Birds to See in Ulster in February
68 bird species on our list for Ulster are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are European Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Hooded Crow and Mute Swan. New this month: Goldcrest, Greenfinch, Iceland Gull and Coal Tit and 3 more.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebArriving
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 68 birds in February
68 birds
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.00% in Feb
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in Feb
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in Feb
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.35% in Feb
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in Feb
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.16% in Feb
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.16% in Feb
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.07% in Feb
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.07% in Feb
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Feb
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Feb
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Feb
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.88% in Feb
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.88% in Feb
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.88% in Feb
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 1.78% in Feb
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in Feb
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.78% in Feb
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Feb
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Feb
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Feb
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.60% in Feb
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.60% in Feb
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in Feb
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 1.60% in Feb
GoldcrestRegulus regulusSummer visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.50% in Feb
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in Feb
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.41% in Feb
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.41% in Feb
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Feb
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in Feb
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 1.13% in Feb
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 1.13% in Feb
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 1.13% in Feb
GreenfinchChloris chlorisSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 1.13% in Feb
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesPassage migrantCommon52–60 cmRegularly Feb–Mar · 1.13% in Feb
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in Feb
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 1.03% in Feb
Coal TitPeriparus aterSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.03% in Feb
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Feb
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Feb
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.03% in Feb
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Mar · 1.03% in Feb
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Feb
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Feb
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Feb
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Feb
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.85% in Feb
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.85% in Feb
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.85% in Feb
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Feb
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.75% in Feb
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.75% in Feb
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Feb
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.75% in Feb
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorCommon55–65 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.66% in Feb
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Feb
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisWinter visitorCommon58–70 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.56% in Feb
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Feb
Black SwanCygnus atratusPassage migrantUncommon110–142 cmRegularly Feb · 0.47% in Feb
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorUncommon50–71 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.47% in Feb
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.47% in Feb
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Feb
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.47% in Feb
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.38% in Feb
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.38% in Feb
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.38% in Feb
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