Mid and East Antrim · 54.70°N

Birds of Greenisland

What has actually been seen around Greenisland: 143 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 143 within 5 km
Observation records: 4,221 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-headed Gull
Busiest month: April
Elevation: 53 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.3 h / 7.2 h

What the records say about Greenisland

143 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Greenisland (Mid and East Antrim) since 2010, across 4,221 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Hooded Crow.

Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Greenisland are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Common Eider lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Hooded Crow is still the most logged garden bird.

8 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 October — about 5.8 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.

Carrickfergus, 5 km to the east, has fewer species on record (135 against 143). Birds logged far more often around Greenisland than there include Common Goldeneye, Little Egret, Bar-tailed Godwit and White-throated Dipper.

Daylight runs from 17 h 18 min at midsummer to 7 h 14 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:23 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Greenisland

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	197
2	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	174
3	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	148
4	MagpiePica pica	146
5	BlackbirdTurdus merula	140
6	RobinErithacus rubecula	140
7	WoodpigeonColumba palumbus	140
8	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	126
9	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	122
10	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	102
11	Black GuillemotCepphus grylle	98
12	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	97
13	House SparrowPasser domesticus	87
14	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	85
15	Common RedshankTringa totanus	78
16	Common GullLarus canus	77
17	Great TitParus major	74
18	Rock PigeonColumba livia	73
19	ChaffinchFringilla coelebs	71
20	Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus	70

Records by month

What to put out in Greenisland

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

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

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 Greenisland?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Greenisland are Hooded Crow, Magpie, Blackbird, Robin and Woodpigeon, based on 4,221 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Greenisland?

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

When is the best month for birds in Greenisland?

Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. 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.