Birds of Symington
What has actually been seen around Symington: 87 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 87 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 522 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Carrion Crow
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 226 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.5 h / 7 h
What the records say about Symington
87 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Symington (South Lanarkshire) since 2010, across 522 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Carrion Crow, House Sparrow and Woodpigeon.
Symington is a garden-bird place: 66% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Barn Owl, Common Buzzard and Red Kite. 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 January — about 170.0 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.
Thankerton, 4 km to the north-west, has fewer species on record (71 against 87).
At about 226 m above sea level, Symington 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 31 min at midsummer to 7 h 2 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:30 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Symington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 34 |
| 2 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 26 |
| 3 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 23 |
| 4 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 20 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 16 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 15 |
| 7 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 15 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 15 |
| 9 | Barn OwlTyto alba | 14 |
| 10 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 13 |
| 11 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 13 |
| 12 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 13 |
| 13 | SwiftApus apus | 12 |
| 14 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 12 |
| 15 | Bank SwallowRiparia riparia | 11 |
| 16 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 11 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 11 |
| 18 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 11 |
| 19 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 10 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 10 |
Records by month
What to put out in Symington
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
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 Symington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Symington are Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Blue Tit, based on 522 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Symington?
87 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Symington?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:30.
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.