Birds to See in Ulster in May
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.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
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 106 birds in May
106 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.91% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.89% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.74% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.68% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.17% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 2.08% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.95% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.95% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.74% in May
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.55% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.53% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.25% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.21% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.19% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusSummer visitorCommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 1.17% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 1.13% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.11% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.00% in May
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxSummer visitorCommon39–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 1.00% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.94% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in May
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.85% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in May
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon31–34 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.85% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.85% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.83% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.81% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.79% in May
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.77% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.74% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.72% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.68% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusSummer visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.66% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.66% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorCommon58–67 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.62% in May
CorncrakeCrex crexSummer visitorCommon22–30 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.62% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.62% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.53% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.51% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.51% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.51% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.51% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorUncommon50–71 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.49% in May
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.49% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.47% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.47% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.42% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.42% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.40% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.40% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.38% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.34% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.32% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.32% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.28% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.28% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.26% in May
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorUncommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.23% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusSummer visitorCommon13–16 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.23% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.23% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.19% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.19% in May
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisWinter visitorCommon58–70 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.17% in May
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.17% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.15% in May
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.15% in May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataPassage migrantUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.15% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.15% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusSummer visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.13% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.11% in May
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.11% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon23–26 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.11% in May
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly May · 0.09% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.09% in May
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.09% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.08% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusSummer visitorCommon32–39 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.06% 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