Majestic glens and waterfalls, award-winning landscapes, free activities, world-famous tourist attractions and UNESCO World Heritage sites, you name it we’ve got it here in Scotland. This includes picturesque locations for birdwatching which, due to COVID-19 lockdowns, is an activity that saw a sharp rise here as we embraced post-pandemic life.
Thousands flock to Scotland for this as the country boasts a breathtaking variety of ecosystems and landscapes that allow bird enthusiasts to enjoy diverse locations all within a relatively small area. Plus, the British Psychological Society tells us that “seeing and hearing birds can have a positive impact on our (mental) wellbeing.”
With both native and migratory birds on offer over glistening lochs, wind-battered cliffs and luscious forests, here are our 21 top picks for birdwatching spots in Scotland with help from the The Scottish Ornithologists' Club.
13. Staffa
This is an uninhabited island located six miles off the Island of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Staffa Trips tells us that birds you can find here include “Shags and Cormorants, Guillemots, Razorbills, Black Guillemots, Shearwaters, Fulmars, Gannets, Ravens, Eiders, Turnstones, Arctic Terns and the Great Skua, or 'Bonxie'.” Photo: via WikiCommons
14. Forsinard Flows
The Forsinard Flows national nature reserve covers a great deal of the area around Forsinard in the Scottish Highlands. The national reserve includes golden plover, greenshank, dunlin, hen harriers, meadow pipits and skylark. Photo: valenta
15. Udale Bay
Udale Bay is a nature reserve located on Scotland’s Black Isle near Jemimaville. According to the RSPB website, some of the ‘star species’ of birds you can find here include Pink-footed Geese, Redshank, Wigeon, Scaup and Lapwing. Photo: Julian Paren
16. Victoria Park
Victoria Park is located in the west of Glasgow, adjacent to the Jordanhill district. The 20-hectare park is home to a wide variety of birds including herons which can be seen perched on the Partick and Whiteinch memorial in the above photograph. Photo: troutcolor on Flickr