Birds of Rothes
What has actually been seen around Rothes: 75 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 75 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 674 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Robin
- Busiest month
- September
- Elevation
- 72 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 18 h / 6.6 h
What the records say about Rothes
75 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Rothes (Moray) since 2010, across 674 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Robin, Woodpigeon and Blackbird.
Rothes is a garden-bird place: 77% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Chaffinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
6 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.
Charlestown of Aberlour, 6 km to the south, has more species on record (93 against 75).
Daylight runs from 18 h 3 min at midsummer to 6 h 35 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 Rothes
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 36 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 35 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 30 |
| 4 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 29 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 27 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 25 |
| 7 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 25 |
| 8 | Western CapercaillieTetrao urogallus | 23 |
| 9 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 22 |
| 10 | Great TitParus major | 21 |
| 11 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 21 |
| 12 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 20 |
| 13 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 19 |
| 14 | Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea | 18 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 16 |
| 16 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 16 |
| 17 | SiskinSpinus spinus | 16 |
| 18 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 16 |
| 19 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 15 |
| 20 | SwiftApus apus | 14 |
Records by month
What to put out in Rothes
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 Rothes?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Rothes are Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Chaffinch and Carrion Crow, based on 674 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Rothes?
75 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Rothes?
Observation records peak in September and are lowest in December. 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.