Birds of Cumbernauld
What has actually been seen around Cumbernauld: 112 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 112 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,420 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Magpie
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 149 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.6 h / 7 h
What the records say about Cumbernauld
112 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Cumbernauld (North Lanarkshire) since 2010, across 3,420 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Magpie, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 45% of records near Cumbernauld are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Black-headed Gull and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Magpie is still the most logged garden bird.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in January and are lowest in August — about 5.6 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.
Banknock, 5 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (89 against 112). Birds logged far more often around Cumbernauld than there include Canada Goose, Eurasian Coot, Tufted Duck and Common Goldeneye.
Daylight runs from 17 h 37 min at midsummer to 6 h 58 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:28 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Cumbernauld
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MagpiePica pica | 141 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 139 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 133 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 113 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 111 |
| 6 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 110 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 106 |
| 8 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 103 |
| 9 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 94 |
| 10 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 92 |
| 11 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 90 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 86 |
| 13 | Common MerganserMergus merganser | 85 |
| 14 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 82 |
| 15 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 80 |
| 16 | Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula | 78 |
| 17 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 77 |
| 18 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 75 |
| 19 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 73 |
| 20 | Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope | 72 |
Records by month
What to put out in Cumbernauld
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
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for North Lanarkshire
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 Cumbernauld?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Cumbernauld are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin and Blackbird, based on 3,420 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Cumbernauld?
112 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Cumbernauld?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in August. Sunrise in late June is around 4:28.
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.