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 93–115 of 319 species

Common Redstart

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC

Summer visitorCommon

Regularly Mar–Oct

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

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinagoLC

Winter visitorCommon

Regularly Jul–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
European Bee-eater

European Bee-eater

Merops apiasterLC

Summer visitorCommon

Regularly Apr–Sep

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

Sand Martin

Riparia ripariaLC

Summer visitorCommon

Regularly Mar–Oct

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

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurioLC

Summer visitorCommon

Regularly May–Sep

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

Water Rail

Rallus aquaticusLC

Winter visitorCommon

Recorded all year

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

Common Raven

Corvus coraxLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

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Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet

Morus bassanusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Dunlin

Calidris alpinaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Curlew

Numenius arquataNT

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Corn Bunting

Emberiza calandraLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Hoopoe

Upupa epopsLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Feb–Dec

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

Hawfinch

Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Griffon Vulture

Gyps fulvusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Coal Tit

Periparus aterLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Tree Pipit

Anthus trivialisLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Oct

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

Crested Tit

Lophophanes cristatusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Brambling

Fringilla montifringillaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Apr

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

Greenshank

Tringa nebulariaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Yellowhammer

Emberiza citrinellaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelopeLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Apr

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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