Birds to See in China in April
179 species listed for April · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024
179 bird species on our list for China are recorded regularly in April. Of these, the most often recorded are Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Little Egret and Little Grebe. New this month: Common Tern, Common Swift, Whimbrel and Gull-billed Tern and 20 more.
New in April24
- Common Tern
- Common Swift
- Whimbrel
- Gull-billed Tern
- Black Redstart
- Little Tern
- White-winged Tern
- Horned Lark
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Oriental Scops-owl
- Wheatear
- Blackbird
- Alpine Chough
- Yellow Wagtail
- Little Stint
- Horned Grebe
- Desert Finch
- Great Grey Shrike
- Red-necked Grebe
- Chiffchaff
- Meadow Pipit
- Kittiwake
- Pectoral Sandpiper
Leaving after last month19
Residents
(70)Recorded all year
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
Recorded all year
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla albaLC
Recorded all year
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Recorded all year
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
Recorded all year
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
Recorded all year
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Crested Myna
Acridotheres cristatellusLC
Recorded all year
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Recorded all year
Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticoraxLC
Recorded all year
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Recorded all year
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
Recorded all year
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Recorded all year
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
Recorded all year
Hoopoe
Upupa epopsLC
Recorded all year
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Recorded all year
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Recorded all year
Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinusLC
Recorded all year
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
Recorded all year
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Recorded all year
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
Recorded all year
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
Recorded all year
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundusLC
Recorded all year
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferrugineaLC
Recorded all year
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
Recorded all year
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
Recorded all year
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
Recorded all year
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Recorded all year
Plumbeous Water-redstart
Phoenicurus fuliginosusLC
Recorded all year
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
Recorded all year
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
Recorded all year
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
Recorded all year
Scaly-breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulataLC
Recorded all year
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Recorded all year
Blue Rock-thrush
Monticola solitariusLC
Recorded all year
Bluethroat
Luscinia svecicaLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
Recorded all year
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Recorded all year
Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufinaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
Recorded all year
Black Eagle
Ictinaetus malaiensisLC
Recorded all year
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Recorded all year
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
Recorded all year
Bar-headed Goose
Anser indicusLC
Recorded all year
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
Recorded all year
White-tailed Robin
Myiomela leucuraLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
Recorded all year
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
Recorded all year
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetosLC
Recorded all year
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
Recorded all year
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
Recorded all year
Orange-headed Thrush
Geokichla citrinaLC
Recorded all year
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
Recorded all year
Red Junglefowl
Gallus gallusLC
Recorded all year
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
Recorded all year
Blue-eared Barbet
Psilopogon cyanotisLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Cinereous Vulture
Aegypius monachusNT
Regularly Oct–Aug
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
Recorded all year
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellusLC
Regularly Dec–Sep
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
Recorded all year
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschataLC
Recorded all year
Bonelli's Eagle
Aquila fasciataLC
Recorded all year
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
Regularly Apr–Feb
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Chukar
Alectoris chukarLC
Recorded all year
Summer visitors
(43)Arrives to breed; scarce or absent in winter
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
Recorded all year
Little Ringed Plover
Thinornis dubiusLC
Recorded all year
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareolaLC
Recorded all year
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Recorded all year
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris acuminataVU
Regularly Apr–Oct
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferrugineaNT
Regularly Mar–Oct
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Recorded all year
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon niloticaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Recorded all year
Black-tailed Gull
Larus crassirostrisLC
Recorded all year
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Regularly Mar–Jan
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Recorded all year
Little Tern
Sternula albifronsLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Purple Heron
Ardea purpureaLC
Recorded all year
Oriental Scops-owl
Otus suniaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Recorded all year
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
Recorded all year
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Pernis ptilorhynchusLC
Recorded all year
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Crag Martin
Ptyonoprogne rupestrisLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Common Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinusLC
Recorded all year
Booted Eagle
Hieraaetus pennatusLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Golden Pheasant
Chrysolophus pictusLC
Recorded all year
Twite
Linaria flavirostrisLC
Recorded all year
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestrisLC
Regularly Apr–Feb
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Chrysolophus amherstiaeLC
Regularly Dec–Oct
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Recorded all year
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
Recorded all year
White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
Recorded all year
Alpine Chough
Pyrrhocorax graculusLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
Regularly Jan–Oct
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Reeves's Pheasant
Syrmaticus reevesiiVU
Regularly Dec–Jul
Desert Finch
Rhodospiza obsoletaLC
Regularly Jan–Aug
Great Grey Shrike
Lanius excubitorLC
Regularly Dec–Jul
Winter visitors
(54)Present outside the breeding season
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
Regularly Aug–May
Eurasian Teal
Anas creccaLC
Regularly Sep–May
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
Regularly Oct–May
Red-flanked Bluetail
Tarsiger cyanurusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
Recorded all year
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
Recorded all year
Dusky Thrush
Turdus eunomusLC
Regularly Oct–May
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Regularly Sep–Jun
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
Recorded all year
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
Recorded all year
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
Regularly Jul–May
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Temminck's Stint
Calidris temminckiiLC
Regularly Jul–May
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Pacific Golden-Plover
Pluvialis fulvaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Regularly Sep–May
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
Regularly Oct–Jul
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
Regularly Sep–Apr
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
Recorded all year
Swan Goose
Anser cygnoidesEN
Recorded all year
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Regularly Jun–Apr
Vega Gull
Larus vegaeLC
Regularly Jun–Apr
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
Recorded all year
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Recorded all year
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
Regularly Jun–Apr
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
Regularly Oct–Jun
Wryneck
Jynx torquillaLC
Recorded all year
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
Regularly Oct–May
Northern Goshawk
Astur gentilisLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
Recorded all year
Ruff
Calidris pugnaxLC
Regularly Jul–May
Taiga Bean Goose
Anser fabalisLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Japanese Waxwing
Bombycilla japonicaNT
Regularly Nov–May
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulusLC
Regularly Nov–May
Smew
Mergellus albellusLC
Regularly Nov–Apr
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
Regularly Sep–May
Tundra Bean Goose
Anser serrirostrisLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Regularly Aug–May
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
White-crested Laughingthrush
Garrulax leucolophusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifronsLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Recorded all year
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Regularly Oct–May
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
Regularly Dec–Apr
Long-eared Owl
Asio otusLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Regularly Nov–Apr
Passage migrants
(12)Seen mainly in spring and autumn migration
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
Regularly Aug–Apr
Chestnut Munia
Lonchura atricapillaLC
Regularly Oct–May
Long-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceusNT
Regularly Aug–Apr
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegenaLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreusLC
Regularly Feb–Apr
Long-tailed Jaeger
Stercorarius longicaudusLC
Regularly Mar–Apr
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
Regularly Mar–Apr
Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
Regularly Jan–Apr
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