Birds in Bedfordshire
Explore 161 species found in this region.
Bedfordshire may be one of England's smaller counties, but it supports a remarkably diverse range of birdlife, with around 160 species recorded across its varied habitats. From the wetlands of the Marston Vale and the River Great Ouse to ancient woodlands and open farmland, the county attracts everything from elegant Northern Pintails and Mandarin Ducks to scarcer visitors such as the Great Grey Shrike. Notable residents and passage migrants like the Eurasian Woodcock, Northern Lapwing, and Common Sandpiper make Bedfordshire a rewarding destination for birdwatchers throughout the year.
Visiting in April? Look out for Arctic Tern and Bar-tailed Godwit arriving this month, and Bohemian Waxwing and Curlew depart for the season.
Showing 70–92 of 161 species
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to open farmland, occasionally forming flocks on ploughed fields during autumn and winter months.
Sep–Apr
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
A rare winter visitor from November to March, favouring larger lakes and gravel pits. The striking black-and-white males are a welcome sight in cold spells.
Nov–Mar
Grasshopper Warbler
Locustella naeviaLC
A rare breeding visitor from April to June, best detected by its distinctive reeling song from dense scrubby wetland margins.
Apr–Jun
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
A rare visitor to Bedfordshire's reservoirs and gravel pits, most often seen in winter months. Absent in June, this bulky gull is scarce inland.
Jul–May
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Common year-round at gravel pits, reservoirs and rivers. Numbers increase in winter at roost sites across the county.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
A common resident breeding on larger lakes and gravel pits, with elegant courtship displays visible from early spring.
Year-round
Great Grey Shrike
Lanius excubitorLC
A rare winter visitor, occasionally found perched prominently on heathland and open scrubby areas in the county.
Dec–Jan
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
A common resident of woodland, parks and mature gardens, with loud drumming heard from late winter onwards.
Year-round
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Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A bold and familiar garden visitor year-round, readily using nest boxes in woods, hedgerows and parks across the county.
Year-round
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
An increasingly regular but still rare visitor to wetlands and gravel pits, seen in most months of the year.
Jul–May
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
A rare midwinter visitor, occasionally turning up on larger lakes and reservoirs. This primarily coastal diving duck is a scarce inland find.
Dec–Jan
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifronsLC
A rare passage visitor noted in February and December. Small parties occasionally stop at gravel pits and reservoirs during cold-weather movements.
Dec–Feb
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
An uncommon but near year-round presence at watercress beds, streams and gravel pit margins across the county.
Jun–Apr
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common resident of gardens, hedgerows and farmland, though numbers have declined due to trichomonosis disease in recent years.
Year-round
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
A rare passage migrant through Bedfordshire's wetlands, most likely at gravel pits during spring and autumn migration.
Apr–Sep
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A common resident found along rivers, lakes, and gravel pits throughout the year. Heronries are established at several sites across the county.
Year-round
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
A declining resident of arable farmland, now rare across Bedfordshire despite year-round presence on remaining suitable fields.
Year-round
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon resident found along streams, rivers and waterways throughout the year. Its bright yellow underparts and bobbing tail are distinctive at the waterside.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A common resident found year-round on lakes, gravel pits and farmland. Feral populations are well established across Bedfordshire's wetlands.
Year-round
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
A rare and elusive autumn–winter passage visitor, occasionally seen in mature woodland with hornbeam and cherry trees.
Oct–Dec
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
An uncommon summer breeder, arriving in April and hunting dragonflies over wetlands and gravel pits until autumn.
Apr–Oct
Hoopoe
Upupa epopsLC
A rare and exotic passage visitor, recorded only in November in Bedfordshire. Any sighting of this striking bird is a notable county event.
Nov
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
An uncommon summer visitor nesting under eaves in towns and villages. Numbers have declined significantly in recent decades.
Apr–Oct