Birds in Galway

180 species listed · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024

Our list for Galway has 180 bird species recorded regularly there: 74 residents, 28 summer visitors, 39 winter visitors, 33 passage migrants and 6 scarce visitors.

The list comes from 172,000 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 Galway in September

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

All 135 birds in September

Arriving in September: Common Loon, Brent Goose, Whooper Swan, Red-throated Loon, Curlew Sandpiper, Northern Pintail, Merlin, Spotted Flycatcher and 12 more.

Through the year

Species recorded regularly in Galway each month: most in September (135), fewest in November (113). Choose a month to see its birds.

Show as a table
Goldcrest
GoldcrestSmallest · 8.5cm
to
Whooper Swan
Whooper SwanLargest · 165cm
From the Goldcrest (8.5 cm) to the Whooper Swan (165 cm)49 families

All 180 birds on the list

Showing 116–138 of 180 species

Eurasian Siskin

Eurasian Siskin

Spinus spinusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Greater Scaup

Aythya marilaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Apr

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

Northern Pintail

Anas acutaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Apr

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

Eurasian Jay

Garrulus glandariusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

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

Little Tern

Sternula albifronsLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Aug

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

Hen Harrier

Circus cyaneusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Aug–Mar

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

Pochard

Aythya ferinaVU

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Aug–Jun

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

Common Scoter

Melanitta nigraLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Nov–Jul

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

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Yellow-browed Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct

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

Goldeneye

Bucephala clangulaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Nov–Mar

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

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalusLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly Dec–Oct

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
Ruff

Ruff

Calidris pugnaxLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Aug–Oct

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

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striataLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly May–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Ardea albaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Western Marsh-harrier

Western Marsh-harrier

Circus aeruginosusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jul–Apr

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 Jun–Mar

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

Water Rail

Rallus aquaticusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Mar–Jan

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–Feb

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

Common Merganser

Mergus merganserLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Dec

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

Arctic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Oct

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

Corncrake

Crex crexLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Apr–Jun

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

Great Skua

Stercorarius skuaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Oct

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