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 277–299 of 319 species

Red-necked Phalarope

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatusLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Apr–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
White-winged Tern

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterusLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Apr–Sep

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

Muscovy Duck

Cairina moschataLC

ResidentRare

Recorded all year

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

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotosLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly May–Oct

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

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinusLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly May–Oct

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

Horned Lark

Eremophila alpestrisLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Oct–Apr

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

King Eider

Somateria spectabilisLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Dec–Mar

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

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensisLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Dec–Mar

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

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Red-breasted Goose

Red-breasted Goose

Branta ruficollisVU

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Dec–Feb

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

Boreal Owl

Aegolius funereusLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Feb–Aug

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

Rock Ptarmigan

Lagopus mutaLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Feb–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Baird's Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdiiLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Oct

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

Swan Goose

Anser cygnoidesEN

ResidentRare

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollisVU

Passage migrantRare

Regularly May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
White-rumped Sandpiper

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollisVU

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Oct–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Golden-Plover

American Golden-Plover

Pluvialis dominicaLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Sep–Oct

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

Glaucous Gull

Larus hyperboreusLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Dec–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Thekla's Lark

Thekla's Lark

Galerida theklaeLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Feb–Nov

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

Subalpine Warbler

Curruca cantillansLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Mar–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Pacific Golden-Plover

Pacific Golden-Plover

Pluvialis fulvaLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Aug–Oct

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

Little Auk

Alle alleLC

Passage migrantRare

Regularly Nov–Dec

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

Corncrake

Crex crexLC

Summer visitorRare

Regularly Apr–Oct

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

Wood Duck

Aix sponsaLC

Winter visitorRare

Regularly Aug–Jun

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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