Rare Birds in Switzerland
Our list for Switzerland has 56 rare birds recorded regularly there: 5 residents, 5 summer visitors, 9 winter visitors, 31 passage migrants and 6 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Switzerland in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 56, most common first
Mandarin DuckAix galericulataResidentRare41–49 cmRecorded all year
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorRare24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly May–Oct
SmewMergellus albellusWinter visitorRare38–44 cmRegularly Dec–Apr
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorRare37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorRare120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Feb
Rock PtarmiganLagopus mutaSummer visitorRare34–36 cmRegularly Feb–Nov
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesPassage migrantRare40–49 cmRegularly Apr–Jun
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatusPassage migrantRare10–11 cmRegularly Oct
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaWinter visitorRare33–38 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Nov–May
DotterelEudromias morinellusPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodiaPassage migrantRare80–90 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
Pallid SwiftApus pallidusSummer visitorRare16–17 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargusPassage migrantRare43–47 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisScarceRare15–18 cm
Blue Rock-thrushMonticola solitariusSummer visitorRare21–23 cmRegularly Jan–Aug
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaPassage migrantRare37–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusPassage migrantRare48–66 cmRegularly Jan–Sep
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusPassage migrantRare48–58 cmRegularly Sep
Cetti's WarblerCettia cettiPassage migrantRare13–14 cmRegularly Oct–Jan
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