Birds to See in China in May
198 species listed for May · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024
198 bird species on our list for China are recorded regularly in May. Of these, the most often recorded are Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Little Egret, Pied Wagtail and Black-crowned Night-heron. New this month: Cuckoo, Hobby, Great Tit and Nightingale and 39 more.
New in May43
- Cuckoo
- Hobby
- Great Tit
- Nightingale
- Magpie
- House Martin
- European Goldfinch
- Mistle Thrush
- European Bee-eater
- Whitethroat
- Lesser Whitethroat
- Greenfinch
- Linnet
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush
- Roseate Tern
- Little Bittern
- Red-backed Shrike
- Stock Dove
- Jackdaw
- Tree Pipit
- Common Redstart
- Black Tern
- Buzzard
- Fieldfare
- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
- Golden Oriole
- Cetti's Warbler
- Nightjar
- Savi's Warbler
- Short-toed Lark
- Eurasian Scops-owl
- Eurasian Stone-curlew
- Woodpigeon
- European Turtle-dove
- Little Gull
- Western Marsh-harrier
- Black Lark
- Sulphur-bellied Warbler
- Yellowhammer
- Common Reed-warbler
- Black Grouse
- Montagu's Harrier
Leaving after last month24
- Red-flanked Bluetail
- Common Merganser
- Northern Pintail
- Tufted Duck
- Vega Gull
- Smew
- Water Pipit
- Goldeneye
- Tundra Swan
- Taiga Bean Goose
- Tundra Bean Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Short-eared Owl
- Merlin
- Glaucous Gull
- Long-billed Dowitcher
- Ringed Plover
- Greater Flamingo
- Red-necked Grebe
- Arctic Loon
- Meadow Pipit
- Kittiwake
- Long-tailed Jaeger
- Canada Goose
Residents
(71)Recorded all year
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
Recorded all year
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Recorded all year
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla albaLC
Recorded all year
Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticoraxLC
Recorded all year
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
Recorded all year
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
Recorded all year
Crested Myna
Acridotheres cristatellusLC
Recorded all year
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Recorded all year
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Recorded all year
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Recorded all year
Hoopoe
Upupa epopsLC
Recorded all year
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
Recorded all year
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
Recorded all year
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Recorded all year
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
Recorded all year
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
Recorded all year
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
Recorded all year
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Recorded all year
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Recorded all year
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinusLC
Recorded all year
Plumbeous Water-redstart
Phoenicurus fuliginosusLC
Recorded all year
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Recorded all year
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundusLC
Recorded all year
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
Recorded all year
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
Recorded all year
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferrugineaLC
Recorded all year
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
Recorded all year
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Recorded all year
Scaly-breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulataLC
Recorded all year
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
Recorded all year
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
Recorded all year
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
Recorded all year
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
Recorded all year
Blue Rock-thrush
Monticola solitariusLC
Recorded all year
Bluethroat
Luscinia svecicaLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
Recorded all year
Black Eagle
Ictinaetus malaiensisLC
Recorded all year
Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufinaLC
Recorded all year
White-tailed Robin
Myiomela leucuraLC
Recorded all year
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetosLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
Recorded all year
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
Recorded all year
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Recorded all year
Bar-headed Goose
Anser indicusLC
Recorded all year
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
Recorded all year
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
Recorded all year
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
Recorded all year
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
Recorded all year
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
Recorded all year
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Recorded all year
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
Recorded all year
Orange-headed Thrush
Geokichla citrinaLC
Recorded all year
Cinereous Vulture
Aegypius monachusNT
Regularly Oct–Aug
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Red Junglefowl
Gallus gallusLC
Recorded all year
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
Recorded all year
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
Recorded all year
Chukar
Alectoris chukarLC
Recorded all year
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
Regularly Apr–Feb
Bonelli's Eagle
Aquila fasciataLC
Recorded all year
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Dryobates minorLC
Regularly May–Mar
Blue-eared Barbet
Psilopogon cyanotisLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschataLC
Recorded all year
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellusLC
Regularly Dec–Sep
Summer visitors
(82)Arrives to breed; scarce or absent in winter
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
Recorded all year
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Little Ringed Plover
Thinornis dubiusLC
Recorded all year
Little Tern
Sternula albifronsLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareolaLC
Recorded all year
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon niloticaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Recorded all year
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris acuminataVU
Regularly Apr–Oct
White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferrugineaNT
Regularly Mar–Oct
Black-tailed Gull
Larus crassirostrisLC
