Mid and East Antrim · 54.85°N

Birds of Larne

What has actually been seen around Larne: 129 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 129 within 5 km
Observation records: 3,442 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-headed Gull
Busiest month: December
Elevation: 4 m
Daylight, June / December: 17.3 h / 7.2 h

What the records say about Larne

129 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Larne (Mid and East Antrim) since 2010, across 3,442 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and European Herring Gull.

Water shapes this list. 60% of records near Larne are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and European Herring Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Hooded Crow is still the most logged garden bird.

Records peak in December and are lowest in September — 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.

Whitehead, 13 km to the south-east, has fewer species on record (123 against 129). Birds logged far more often around Larne than there include Red-breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe and Mediterranean Gull.

Daylight runs from 17 h 21 min at midsummer to 7 h 12 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:22 in mid-April and 4:44 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Larne

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	154
2	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	144
3	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	132
4	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	112
5	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	109
6	Common GullLarus canus	93
7	Common RedshankTringa totanus	92
8	RobinErithacus rubecula	91
9	Gray HeronArdea cinerea	89
10	Pied WagtailMotacilla alba	81
11	Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata	77
12	Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator	76
13	BlackbirdTurdus merula	74
14	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	74
15	JackdawColoeus monedula	74
16	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	67
17	Black GuillemotCepphus grylle	66
18	RookCorvus frugilegus	66
19	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	64
20	Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo	62

Records by month

What to put out in Larne

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

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

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 Larne?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Larne are Hooded Crow, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird and Jackdaw, based on 3,442 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Larne?

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

When is the best month for birds in Larne?

Observation records peak in December and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:44.

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.