Rare Birds in Spain
Our list for Spain has 84 rare birds recorded regularly there: 16 residents, 8 summer visitors, 32 winter visitors, 24 passage migrants and 4 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Spain in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 84, most common first
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrixPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Apr–May
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Great Grey ShrikeLanius excubitorResidentRare22–26 cmRecorded all year
Moustached WarblerAcrocephalus melanopogonWinter visitorRare12–13 cmRecorded all year
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentRare50–90 cmRecorded all year
Long-eared OwlAsio otusResidentRare35–40 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorRare52–58 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatusWinter visitorRare10–11 cmRegularly Oct–Feb
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravisPassage migrantRare43–51 cmRegularly Jul–Dec
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantRare19–23 cmRegularly Aug–Oct
DotterelEudromias morinellusWinter visitorRare20–22 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Sabine's GullXema sabiniPassage migrantRare27–33 cmRegularly Aug–Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusResidentRare34–43 cmRecorded all year
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusPassage migrantRare48–58 cmRegularly Aug–Nov
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaSummer visitorRare12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorRare50–71 cmRegularly May–Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorRare31–38 cmRegularly Dec–Apr
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorRare64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorRare39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorRare20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorRare51–58 cmRegularly Dec–Mar
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaWinter visitorRare58–77 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
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