Birds in China

266 species listed · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024

Our list for China has 266 bird species recorded regularly there: 71 residents, 82 summer visitors, 67 winter visitors, 40 passage migrants and 6 scarce visitors.

The list comes from 3.1 million 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.

Birds to see in China in September

167 species on our list are recorded regularly this month. These are the ones birdwatchers record most often.

All 167 birds in September

Arriving in September: Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Hen Harrier, Northern Goshawk, Common Crane, Bluethroat and 19 more.

Through the year

Species recorded regularly in China each month: most in May (198), fewest in August (157). Choose a month to see its birds.

198167
Show as a table
Goldcrest
GoldcrestSmallest · 8.5cm
to
Whooper Swan
Whooper SwanLargest · 165cm
From the Goldcrest (8.5 cm) to the Whooper Swan (165 cm)62 families

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All 266 birds on the list

Showing 47–69 of 266 species

Northern Pintail

Northern Pintail

Anas acutaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Dusky Thrush

Dusky Thrush

Turdus eunomusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Jan

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon niloticaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black-tailed Gull

Black-tailed Gull

Larus crassirostrisLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Phoenicurus ochrurosLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligulaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jun–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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Common Snipe

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinagoLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Aug–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Vega Gull

Vega Gull

Larus vegaeLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jun–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Redshank

Redshank

Tringa totanusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Mandarin Duck

Mandarin Duck

Aix galericulataLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rock Dove

Rock Dove

Columba liviaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Scaly-breasted Munia

Scaly-breasted Munia

Lonchura punctulataLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Pochard

Pochard

Aythya ferinaVU

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Dunlin

Dunlin

Calidris alpinaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jul–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Limosa limosaNT

Summer visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smew

Smew

Mergellus albellusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Nov–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Water Pipit

Water Pipit

Anthus spinolettaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Goldeneye

Goldeneye

Bucephala clangulaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Garganey

Garganey

Spatula querquedulaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Aug–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Eurasian Spoonbill

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodiaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellusNT

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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Frequently Asked Questions

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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