Birds of Kilwinning
What has actually been seen around Kilwinning: 185 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 185 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 19,867 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 22 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.5 h / 7 h
What the records say about Kilwinning
185 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Kilwinning (North Ayrshire) since 2010, across 19,867 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 44% of records near Kilwinning are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Mallard and Lesser Black-backed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Carrion Crow is still the most logged garden bird.
14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in January and are lowest in May — about 2.6 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.
Irvine, 5 km to the south-east, has fewer species on record (180 against 185). Birds logged far more often around Kilwinning than there include European Shag.
Daylight runs from 17 h 32 min at midsummer to 7 h 2 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:16 in mid-April and 4:34 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Kilwinning
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 758 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 748 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 549 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 517 |
| 5 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 503 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 488 |
| 7 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 484 |
| 8 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 471 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 452 |
| 10 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 449 |
| 11 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 440 |
| 12 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 437 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 407 |
| 14 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 391 |
| 15 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 384 |
| 16 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 368 |
| 17 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 368 |
| 18 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 354 |
| 19 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 343 |
| 20 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 329 |
Records by month
What to put out in Kilwinning
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 Kilwinning?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Kilwinning are Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw, Blackbird and Wren, based on 19,867 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Kilwinning?
185 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Kilwinning?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in May. Sunrise in late June is around 4:34.
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.