Birds to See in Ulster in April
88 bird species on our list for Ulster are recorded regularly in April
Of these, the most often recorded are European Robin, Hooded Crow, Eurasian Wren, European Herring Gull and Blackbird. New this month: Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Wheatear and House Martin and 19 more.
On the move in April
GBIF · AprArriving
At their peak
From Ulster’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 88 birds in April
88 birds
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.72% in Apr
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 3.49% in Apr
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.37% in Apr
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in Apr
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.79% in Apr
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.75% in Apr
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.64% in Apr
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Apr
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 2.29% in Apr
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in Apr
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.05% in Apr
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.02% in Apr
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Apr
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Apr
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in Apr
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.67% in Apr
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.67% in Apr
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.59% in Apr
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Apr
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.40% in Apr
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Apr
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.40% in Apr
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Apr
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Apr
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Apr
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Apr
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.32% in Apr
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.28% in Apr
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in Apr
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.20% in Apr
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in Apr
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Apr
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Apr
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Apr
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Apr
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.93% in Apr
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.93% in Apr
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Apr
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.93% in Apr
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.93% in Apr
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Apr
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.89% in Apr
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.85% in Apr
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.85% in Apr
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.85% in Apr
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.85% in Apr
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.85% in Apr
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Apr
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Apr
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.78% in Apr
GoldcrestRegulus regulusSummer visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.78% in Apr
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Apr
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.78% in Apr
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Apr
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Apr
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Apr
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.66% in Apr
Coal TitPeriparus aterSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.58% in Apr
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Apr
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorCommon58–67 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.54% in Apr
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.54% in Apr
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.47% in Apr
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxSummer visitorCommon39–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.47% in Apr
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.47% in Apr
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.43% in Apr
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.43% in Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorUncommon50–71 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.39% in Apr
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.39% in Apr
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.39% in Apr
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.35% in Apr
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.35% in Apr
CuckooCuculus canorusSummer visitorCommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.31% in Apr
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.27% in Apr
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.27% in Apr
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusSummer visitorCommon13–16 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.27% in Apr
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.23% in Apr
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.23% in Apr
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon31–34 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.23% in Apr
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.23% in Apr
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.23% in Apr
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.19% in Apr
GreenfinchChloris chlorisSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.19% in Apr
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.19% in Apr
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusPassage migrantUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Apr · 0.19% in Apr
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.16% in Apr
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.16% in Apr
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.16% in Apr
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosPassage migrantUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Apr · 0.12% in Apr
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