Birds to See in Donegal in May
91 bird species on our list for Donegal are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, Meadow Pipit and Hooded Crow. New this month: Whooper Swan, Tufted Duck, Barnacle Goose and House Martin and 21 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
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 91 birds in May
91 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.27% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.69% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.64% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 2.62% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.51% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.34% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.21% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.21% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisSummer visitorCommon21–23 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 2.19% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 2.19% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in May
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.86% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.76% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.76% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.69% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.58% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.58% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.43% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.41% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 1.30% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.15% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.15% in May
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxSummer visitorCommon39–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 1.15% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusSummer visitorCommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 1.13% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 1.08% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 1.06% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 1.04% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.02% in May
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.98% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.98% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.98% in May
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.95% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.93% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.91% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon31–34 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.91% in May
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.89% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.87% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.87% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.85% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.85% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxSummer visitorCommon54–67 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.82% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.78% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.76% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorCommon58–67 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.72% in May
CorncrakeCrex crexSummer visitorCommon22–30 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.72% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.72% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.69% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.59% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.59% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.59% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.59% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorCommon50–71 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.56% in May
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.56% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.54% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.54% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.46% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.43% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorCommon51–57 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.41% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisSummer visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.41% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.39% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.39% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.37% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.35% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.33% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.30% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.30% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.28% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.28% in May
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorUncommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.26% in May
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisWinter visitorCommon58–70 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.20% in May
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.20% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.17% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.17% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRegularly Mar–May · 0.17% in May
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantUncommon24–33 cmRegularly May · 0.17% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.15% in May
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.13% 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