Birds to See in Ulster in October
84 bird species on our list for Ulster are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are European Robin, Jackdaw, Eurasian Wren, European Herring Gull and Hooded Crow. New this month: Fulmar, Redwing, Canada Goose and Eurasian Tree Sparrow and 2 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
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 84 birds in October
84 birds
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.39% in Oct
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 3.45% in Oct
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.18% in Oct
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.09% in Oct
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 3.09% in Oct
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in Oct
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 2.78% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.46% in Oct
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.28% in Oct
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.28% in Oct
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Oct
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.02% in Oct
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Oct
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Oct
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in Oct
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in Oct
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in Oct
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in Oct
GoldcrestRegulus regulusSummer visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.79% in Oct
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Oct
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Oct
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.61% in Oct
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Oct
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Oct
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Oct
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.34% in Oct
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.34% in Oct
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.25% in Oct
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Oct
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Oct
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 1.12% in Oct
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Mar · 1.03% in Oct
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.03% in Oct
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Oct
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.94% in Oct
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Oct
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Oct
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Oct
Coal TitPeriparus aterSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.81% in Oct
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.81% in Oct
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Oct
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Oct
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.76% in Oct
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Oct
KestrelFalco tinnunculusSummer visitorCommon32–39 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.67% in Oct
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.63% in Oct
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.63% in Oct
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusSummer visitorCommon13–16 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.63% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.63% in Oct
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.58% in Oct
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Oct
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.54% in Oct
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.49% in Oct
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.49% in Oct
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxSummer visitorCommon39–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.49% in Oct
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorUncommon50–71 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.45% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.45% in Oct
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.40% in Oct
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.40% in Oct
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.40% in Oct
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.40% in Oct
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Oct
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.36% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon31–34 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.36% in Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.31% in Oct
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.31% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.31% in Oct
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.31% in Oct
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.27% in Oct
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.27% in Oct
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.22% in Oct
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.22% in Oct
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.22% in Oct
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.22% in Oct
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaPassage migrantUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.18% in Oct
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.18% in Oct
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.18% in Oct
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.18% in Oct
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaScarceUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct · 0.18% in Oct
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.18% in Oct
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.18% in Oct
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.13% in Oct
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