Birds to See in Sweden in May
232 species listed for May · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024
232 bird species on our list for Sweden are recorded regularly in May. Of these, the most often recorded are Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Willow Warbler and Hooded Crow. New this month: Common Swift, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Cuckoo and 34 more.
New in May38
- Common Swift
- Garden Warbler
- Whitethroat
- Cuckoo
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Red-backed Shrike
- Common Reed-warbler
- Brent Goose
- European Honey-buzzard
- Grey Plover
- Marsh Warbler
- Hobby
- Red Knot
- Little Stint
- Temminck's Stint
- Common Rosefinch
- Grasshopper Warbler
- Black Tern
- Nightjar
- Corncrake
- Common Quail
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Golden Oriole
- Fulmar
- Dotterel
- Bar-headed Goose
- Great Skua
- Atlantic Puffin
- Nightingale
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- European Bee-eater
- Surf Scoter
- Little Egret
- White-winged Tern
- European Turtle-dove
- Eurasian Stone-curlew
- Ruddy Shelduck
- Woodchat Shrike
Residents
(80)Recorded all year
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
Recorded all year
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
Recorded all year
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
Recorded all year
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornixLC
Recorded all year
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
Recorded all year
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Recorded all year
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Recorded all year
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
Recorded all year
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundusLC
Recorded all year
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Recorded all year
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
Recorded all year
Jackdaw
Coloeus monedulaLC
Recorded all year
Magpie
Pica picaLC
Recorded all year
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
Recorded all year
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
Recorded all year
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
Recorded all year
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
Recorded all year
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
Recorded all year
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Recorded all year
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Recorded all year
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
Recorded all year
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
Recorded all year
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
Recorded all year
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
Recorded all year
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Recorded all year
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
Recorded all year
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
Recorded all year
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
Recorded all year
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Teal
Anas creccaLC
Recorded all year
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
Recorded all year
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
Recorded all year
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Recorded all year
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
Recorded all year
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Recorded all year
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
Recorded all year
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
Recorded all year
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
Recorded all year
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
Recorded all year
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
Recorded all year
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Recorded all year
White-tailed Sea-eagle
Haliaeetus albicillaLC
Recorded all year
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Recorded all year
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
Recorded all year
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
Recorded all year
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Recorded all year
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Recorded all year
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
Recorded all year
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
Recorded all year
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
Recorded all year
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
Recorded all year
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
Recorded all year
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
Recorded all year
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fuscaVU
Recorded all year
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
Recorded all year
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
Recorded all year
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Dryobates minorLC
Recorded all year
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
Recorded all year
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
Recorded all year
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
Recorded all year
Black Guillemot
Cepphus grylleLC
Recorded all year
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
Recorded all year
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
Recorded all year
Crested Tit
Lophophanes cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
Recorded all year
Black Grouse
Lyrurus tetrixLC
Recorded all year
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
Recorded all year
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
Recorded all year
Western Capercaillie
Tetrao urogallusLC
Recorded all year
Stonechat
Saxicola rubicolaLC
Recorded all year
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
Recorded all year
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetosLC
Recorded all year
Long-eared Owl
Asio otusLC
Recorded all year
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
Regularly Dec–Oct
Summer visitors
(100)Arrives to breed; scarce or absent in winter
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla albaLC
Regularly Mar–Oct
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
Regularly Feb–Nov
European Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleucaLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Regularly Feb–Nov
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
Regularly May–Sep
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
Regularly Feb–Nov
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
Recorded all year
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Recorded all year
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borinLC
Regularly May–Sep
Common Crane
Grus grusLC
Regularly Feb–Oct
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
Regularly Mar–Oct
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Recorded all year
Wood Warbler
