Birds of Brae
What has actually been seen around Brae: 137 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 137 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,706 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Starling
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 36 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 19 h / 5.7 h
What the records say about Brae
137 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Brae (Shetland Islands) since 2010, across 3,706 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Starling, Blackbird and Hooded Crow.
Brae is a garden-bird place: 61% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Starling, Blackbird, Hooded Crow and House Sparrow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
Symbister, 19 km to the east, has fewer species on record (124 against 137). Birds logged far more often around Brae than there include Collared Dove, Woodpigeon and Olive-backed Pipit.
Daylight runs from 19 h 2 min at midsummer to 5 h 45 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:50 in mid-April and 3:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Brae
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 188 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 174 |
| 3 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 154 |
| 4 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 122 |
| 5 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 120 |
| 6 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 119 |
| 7 | GoldcrestRegulus regulus | 110 |
| 8 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 106 |
| 9 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 103 |
| 10 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 95 |
| 11 | Common GullLarus canus | 90 |
| 12 | RedwingTurdus iliacus | 85 |
| 13 | Common RedpollAcanthis flammea | 84 |
| 14 | SiskinSpinus spinus | 83 |
| 15 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 82 |
| 16 | Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus | 81 |
| 17 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 80 |
| 18 | BlackcapSylvia atricapilla | 76 |
| 19 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 74 |
| 20 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 70 |
Records by month
What to put out in Brae
Seasonal bird notes for Shetland 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 Brae?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Brae are Starling, Blackbird, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow and Wren, based on 3,706 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Brae?
137 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Brae?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 3:35.
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.