Birds to See in Donegal in August
108 bird species on our list for Donegal are recorded regularly in August
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Barn Swallow, Great Black-backed Gull and Hooded Crow. New this month: Red-breasted Merganser, Little Egret, Pochard and Red Knot and 4 more.
On the move in August
GBIF · AugArriving
At their peak
From Donegal’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 August
108 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.84% in Aug
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 3.25% in Aug
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.90% in Aug
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.84% in Aug
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.84% in Aug
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 2.52% in Aug
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 2.41% in Aug
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 2.38% in Aug
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in Aug
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in Aug
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.17% in Aug
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.17% in Aug
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.17% in Aug
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.06% in Aug
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 2.03% in Aug
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in Aug
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.84% in Aug
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.65% in Aug
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in Aug
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisSummer visitorCommon21–23 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.54% in Aug
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 1.52% in Aug
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.49% in Aug
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.46% in Aug
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Aug
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.41% in Aug
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.41% in Aug
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Aug
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 1.30% in Aug
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.19% in Aug
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 1.03% in Aug
Common RavenCorvus coraxSummer visitorCommon54–67 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.00% in Aug
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in Aug
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.97% in Aug
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.97% in Aug
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.95% in Aug
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Aug
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.92% in Aug
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaPassage migrantCommon50–58 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.89% in Aug
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaPassage migrantCommon40–51 cmRegularly Jul–Aug · 0.87% in Aug
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.87% in Aug
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxSummer visitorCommon39–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.84% in Aug
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.81% in Aug
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Aug
GoldcrestRegulus regulusPassage migrantCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.79% in Aug
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.79% in Aug
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Aug
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorCommon51–57 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.73% in Aug
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.73% in Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.73% in Aug
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorCommon55–65 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.68% in Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.68% in Aug
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.68% in Aug
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.65% in Aug
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.62% in Aug
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.62% in Aug
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.62% in Aug
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.60% in Aug
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.57% in Aug
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Aug
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantCommon30–35 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.57% in Aug
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.57% in Aug
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRegularly Jun–Nov · 0.54% in Aug
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.54% in Aug
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.51% in Aug
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantUncommon41–46 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.49% in Aug
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaPassage migrantCommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.49% in Aug
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.49% in Aug
European Storm-petrelHydrobates pelagicusPassage migrantUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Jul–Aug · 0.46% in Aug
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.46% in Aug
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.43% in Aug
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Aug · 0.43% in Aug
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.41% in Aug
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusPassage migrantCommon46–51 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.41% in Aug
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRegularly Jul–Jan · 0.41% in Aug
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorUncommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.38% in Aug
Coal TitPeriparus aterSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.38% in Aug
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.38% in Aug
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorCommon50–71 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.38% in Aug
Red KnotCalidris canutusPassage migrantUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.35% in Aug
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 0.32% in Aug
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.30% in Aug
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Aug
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.27% in Aug
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.27% in Aug
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.27% in Aug
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.27% in Aug
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorCommon58–67 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.24% in Aug
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.24% in Aug
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.22% in Aug
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravisPassage migrantUncommon43–51 cmRegularly Aug · 0.22% in Aug
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusPassage migrantCommon13–16 cmRegularly Jun–Nov · 0.22% in Aug
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.19% in Aug
KestrelFalco tinnunculusPassage migrantCommon32–39 cmRegularly Jun–Jan · 0.19% in Aug
PochardAythya ferinaPassage migrantCommon42–49 cmRegularly Aug–Dec · 0.19% in Aug
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.19% in Aug
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon31–34 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.19% in Aug
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.16% in Aug
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.16% in Aug
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.16% in Aug
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.16% in Aug
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.16% in Aug
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jun–Sep · 0.14% in Aug
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.14% in Aug
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusPassage migrantUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Aug · 0.11% in Aug
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.11% in Aug
Sabine's GullXema sabiniPassage migrantUncommon27–33 cmRegularly Aug · 0.11% in Aug
GreenfinchChloris chlorisSummer visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.08% in Aug
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Jul–Aug · 0.08% in Aug
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