Inverclyde · 55.95°N

Birds of Greenock

What has actually been seen around Greenock: 145 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 145 within 5 km
Observation records: 5,772 since 2010
Most recorded bird: European Herring Gull
Busiest month: August
Elevation: 12 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.6 h / 7 h

What the records say about Greenock

145 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Greenock (Inverclyde) since 2010, across 5,772 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Pied Wagtail.

Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Greenock are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Black Guillemot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Pied Wagtail is still the most logged garden bird.

9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.

Records peak in August and are lowest in November — about 10.0 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.

Gourock, 4 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (125 against 145). Birds logged far more often around Greenock than there include Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Great Crested Grebe and Eurasian Teal.

Daylight runs from 17 h 37 min at midsummer to 6 h 58 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:32 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Greenock

#	Bird	Records
1	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	292
2	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	228
3	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	201
4	Black GuillemotCepphus grylle	189
5	Carrion CrowCorvus corone	188
6	JackdawColoeus monedula	184
7	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	174
8	RobinErithacus rubecula	150
9	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	144
10	Common GullLarus canus	134
11	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	130
12	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	127
13	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	124
14	Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata	123
15	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	123
16	Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus	115
17	BlackbirdTurdus merula	112
18	MagpiePica pica	101
19	House SparrowPasser domesticus	101
20	Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator	97

Records by month

What to put out in Greenock

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

Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Starling
Suet · Mealworms
Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms

Seasonal bird notes for Inverclyde

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 Greenock?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Greenock are Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Robin and Woodpigeon, based on 5,772 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Greenock?

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

When is the best month for birds in Greenock?

Observation records peak in August and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:32.

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.