Phylloscopus sibilatrixLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareolaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
Recorded all year
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
Regularly Feb–Oct
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
Regularly Apr–Nov
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
Regularly May–Sep
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
Recorded all year
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
Regularly Mar–Sep
Ruff
Calidris pugnaxLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
Recorded all year
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Little Ringed Plover
Thinornis dubiusLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
Regularly Mar–Sep
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
Recorded all year
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
Recorded all year
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurioLC
Regularly May–Sep
Wryneck
Jynx torquillaLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensisLC
Regularly Mar–Oct
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
Recorded all year
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
Regularly Apr–Feb
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
Regularly May–Oct
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
Regularly Jan–Jul
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegenaLC
Recorded all year
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Recorded all year
Little Tern
Sternula albifronsLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
Regularly Mar–Sep
Temminck's Stint
Calidris temminckiiLC
Regularly May–Sep
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Marsh Warbler
Acrocephalus palustrisLC
Regularly May–Aug
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Common Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
Regularly Apr–Nov
Grasshopper Warbler
Locustella naeviaLC
Regularly May–Sep
Woodlark
Lullula arboreaLC
Recorded all year
Black Tern
Chlidonias nigerLC
Regularly May–Sep
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Regularly Apr–Feb
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Regularly Mar–Nov
European Honey-buzzard
Pernis apivorusLC
Regularly May–Oct
Savi's Warbler
Locustella luscinioidesLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Regularly Jan–Nov
Bluethroat
Luscinia svecicaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Nightjar
Caprimulgus europaeusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Regularly May–Dec
Arctic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticusLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Golden Oriole
Oriolus oriolusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Corncrake
Crex crexLC
Regularly May–Jul
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Regularly May–Nov
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
Recorded all year
Serin
Serinus serinusLC
Regularly Mar–Oct
Common Quail
Coturnix coturnixLC
Regularly May–Aug
Spotted Crake
Porzana porzanaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Dotterel
Eudromias morinellusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatusLC
Regularly May–Sep
Mediterranean Gull
Ichthyaetus melanocephalusLC
Regularly Mar–Oct
European Bee-eater
Merops apiasterLC
Regularly May–Aug
White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterusLC
Regularly May–Jul
Rock Ptarmigan
Lagopus mutaLC
Regularly Feb–Oct
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicusLC
Regularly Apr–Feb
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
Regularly May–Sep
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
Regularly Apr–Jul
Bar-headed Goose
Anser indicusLC
Regularly May–Oct
Winter visitors
(35)Present outside the breeding season
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Recorded all year
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
Recorded all year
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
Recorded all year
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
Recorded all year
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
Recorded all year
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
Recorded all year
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Recorded all year
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
Recorded all year
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
Recorded all year
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
Recorded all year
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
Recorded all year
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
Regularly Sep–Jul
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
Recorded all year
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifronsLC
Regularly Sep–May
Northern Goshawk
Astur gentilisLC
Recorded all year
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
Recorded all year
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
Recorded all year
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
Recorded all year
European Shag
Gulosus aristotelisLC
Recorded all year
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Regularly Jul–May
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
Regularly Sep–May
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Smew
Mergellus albellusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Taiga Bean Goose
Anser fabalisLC
Regularly Aug–May
Firecrest
Regulus ignicapillaLC
Recorded all year
Parrot Crossbill
Loxia pytyopsittacusLC
Recorded all year
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Recorded all year
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
Regularly Sep–Jun
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
Recorded all year
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
Regularly Sep–Jun
Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufinaLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Short-toed Treecreeper
Certhia brachydactylaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Passage migrants
(16)Seen mainly in spring and autumn migration
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
Regularly May–Nov
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
Regularly May–Oct
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchosLC
Regularly May–Jun
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Regularly May–Jun
Red-breasted Goose
Branta ruficollisVU
Regularly Oct–May
European Turtle-dove
Streptopelia turturVU
Regularly May
Hoopoe
Upupa epopsLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillataLC
Regularly May–Jun
Boreal Owl
Aegolius funereusLC
Regularly Sep–Jun
King Eider
Somateria spectabilisLC
Regularly Oct–May
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferrugineaLC
Regularly May–Aug
Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinusLC
Regularly Apr–May
Eurasian Stone-curlew
Burhinus oedicnemusLC
Regularly May
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
Regularly May–Feb
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arcticaVU
Regularly Oct–May
Great Skua
Stercorarius skuaLC
Regularly May–Nov
Scarce visitors
(1)Recorded in some years but not every year
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