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 93–115 of 161 species
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common year-round resident closely associated with houses and urban areas. Numbers have declined significantly, but it remains widespread across Bedfordshire's towns.
Year-round
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A rare and secretive passage visitor to marshy areas and waterlogged fields, most likely in late autumn and early spring.
Nov–Mar
Jackdaw
Coloeus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident nesting in church towers, old trees and buildings. Often seen in noisy flocks with rooks.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
A common resident hovering over roadside verges, farmland, and grassland year-round. One of the county's most familiar raptors.
Year-round
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Chrysolophus amherstiaeLC
Once established in woods near Whipsnade, this introduced species has declined drastically and is now rarely encountered.
Dec–May
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Common year-round, frequenting landfill sites, reservoirs, and farmland. Numbers have increased significantly as an inland breeding species.
Year-round
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Dryobates minorLC
A rare passage record, typically in April. This declining woodpecker is now extremely scarce in the county's mature woodlands.
Apr
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
An uncommon summer breeder of tall hedgerows and scrubby thickets, arriving in April. Its rattling song is distinctive but brief.
Apr–Sep
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Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
An uncommon resident favouring open farmland, heathland edges and weedy fields. Winter flocks gather on stubble and set-aside.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, now seen year-round along rivers, gravel pits and wetlands. A relatively recent colonist reflecting its national spread.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident on ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers. Often heard before seen, with its distinctive trilling call.
Year-round
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare and declining breeder, found around old farmsteads and hedgerow trees. Sightings are mainly in spring and summer months.
Mar–Jul
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubiusLC
An uncommon summer breeder at gravel pits and bare ground near water, present from March to September.
Mar–Sep
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A common and charming resident of hedgerows and woodland edges. Roving family parties are a familiar sight in autumn and winter.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident of gardens, hedgerows and farmland, seen throughout the county all year.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
A common and familiar resident on virtually every waterbody in the county, from park ponds and rivers to gravel pits and flooded fields.
Year-round
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
A rare but established resident, favouring wooded lakes and rivers. This striking East Asian species nests in tree holes near quiet waterbodies.
Oct–Jul
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
A rare and declining resident of mature deciduous woodland. Best looked for at sites like Marston Thrift and Maulden Wood.
Jun–Apr
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
An uncommon resident of rough grassland and farmland, with numbers supplemented by passage birds in autumn and winter.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
An uncommon resident often heard singing boldly from tall trees in late winter. Favours parkland, orchards and woodland edges across Bedfordshire.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident found on virtually any pond, lake, or waterway. Breeds readily across the county's parks and wetland margins.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A common and elegant resident gracing rivers, lakes and park ponds year-round. Breeds readily across Bedfordshire, often on the River Great Ouse and its tributaries.
Year-round
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchosLC
An uncommon breeding visitor from April to June; Bedfordshire lies near the northern edge of its English range.
Apr–Jun