Orkney Islands · 59.32°N

Birds of Pierowall

What has actually been seen around Pierowall: 119 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 119 within 5 km
Observation records: 3,647 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Corn Crake
Busiest month: June
Elevation: 8 m
Daylight, June / December: 18.6 h / 6.1 h

What the records say about Pierowall

119 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Pierowall (Orkney Islands) since 2010, across 3,647 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Corn Crake, Northern Gannet and Starling.

Water shapes this list. 71% of records near Pierowall are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Corn Crake, Northern Gannet and Northern Fulmar lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Starling is still the most logged garden bird.

6 birds of prey are on record nearby, including .

Records peak in June and are lowest in January — about 694.0 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.

Kirkwall, 37 km to the south, has more species on record (151 against 119). Birds logged far more often around Pierowall than there include Corn Crake, Northern Gannet, Atlantic Puffin and Northern Wheatear.

Daylight runs from 18 h 37 min at midsummer to 6 h 5 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:59 in mid-April and 3:54 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Pierowall

#	Bird	Records
1	Corn CrakeCrex crex	365
2	Northern GannetMorus bassanus	127
3	StarlingSturnus vulgaris	127
4	Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis	125
5	Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus	115
6	Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus	96
7	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	95
8	European Herring GullLarus argentatus	92
9	Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula	88
10	Hooded CrowCorvus cornix	85
11	Atlantic PuffinFratercula arctica	82
12	Rock PigeonColumba livia	82
13	Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla	81
14	Common MurreUria aalge	78
15	Great SkuaStercorarius skua	74
16	Common EiderSomateria mollissima	72
17	RazorbillAlca torda	72
18	European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis	71
19	Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis	70
20	House SparrowPasser domesticus	70

Records by month

What to put out in Pierowall

Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.

Starling
Suet · Mealworms
House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets

Seasonal bird notes for Orkney Islands

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 Pierowall?

The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Pierowall are Starling, Hooded Crow, Rock Pigeon, Meadow Pipit and House Sparrow, based on 3,647 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Pierowall?

119 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).

When is the best month for birds in Pierowall?

Observation records peak in June and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 3:54.

Sources

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.