Birds to See in Donegal in September
98 bird species on our list for Donegal are recorded regularly in September
Of these, the most often recorded are European Robin, Jackdaw, European Herring Gull, Hooded Crow and Pied Wagtail. New this month: Eurasian Wigeon, Brent Goose, Blackcap and Eurasian Siskin and 5 more.
On the move in September
GBIF · SepArriving
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 98 birds in September
98 birds
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 5.45% in Sep
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 3.88% in Sep
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.85% in Sep
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 3.75% in Sep
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 3.46% in Sep
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 2.94% in Sep
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in Sep
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 2.80% in Sep
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 2.58% in Sep
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 2.58% in Sep
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in Sep
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.51% in Sep
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 2.35% in Sep
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisSummer visitorCommon21–23 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 2.28% in Sep
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.25% in Sep
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Sep
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in Sep
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.86% in Sep
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.83% in Sep
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in Sep
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.70% in Sep
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Sep
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in Sep
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.40% in Sep
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.37% in Sep
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 1.27% in Sep
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.27% in Sep
Common RavenCorvus coraxSummer visitorCommon54–67 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.21% in Sep
GoldcrestRegulus regulusPassage migrantCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.17% in Sep
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in Sep
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in Sep
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.08% in Sep
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.04% in Sep
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorCommon55–65 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 1.01% in Sep
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 1.01% in Sep
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Sep
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.88% in Sep
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorCommon51–57 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.75% in Sep
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Sep
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Sep
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.65% in Sep
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxSummer visitorCommon39–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.65% in Sep
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.62% in Sep
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.59% in Sep
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.55% in Sep
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon31–34 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.55% in Sep
Coal TitPeriparus aterSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.52% in Sep
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusPassage migrantCommon13–16 cmRegularly Jun–Nov · 0.52% in Sep
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.49% in Sep
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorCommon50–71 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.49% in Sep
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.49% in Sep
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.49% in Sep
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaPassage migrantCommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.46% in Sep
KestrelFalco tinnunculusPassage migrantCommon32–39 cmRegularly Jun–Jan · 0.46% in Sep
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.42% in Sep
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.42% in Sep
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.42% in Sep
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.39% in Sep
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.39% in Sep
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusPassage migrantCommon46–51 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.39% in Sep
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantCommon30–35 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.39% in Sep
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.36% in Sep
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.36% in Sep
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.33% in Sep
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.33% in Sep
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.33% in Sep
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.33% in Sep
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.33% in Sep
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.29% in Sep
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.29% in Sep
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jun–Sep · 0.29% in Sep
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.29% in Sep
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.26% in Sep
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.26% in Sep
GreenfinchChloris chlorisSummer visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.26% in Sep
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.26% in Sep
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.26% in Sep
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantUncommon41–46 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.23% in Sep
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.23% in Sep
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.23% in Sep
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.23% in Sep
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRegularly Jul–Jan · 0.23% in Sep
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.20% in Sep
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.20% in Sep
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaPassage migrantCommon50–58 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.20% in Sep
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.20% in Sep
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.20% in Sep
White-tailed Sea-eagleHaliaeetus albicillaResidentUncommon66–94 cmRegularly Sep · 0.20% in Sep
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.16% in Sep
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.16% in Sep
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusPassage migrantUncommon32–35 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.16% in Sep
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.16% in Sep
Red KnotCalidris canutusPassage migrantUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.13% in Sep
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.13% in Sep
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.13% in Sep
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.10% in Sep
PochardAythya ferinaPassage migrantCommon42–49 cmRegularly Aug–Dec · 0.10% in Sep
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Sep · 0.10% in Sep
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