Birds of Findhorn
What has actually been seen around Findhorn: 173 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 173 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 12,095 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 6 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.1 h / 6.5 h
What the records say about Findhorn
173 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Findhorn (Moray) since 2010, across 12,095 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
Water shapes this list. 49% of records near Findhorn are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Eurasian Curlew lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Osprey 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 2.8 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.
Kinloss, 3 km to the south-east, has more species on record (178 against 173).
Daylight runs from 18 h 5 min at midsummer to 6 h 33 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 in mid-April and 4:13 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Findhorn
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 435 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 434 |
| 3 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 427 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 361 |
| 5 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 343 |
| 6 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 268 |
| 7 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 258 |
| 8 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 256 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 247 |
| 10 | Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus | 242 |
| 11 | Common GullLarus canus | 239 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 235 |
| 13 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 212 |
| 14 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 207 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 201 |
| 16 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 197 |
| 17 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 193 |
| 18 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 184 |
| 19 | YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella | 176 |
| 20 | MagpiePica pica | 175 |
Records by month
What to put out in Findhorn
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
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 Findhorn?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Findhorn are Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird and Goldfinch, based on 12,095 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Findhorn?
173 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Findhorn?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:13.
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.