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 185–207 of 319 species

Manx Shearwater

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Nov

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

Razorbill

Alca tordaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Jul

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serratorLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Apr

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

Little Gull

Hydrocoloeus minutusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Ring Ouzel

Turdus torquatusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Nov

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

Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostraLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Common Loon

Gavia immerLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–May

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

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Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetosLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Common Quail

Coturnix coturnixLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Oct

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

Red Knot

Calidris canutusNT

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jul–May

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

Wood Warbler

Phylloscopus sibilatrixLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Aug

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

Marsh Warbler

Acrocephalus palustrisLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly May–Aug

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

Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Sep

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

Treecreeper

Certhia familiarisLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Bluethroat

Luscinia svecicaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Jan

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

Common Scoter

Melanitta nigraLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Eurasian Scops-owl

Eurasian Scops-owl

Otus scopsLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
European Storm-petrel

European Storm-petrel

Hydrobates pelagicusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Jul–Nov

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

Squacco Heron

Ardeola ralloidesLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Sep

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

Woodchat Shrike

Lanius senatorNT

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Sep

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

Sooty Shearwater

Ardenna griseaNT

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Jul–Nov

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

Wryneck

Jynx torquillaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Nov

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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