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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Eilean Siar

Our list for Eilean Siar has 166 bird species recorded regularly there: 46 residents, 61 summer visitors, 8 winter visitors, 39 passage migrants and 11 scarce visitors

The list comes from 100,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Species on our list
166
In October
128
Common
108
Busiest month
May

What's special about Eilean Siar

vs Scotland

The birds recorded far more often here than across Scotland, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones Eilean Siar is worth visiting for.

  1. Little TernLittle Tern15×Summer visitor · 0.32% of records here, 0.02% across Scotland
  2. Short-eared OwlShort-eared Owl11×Summer visitor · 0.63% of records here, 0.06% across Scotland
  3. White-tailed Sea-eagleWhite-tailed Sea-eagle6.6×Resident · 0.34% of records here, 0.05% across Scotland
  4. Corn BuntingCorn Bunting6.0×Summer visitor · 0.13% of records here, 0.02% across Scotland
  5. SanderlingSanderling5.3×Resident · 0.89% of records here, 0.17% across Scotland
  6. Hen HarrierHen Harrier5.1×Resident · 0.27% of records here, 0.05% across Scotland
  7. Arctic TernArctic Tern5.0×Summer visitor · 1.3% of records here, 0.26% across Scotland
  8. Common LoonCommon Loon4.9×Resident · 1.00% of records here, 0.20% across Scotland

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. European Herring GullEuropean Herring Gull3.87%
  2. Common StarlingCommon Starling3.24%
  3. Hooded CrowHooded Crow3.02%
  4. Great Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed Gull2.80%
  5. Greylag GooseGreylag Goose2.61%
  6. CurlewCurlew2.55%

Arriving now

  1. RedwingRedwingWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 2.42%
  2. Barnacle GooseBarnacle GoosePassage migrantSep 0.03% → Oct 1.21%
  3. FieldfareFieldfarePassage migrantSep 0.00% → Oct 0.60%
  4. Long-tailed DuckLong-tailed DuckWinter visitorSep 0.05% → Oct 0.51%
  5. BramblingBramblingWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.43%
  6. BlackcapBlackcapSummer visitorSep 0.05% → Oct 0.35%

Share of all bird records in Eilean Siar in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for Eilean Siar

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in Eilean Siar

Records by month
Bird records in Eilean Siar by month, 2019–2024
January2,011
February795
March2,320
April4,308
May31,316
June19,377
July9,399
August9,135
September7,990
October8,879
November2,708
December1,733

May has the most records (31,000). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 28
All 28 families in Eilean Siar

How common

More of Scotland

All of Scotland

All 166 birds, A to Z

Show all 166 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Eilean Siar known for?

Compared with the rest of Scotland, Eilean Siar stands out for Little Tern, Short-eared Owl, White-tailed Sea-eagle and Corn Bunting. Each is recorded at least 6 times as often here as across Scotland, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for Eilean Siar?

166 species, each recorded regularly in Eilean Siar (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 46 residents, 61 summer visitors, 8 winter visitors, 39 passage migrants and 11 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Eilean Siar, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Eilean Siar in October?

128 species on our list for Eilean Siar are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Common Starling, Hooded Crow, Great Black-backed Gull and Greylag Goose.

What are the most common birds in Eilean Siar?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Eilean Siar are European Herring Gull, Hooded Crow, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Great Black-backed Gull and Common Gull.

Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made

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