Birds of Methven
What has actually been seen around Methven: 95 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 95 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,957 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 77 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.7 h / 6.9 h
What the records say about Methven
95 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Methven (Perth and Kinross) since 2010, across 3,957 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow and Goldfinch.
Methven is a garden-bird place: 82% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Goldfinch and Barn Swallow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite 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.
Records peak in June and are lowest in November — about 92.0 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.
Almondbank, 4 km to the east, has more species on record (108 against 95). Birds logged far more often around Methven than there include Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Barn Swallow and Eurasian Skylark.
Daylight runs from 17 h 44 min at midsummer to 6 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:09 in mid-April and 4:23 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Methven
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major | 328 |
| 2 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 309 |
| 3 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 283 |
| 4 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 272 |
| 5 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 257 |
| 6 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 219 |
| 7 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 188 |
| 8 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 171 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 134 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 107 |
| 11 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 99 |
| 12 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 98 |
| 13 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 86 |
| 14 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 78 |
| 15 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 71 |
| 16 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 68 |
| 17 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 67 |
| 18 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 67 |
| 19 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 63 |
| 20 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 57 |
Records by month
What to put out in Methven
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
Peanuts · Suet
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Seasonal bird notes for Perth and Kinross
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 Methven?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Methven are Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Barn Swallow and Chaffinch, based on 3,957 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Methven?
95 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Methven?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:23.
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.