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 162–184 of 266 species

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Acanthis flammeaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

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

Merlin

Falco columbariusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Apr

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

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebsLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly Oct–Aug

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

Booted Eagle

Hieraaetus pennatusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Dec

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

Whitethroat

Curruca communisLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Jul

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

Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flavaLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Apr–Sep

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

Little Stint

Calidris minutaLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Apr–Oct

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

Lesser Whitethroat

Curruca currucaLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Nov

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

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Greenfinch

Greenfinch

Chloris chlorisLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Oct

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

Red Junglefowl

Gallus gallusLC

ResidentRare

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalisVU

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Dec–Mar

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

Linnet

Linaria cannabinaLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Sep

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

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striataLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush

Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush

Monticola saxatilisLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Aug

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

Roseate Tern

Sterna dougalliiLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Sep

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

Mute Swan

Cygnus olorLC

ResidentRare

Regularly Sep–Jul

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

Water Rail

Rallus aquaticusLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Jun–Mar

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

Little Bittern

Ixobrychus minutusLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurioLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly May–Aug

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

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticolaLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Sep–May

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

Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Oct–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-throated Loon

Red-throated Loon

Gavia stellataLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Dec–Mar

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

Horned Grebe

Podiceps auritusVU

ResidentRare

Regularly Apr–Feb

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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