Birds to See in Meath in December
25 bird species on our list for Meath are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Black-headed Gull, European Robin, Common Scoter, European Herring Gull and Hooded Crow. New this month: Black-headed Gull, Common Scoter, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Redshank and 10 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
Leaving soon
From Meath’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 25 birds in December
25 birds
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 3.41% in Dec
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.41% in Dec
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraPassage migrantCommon43–54 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 3.23% in Dec
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.23% in Dec
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 3.23% in Dec
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusWinter visitorCommon40–45 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 3.05% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 3.05% in Dec
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.05% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 2.69% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 2.69% in Dec
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesSummer visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 2.51% in Dec
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 2.15% in Dec
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Dec
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.79% in Dec
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantCommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 1.79% in Dec
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.79% in Dec
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 1.61% in Dec
DunnockPrunella modularisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.61% in Dec
Red KnotCalidris canutusPassage migrantCommon23–26 cmRegularly Dec–Jul · 1.61% in Dec
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–Dec · 1.43% in Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentCommon18–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 1.43% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaPassage migrantCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Dec · 0.90% in Dec
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Wren 9–10 cm
- Blue Tit 11–12 cm
- European Robin 13–14 cm
- Dunnock 14–15 cm
- Ringed Plover 17–19 cm
- Dunlin 16–22 cm
- Sanderling 18–20 cm
- Common Starling 21–23 cm
- Ruddy Turnstone 21–24 cm
- Blackbird 24–25 cm
- Red Knot 23–26 cm
- Redshank 27–29 cm
- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Jackdaw 34–39 cm
- Black-headed Gull 38–44 cm
- Woodpigeon 40–42 cm
- Black-tailed Godwit 40–44 cm
- Eurasian Oystercatcher 40–45 cm
- Rook 45–47 cm
- Hooded Crow 44–51 cm
- Common Scoter 43–54 cm
- Buzzard 51–57 cm
- Curlew 50–60 cm
- Brent Goose 55–66 cm
- European Herring Gull 55–67 cm
Body length, bill to tail. Rare birds in grey.
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