Birds of Forth
What has actually been seen around Forth: 75 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 75 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 367 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Northern Lapwing
- Busiest month
- July
- Elevation
- 281 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.6 h / 7 h
What the records say about Forth
75 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Forth (South Lanarkshire) since 2010, across 367 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Northern Lapwing, Carrion Crow and Robin.
Forth is a garden-bird place: 67% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Carrion Crow, Robin, Chaffinch and Blackbird make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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.
Fauldhouse, 7 km to the north, has more species on record (103 against 75). Birds logged far more often around Forth than there include Northern Lapwing.
At about 281 m above sea level, Forth sits higher than most places in South Lanarkshire. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter.
Daylight runs from 17 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 0 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:29 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Forth
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 33 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 13 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 12 |
| 4 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 11 |
| 5 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 11 |
| 6 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 10 |
| 7 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 10 |
| 8 | Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus | 10 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 10 |
| 10 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 9 |
| 11 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 8 |
| 12 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 8 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 8 |
| 14 | SiskinSpinus spinus | 8 |
| 15 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 7 |
| 16 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 7 |
| 17 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 7 |
| 18 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 6 |
| 19 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 6 |
| 20 | House MartinDelichon urbicum | 6 |
Records by month
What to put out in Forth
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for South 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 Forth?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Forth are Carrion Crow, Robin, Chaffinch, Blackbird and Willow Warbler, based on 367 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Forth?
75 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Forth?
Observation records peak in July and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:29.
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.