Birds of Symbister
What has actually been seen around Symbister: 124 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 124 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 841 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Yellow-browed Warbler
- Busiest month
- October
- Elevation
- 72 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 19 h / 5.8 h
What the records say about Symbister
124 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Symbister (Shetland Islands) since 2010, across 841 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Yellow-browed Warbler, Starling and Blackcap.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Symbister are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Ruddy Turnstone lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Yellow-browed Warbler is still the most logged garden bird.
Brae, 19 km to the west, has more species on record (137 against 124).
Daylight runs from 19 h 0 min at midsummer to 5 h 46 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:48 in mid-April and 3:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Symbister
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus | 27 |
| 2 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 27 |
| 3 | BlackcapSylvia atricapilla | 22 |
| 4 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 22 |
| 5 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 21 |
| 6 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 20 |
| 7 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 19 |
| 8 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 19 |
| 9 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 19 |
| 10 | Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres | 18 |
| 11 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 18 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 18 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 17 |
| 14 | Black GuillemotCepphus grylle | 16 |
| 15 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 16 |
| 16 | Hooded CrowCorvus cornix | 16 |
| 17 | GoldcrestRegulus regulus | 15 |
| 18 | Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensis | 14 |
| 19 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 13 |
| 20 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 13 |
Records by month
What to put out in Symbister
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 Symbister?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Symbister are Yellow-browed Warbler, Starling, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Wren, based on 841 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Symbister?
124 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Symbister?
Observation records peak in October and are lowest in February. 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.