Birds to See in Ulster in May
106 species listed for May · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024
106 bird species on our list for Ulster are recorded regularly in May. Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, European Robin and Blackbird. New this month: Manx Shearwater, Moorhen, Bullfinch and Dunlin and 23 more.
New in May27
- Manx Shearwater
- Moorhen
- Bullfinch
- Dunlin
- Sedge Warbler
- Barnacle Goose
- Whimbrel
- Coot
- Common Redpoll
- Atlantic Puffin
- Sparrowhawk
- Common Swift
- Kestrel
- Common Sandpiper
- Corncrake
- Common Snipe
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- Northern Shoveler
- Common Tern
- Arctic Tern
- Eurasian Jay
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Whitethroat
- Water Rail
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Dipper
- Stock Dove
Residents
(49)Recorded all year
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
Recorded all year
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
Recorded all year
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
Recorded all year
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornixLC
Recorded all year
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
Recorded all year
Jackdaw
Coloeus monedulaLC
Recorded all year
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
Recorded all year
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla albaLC
Recorded all year
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
Recorded all year
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
Recorded all year
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
Recorded all year
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
Recorded all year
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Recorded all year
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
Recorded all year
European Shag
Gulosus aristotelisLC
Recorded all year
Magpie
Pica picaLC
Recorded all year
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Recorded all year
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Recorded all year
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
Recorded all year
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
Recorded all year
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundusLC
Recorded all year
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
Recorded all year
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
Recorded all year
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
Recorded all year
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
Recorded all year
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
Recorded all year
Black Guillemot
Cepphus grylleLC
Regularly Dec–Sep
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
Recorded all year
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
Recorded all year
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Recorded all year
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Recorded all year
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Regularly Apr–Feb
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
Regularly May–Nov
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
Recorded all year
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
Regularly May–Mar
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
Regularly May–Feb
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
Regularly May–Feb
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Regularly May–Feb
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Regularly May–Jul
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
Regularly May
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
Regularly May–Aug
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
Regularly May–Jan
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Summer visitors
(44)Arrives to breed; scarce or absent in winter
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Regularly Mar–Oct
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
Regularly Apr–Jul
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Regularly Jan–Oct
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Stonechat
Saxicola rubicolaLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Regularly May–Dec
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
Regularly Jan–Sep
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
Regularly Mar–Aug
Corncrake
Crex crexLC
Regularly May–Jul
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arcticaVU
Regularly May–Aug
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Regularly May–Aug
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
Regularly Apr–Feb
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Regularly May–Jan
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
Regularly Jan–Oct
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
Regularly Feb–Nov
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
Regularly Feb–Sep
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensisLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
Regularly May–Jul
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaLC
Regularly May–Aug
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
Regularly Apr–Nov
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
Regularly May–Aug
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
Regularly May–Jan
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
Regularly May–Jan
Winter visitors
(8)Present outside the breeding season
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
Regularly Jul–May
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Recorded all year
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Recorded all year
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
Regularly Nov–May
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
Regularly Jul–May
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
Regularly Jul–May
Eurasian Teal
Anas creccaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Passage migrants
(5)Seen mainly in spring and autumn migration
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