Birds to See in Cork in May
111 bird species on our list for Cork are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Blackbird, Hooded Crow, European Robin, Eurasian Wren and Barn Swallow. New this month: Common Swift, Razorbill, Sanderling and Spotted Flycatcher and 10 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
From Cork’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 111 birds in May
111 birds
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.73% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 3.34% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.21% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.20% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 3.01% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.89% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.85% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.41% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.29% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.04% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.96% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.83% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.77% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.67% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.67% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.46% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.39% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusResidentCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.35% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.32% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.29% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in May
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.12% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.99% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.94% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in May
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxResidentCommon39–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.68% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in May
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in May
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.54% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.51% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentUncommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in May
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.47% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaResidentCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentUncommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.30% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.29% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.28% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.27% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentUncommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.21% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.19% in May
CootFulica atraResidentUncommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.18% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.18% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in May
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in May
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.15% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in May
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in May
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.13% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaPassage migrantUncommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.12% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentUncommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in May
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.11% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasSummer visitorUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.11% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.11% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.10% in May
European Storm-petrelHydrobates pelagicusSummer visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.10% in May
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserSummer visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.09% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.09% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.09% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.09% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in May
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.08% in May
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.06% in May
Barn OwlTyto albaPassage migrantUncommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.05% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in May
White-tailed Sea-eagleHaliaeetus albicillaPassage migrantUncommon66–94 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.05% in May
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaPassage migrantUncommon50–58 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.03% in May
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantUncommon23–27 cmRegularly May · 0.03% in May
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentUncommon76–110 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in May
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Jan–May · 0.02% in May
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaResidentRare37–42 cmRegularly May · 0.02% in May
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