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 162–184 of 319 species

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricariaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Aug–Apr

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

Alpine Chough

Pyrrhocorax graculusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Alpine Swift

Tachymarptis melbaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Oct

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

Garganey

Spatula querquedulaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Little Stint

Calidris minutaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jul–May

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

Sanderling

Calidris albaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Goldeneye

Bucephala clangulaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Nov–May

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

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Dartford Warbler

Dartford Warbler

Curruca undataNT

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Balearic Shearwater

Puffinus mauretanicusCR

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly May–Dec

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

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon niloticaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Sep

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

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minorLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Eurasian Stone-curlew

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Kentish Plover

Charadrius alexandrinusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiacaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Merlin

Falco columbariusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Apr

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

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponicaNT

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferrugineaNT

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Apr–Oct

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

Hooded Crow

Corvus cornixLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Kittiwake

Rissa tridactylaVU

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Black Tern

Chlidonias nigerLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

Alectoris rufaNT

ResidentUncommon

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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