Birds of Elgin
What has actually been seen around Elgin: 156 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 156 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 13,179 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Chaffinch
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 20 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.1 h / 6.6 h
What the records say about Elgin
156 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Elgin (Moray) since 2010, across 13,179 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Chaffinch, Mute Swan and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 42% of records near Elgin are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mute Swan, Mallard and Tufted Duck lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Chaffinch is still the most logged garden bird.
11 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 July — about 3.4 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.
Lhanbryde, 6 km to the east, has fewer species on record (115 against 156). Birds logged far more often around Elgin than there include Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock and Common Tern.
Daylight runs from 18 h 5 min at midsummer to 6 h 33 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:12 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Elgin
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 484 |
| 2 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 470 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 437 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 422 |
| 5 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 405 |
| 6 | Great TitParus major | 391 |
| 7 | Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major | 372 |
| 8 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 353 |
| 9 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 346 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 339 |
| 11 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 328 |
| 12 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 309 |
| 13 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 301 |
| 14 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 298 |
| 15 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 290 |
| 16 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 281 |
| 17 | Tree SparrowPasser montanus | 254 |
| 18 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 252 |
| 19 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 252 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 252 |
Records by month
What to put out in Elgin
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Great Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts · Suet
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
Peanuts · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
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 Elgin?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Elgin are Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Blackbird, based on 13,179 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Elgin?
156 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Elgin?
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.