Birds in France

319 species listed · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024

Our list for France has 319 bird species recorded regularly there: 128 residents, 79 summer visitors, 72 winter visitors, 37 passage migrants and 3 scarce visitors.

The list comes from 4.3 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 France in September

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

All 261 birds in September

Arriving in September: Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Wigeon, Brent Goose, Merlin, Razorbill, Red-throated Loon, Purple Sandpiper, White-tailed Sea-eagle and 4 more.

Through the year

Species recorded regularly in France each month: most in October (270), fewest in January (220). Choose a month to see its birds.

261270
Show as a table
Goldcrest
GoldcrestSmallest · 8.5cm
to
Mute Swan
Mute SwanLargest · 160cm
From the Goldcrest (8.5 cm) to the Mute Swan (160 cm)64 families

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All 319 birds on the list

Showing 231–253 of 319 species

Velvet Scoter

Velvet Scoter

Melanitta fuscaVU

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Apr

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

Greater Scaup

Aythya marilaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

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

Purple Swamphen

Porphyrio porphyrioLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Greater White-fronted Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifronsLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Sabine's Gull

Sabine's Gull

Xema sabiniLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Aug–Dec

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

Pallid Swift

Apus pallidusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
White-tailed Sea-eagle

White-tailed Sea-eagle

Haliaeetus albicillaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jul–Apr

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

Grey Partridge

Perdix perdixLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

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Ruddy Shelduck

Ruddy Shelduck

Tadorna ferrugineaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Savi's Warbler

Savi's Warbler

Locustella luscinioidesLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Mar–Sep

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

Whooper Swan

Cygnus cygnusLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Oct–Feb

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 Apr–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Blue Rock-thrush

Blue Rock-thrush

Monticola solitariusLC

ResidentRare

Recorded all year

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

Black Swan

Cygnus atratusLC

ResidentRare

Recorded all year

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

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticolaLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Oct–Jul

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

Moustached Warbler

Acrocephalus melanopogonLC

ResidentRare

Recorded all year

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

Lapland Longspur

Calcarius lapponicusLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Oct–Feb

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

Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterusEN

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Mar–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Short-toed Lark

Short-toed Lark

Calandrella brachydactylaLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Apr–Oct

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

Arctic Loon

Gavia arcticaLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Oct–Apr

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

Bearded Tit

Panurus biarmicusLC

ResidentRare

Recorded all year

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

Dotterel

Eudromias morinellusLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Apr–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeusLC

Winter visitorRare

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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