Mid and East Antrim · 54.72°N

Birds of Carrickfergus

What has actually been seen around Carrickfergus: 135 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 135 within 5 km
Observation records: 2,007 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-headed Gull
Busiest month: April
Elevation: 7 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.3 h / 7.2 h

What the records say about Carrickfergus

135 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Carrickfergus (Mid and East Antrim) since 2010, across 2,007 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Black Guillemot.

Water shapes this list. 51% of records near Carrickfergus are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Black Guillemot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Starling is still the most logged garden bird.

7 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 April and are lowest in November — about 5.3 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.

Greenisland, 5 km to the west, has more species on record (143 against 135).

Daylight runs from 17 h 19 min at midsummer to 7 h 14 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:22 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Carrickfergus

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	127
2	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	107
3	Black GuillemotCepphus grylle	86
4	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	72
5	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	67
6	Rock PigeonColumba livia	64
7	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	56
8	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	56
9	BlackbirdTurdus merula	55
10	House SparrowPasser domesticus	49
11	SwiftApus apus	48
12	MagpiePica pica	45
13	Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus	43
14	Common GullLarus canus	43
15	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	42
16	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	40
17	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	38
18	Common MurreUria aalge	34
19	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	34
20	Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus	34

Records by month

What to put out in Carrickfergus

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

Starling
Suet · Mealworms
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts

Seasonal bird notes for Mid and East Antrim

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 Carrickfergus?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Carrickfergus are Starling, Pied Wagtail, Rock Pigeon, Hooded Crow and Blackbird, based on 2,007 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Carrickfergus?

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

When is the best month for birds in Carrickfergus?

Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.

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.