Recorded all year
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Pernis ptilorhynchusLC
Recorded all year
Common Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinusLC
Recorded all year
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Recorded all year
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Regularly Mar–Jan
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
Regularly May–Oct
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Recorded all year
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Recorded all year
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxLC
Recorded all year
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Recorded all year
Oriental Scops-owl
Otus suniaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Purple Heron
Ardea purpureaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
Recorded all year
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Chrysolophus amherstiaeLC
Regularly Dec–Oct
Golden Pheasant
Chrysolophus pictusLC
Recorded all year
Crag Martin
Ptyonoprogne rupestrisLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Recorded all year
Alpine Chough
Pyrrhocorax graculusLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
Recorded all year
Twite
Linaria flavirostrisLC
Recorded all year
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestrisLC
Regularly Apr–Feb
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
Recorded all year
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchosLC
Regularly May–Aug
Magpie
Pica picaLC
Regularly May–Feb
Booted Eagle
Hieraaetus pennatusLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
Regularly May–Dec
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
Regularly May–Oct
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
Regularly May–Nov
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
Regularly May–Sep
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
Regularly May–Oct
European Bee-eater
Merops apiasterLC
Regularly May–Sep
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurioLC
Regularly May–Aug
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
Regularly May–Aug
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
Regularly May–Dec
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
Regularly May–Jul
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush
Monticola saxatilisLC
Regularly May–Aug
Black Tern
Chlidonias nigerLC
Regularly May–Jul
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
Regularly May–Sep
Reeves's Pheasant
Syrmaticus reevesiiVU
Regularly Dec–Jul
Little Bittern
Ixobrychus minutusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Roseate Tern
Sterna dougalliiLC
Regularly May–Sep
Jackdaw
Coloeus monedulaLC
Regularly May–Sep
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
Regularly May–Aug
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
Regularly Jan–Oct
Desert Finch
Rhodospiza obsoletaLC
Regularly Jan–Aug
Eurasian Scops-owl
Otus scopsLC
Regularly May–Jul
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
Regularly May–Jul
Nightjar
Caprimulgus europaeusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Savi's Warbler
Locustella luscinioidesLC
Regularly May–Jul
Golden Oriole
Oriolus oriolusLC
Regularly May–Jul
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Short-toed Lark
Calandrella brachydactylaLC
Regularly May–Sep
Sulphur-bellied Warbler
Phylloscopus griseolusLC
Regularly May–Jul
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
Regularly May–Feb
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
Regularly May–Jul
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
Regularly May–Dec
Great Grey Shrike
Lanius excubitorLC
Regularly Dec–Jul
Eurasian Stone-curlew
Burhinus oedicnemusLC
Regularly May–Jul
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
Regularly May–Jul
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
Regularly May–Jan
European Turtle-dove
Streptopelia turturVU
Regularly May–Jul
Black Lark
Melanocorypha yeltoniensisLC
Regularly May–Sep
Winter visitors
(38)Present outside the breeding season
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
Regularly Aug–May
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
Recorded all year
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
Recorded all year
Pacific Golden-Plover
Pluvialis fulvaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
Recorded all year
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
Recorded all year
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Teal
Anas creccaLC
Regularly Sep–May
Swan Goose
Anser cygnoidesEN
Recorded all year
Temminck's Stint
Calidris temminckiiLC
Regularly Jul–May
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
Regularly Oct–May
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
Recorded all year
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
Recorded all year
Dusky Thrush
Turdus eunomusLC
Regularly Oct–May
Wryneck
Jynx torquillaLC
Recorded all year
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
Regularly Jul–May
Ruff
Calidris pugnaxLC
Regularly Jul–May
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
Recorded all year
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Recorded all year
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Regularly Sep–Jun
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
Regularly Oct–Jul
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Regularly Sep–May
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Northern Goshawk
Astur gentilisLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Japanese Waxwing
Bombycilla japonicaNT
Regularly Nov–May
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
Regularly Oct–May
White-crested Laughingthrush
Garrulax leucolophusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
Recorded all year
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Regularly Aug–May
Long-eared Owl
Asio otusLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Recorded all year
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulusLC
Regularly Nov–May
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Regularly Oct–May
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
Regularly Sep–May
Passage migrants
(7)Seen mainly in spring and autumn migration
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Chestnut Munia
Lonchura atricapillaLC
Regularly Oct–May
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Black Grouse
Lyrurus tetrixLC
Regularly May–Jan
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
Regularly Feb–Sep
Montagu's Harrier
Circus pygargusLC
Regularly May–Jun
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