backed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Rook is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in June and are lowest in February — about 117.1 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.
Lairg, 47 km to the east, has fewer species on record (116 against 140). Birds logged far more often around Ullapool than there include European Herring Gull, Rook, Great Black-backed Gull and European Shag.
Daylight runs from 18 h 9 min at midsummer to 6 h 29 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:17 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ullapool
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 343 |
| 2 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 275 |
| 3 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 230 |
| 4 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 198 |
| 5 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 178 |
| 6 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 172 |
| 7 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 170 |
| 8 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 154 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 150 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 144 |
| 11 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 135 |
| 12 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 128 |
| 13 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 127 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 121 |
| 15 | Common GullLarus canus | 121 |
| 16 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 105 |
| 17 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 99 |
| 18 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 96 |
| 19 | Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula | 92 |
| 20 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 87 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ullapool
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Collared Dove
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
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 Ullapool?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ullapool are Rook, House Sparrow, Starling, Collared Dove and Hooded Crow, based on 5,215 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ullapool?
140 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ullapool?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in February. 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.