Birds of Lossiemouth
What has actually been seen around Lossiemouth: 199 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 199 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 23,081 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 22 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18.1 h / 6.5 h
What the records say about Lossiemouth
199 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Lossiemouth (Moray) since 2010, across 23,081 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 55% of records near Lossiemouth are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Eurasian Wigeon lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in April and are lowest in July — about 3.0 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.
Elgin, 8 km to the south, has fewer species on record (156 against 199). Birds logged far more often around Lossiemouth than there include Eurasian Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank and Dunlin.
Daylight runs from 18 h 6 min at midsummer to 6 h 32 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:11 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Lossiemouth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 856 |
| 2 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 739 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 715 |
| 4 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 639 |
| 5 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 584 |
| 6 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 581 |
| 7 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 531 |
| 8 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 529 |
| 9 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 519 |
| 10 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 505 |
| 11 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 462 |
| 12 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 427 |
| 13 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 421 |
| 14 | Common GullLarus canus | 414 |
| 15 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 404 |
| 16 | Great TitParus major | 400 |
| 17 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 399 |
| 18 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 387 |
| 19 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 384 |
| 20 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 381 |
Records by month
What to put out in Lossiemouth
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Lossiemouth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Lossiemouth are Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon and Great Tit, based on 23,081 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Lossiemouth?
199 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Lossiemouth?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:11.
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.