Birds of Vale of Leven
What has actually been seen around Vale of Leven: 151 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 151 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 11,184 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Jackdaw
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 9 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.6 h / 7 h
What the records say about Vale of Leven
151 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Vale of Leven (West Dunbartonshire) since 2010, across 11,184 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Jackdaw, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Vale of Leven is a garden-bird place: 60% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Blackbird make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 5.9 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.
Dumbarton, 3 km to the south, has a similar number of species on record (154 against 151). Birds logged far more often around Vale of Leven than there include Mandarin Duck.
Daylight runs from 17 h 37 min at midsummer to 6 h 57 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 in mid-April and 4:31 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Vale of Leven
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 577 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 489 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 479 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 438 |
| 5 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 433 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 423 |
| 7 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 398 |
| 8 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 380 |
| 9 | MagpiePica pica | 377 |
| 10 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 310 |
| 11 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 306 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 303 |
| 13 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 289 |
| 14 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 275 |
| 15 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 250 |
| 16 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 250 |
| 17 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 233 |
| 18 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 214 |
| 19 | Common GullLarus canus | 202 |
| 20 | Great TitParus major | 182 |
Records by month
What to put out in Vale of Leven
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for West Dunbartonshire
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 Vale of Leven?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Vale of Leven are Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Robin, based on 11,184 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Vale of Leven?
151 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Vale of Leven?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:31.
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.