Birds of Wick
What has actually been seen around Wick: 139 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 139 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,680 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 17 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.3 h / 6.3 h
What the records say about Wick
139 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Wick (Highland) since 2010, across 3,680 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 52% of records near Wick are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and European Shag lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Rock Pigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in October and are lowest in November — about 7.6 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, 24 km to the north-west, has a similar number of species on record (137 against 139). Birds logged far more often around Wick than there include Mallard, House Sparrow, Eurasian Teal and Common Goldeneye.
Daylight runs from 18 h 19 min at midsummer to 6 h 20 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:02 in mid-April and 4:03 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Wick
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 175 |
| 2 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 121 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 119 |
| 4 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 111 |
| 5 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 110 |
| 6 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 96 |
| 7 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 94 |
| 8 | Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis | 93 |
| 9 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 93 |
| 10 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 90 |
| 11 | Common GullLarus canus | 83 |
| 12 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 80 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 78 |
| 14 | Black GuillemotCepphus grylle | 76 |
| 15 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 71 |
| 16 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 70 |
| 17 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 69 |
| 18 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 67 |
| 19 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 66 |
| 20 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 63 |
Records by month
What to put out in Wick
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
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 Wick?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Wick are Rock Pigeon, Starling, Barn Swallow, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow, based on 3,680 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Wick?
139 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Wick?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:03.
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.