Birds of Brodick
What has actually been seen around Brodick: 133 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 133 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 5,408 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Eurasian Oystercatcher
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 29 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.5 h / 7 h
What the records say about Brodick
133 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Brodick (North Ayrshire) since 2010, across 5,408 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Eurasian Oystercatcher, Robin and Pied Wagtail.
The records split between garden birds (55%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Brodick sees the familiar Robin, Pied Wagtail and Chaffinch, while Eurasian Oystercatcher and others turn up on nearby water.
10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Barn Owl. 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 May and are lowest in December — about 20.0 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.
Isle of Arran, 4 km to the west, has fewer species on record (127 against 133).
Daylight runs from 17 h 31 min at midsummer to 7 h 3 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:18 in mid-April and 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Brodick
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 198 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 190 |
| 3 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 184 |
| 4 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 183 |
| 5 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 178 |
| 6 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 155 |
| 7 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 145 |
| 8 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 143 |
| 9 | Common GullLarus canus | 123 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 118 |
| 11 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 116 |
| 12 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 115 |
| 13 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 111 |
| 14 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 108 |
| 15 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 104 |
| 16 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 102 |
| 17 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 96 |
| 18 | Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula | 94 |
| 19 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 89 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 87 |
Records by month
What to put out in Brodick
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for North Ayrshire
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 Brodick?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Brodick are Robin, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow and Barn Swallow, based on 5,408 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Brodick?
133 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Brodick?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:36.
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.