Birds to See in Mayo in May
108 bird species on our list for Mayo are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, European Robin, Hooded Crow and Jackdaw. New this month: Red Grouse, Sanderling, Dunlin and Ruddy Turnstone and 20 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
From Mayo’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 108 birds in May
108 birds
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 3.64% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.19% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.05% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 3.02% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.99% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.93% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.69% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 2.63% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.32% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.08% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.06% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.05% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.94% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.57% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in May
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.51% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.23% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantCommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–May · 1.20% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 1.16% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.13% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.12% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.10% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Jul · 1.09% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 0.97% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisSummer visitorCommon65–80 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.93% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusSummer visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.93% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantCommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.87% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.83% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.78% in May
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.74% in May
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.73% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.64% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.60% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.58% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.49% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.46% in May
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxResidentCommon39–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in May
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorCommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.44% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.44% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.42% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.42% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.41% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.39% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorCommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.39% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.36% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.33% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.32% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.32% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.32% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusSummer visitorCommon34–58 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.29% in May
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.26% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.25% in May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.25% in May
CorncrakeCrex crexPassage migrantUncommon22–30 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.23% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.23% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Jan–Jun · 0.22% in May
CootFulica atraResidentUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.22% in May
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorUncommon21–25 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.22% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.20% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.20% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.19% in May
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.19% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.19% in May
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaResidentCommon37–41 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.16% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.16% in May
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.16% in May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in May
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataPassage migrantCommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in May
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.13% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusSummer visitorUncommon13–16 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.13% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.12% in May
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaSummer visitorCommon50–58 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.12% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorUncommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.10% in May
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.10% in May
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.10% in May
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorCommon26–29 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in May
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaResidentCommon37–42 cmRegularly May · 0.09% in May
American Black DuckAnas rubripesPassage migrantUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.06% in May
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in May
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Jul · 0.04% in May
Northern PintailAnas acutaScarceUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · records held back in May (protected)
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