Birds of Burghead
What has actually been seen around Burghead: 162 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 162 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 14,466 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 9 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.1 h / 6.5 h
What the records say about Burghead
162 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Burghead (Moray) since 2010, across 14,466 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 68% of records near Burghead are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Eurasian Rock Pipit is still the most logged garden bird.
9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .
Records peak in April and are lowest in July — about 2.5 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.
Hopeman, 3 km to the east, has a similar number of species on record (162 against 162). Birds logged far more often around Burghead than there include Goldcrest.
Daylight runs from 18 h 6 min at midsummer to 6 h 32 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:12 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Burghead
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 766 |
| 2 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 628 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 583 |
| 4 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 546 |
| 5 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 500 |
| 6 | Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis | 464 |
| 7 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 454 |
| 8 | Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres | 437 |
| 9 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 434 |
| 10 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 415 |
| 11 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 370 |
| 12 | Red-throated DiverGavia stellata | 320 |
| 13 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 318 |
| 14 | Common MurreUria aalge | 297 |
| 15 | Common ScoterMelanitta nigra | 291 |
| 16 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 289 |
| 17 | RazorbillAlca torda | 285 |
| 18 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 252 |
| 19 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 235 |
| 20 | Common GullLarus canus | 230 |
Records by month
What to put out in Burghead
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for Moray
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 Burghead?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Burghead are Eurasian Rock Pipit, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow and Woodpigeon, based on 14,466 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Burghead?
162 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Burghead?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:12.
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.