Rare Birds in Berkshire
57 species matching this filter.
Berkshire's diverse habitats—from the ancient woodlands of Windsor Great Park to the Thames Valley wetlands and open farmland—support an impressive array of rare bird species. With 57 species classified as rare in the county, patient observers may be rewarded with sightings of elusive birds such as the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Barn Owl, Grasshopper Warbler, and Eurasian Woodcock. These uncommon visitors and scarce residents make Berkshire a rewarding destination for birders seeking something beyond the everyday.
Showing 1–23 of 57 species
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
A rare but cherished resident of Berkshire's farmland, occasionally glimpsed hunting along field margins at dusk.
Nov–Aug
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
A rare midwinter visitor, most records likely involve feral or escaped birds. Occasionally turns up on gravel pits alongside other geese.
Jan
Black Tern
Chlidonias nigerLC
A rare August passage migrant, occasionally seen dipping over gravel pits and reservoirs. Elegant dark plumage separates it from Common Tern.
Aug
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
A rare passage migrant through Berkshire, occasionally stopping at gravel pits and reservoirs between July and September.
Jul–Sep
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulusLC
A rare and irruptive winter visitor, occasionally reaching Berkshire in invasion years. Seeks out berry-bearing trees in towns and parks.
Jan–Mar
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter and early spring visitor, sometimes joining Chaffinch flocks at woodland feeding stations. Numbers vary greatly between years.
Jan–Apr
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
A rare December vagrant to Berkshire, occasionally turning up on larger reservoirs and gravel pits during cold weather movements.
Dec
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Once absent, now a rare but increasing resident, its deep croaking calls heard over woodland and open country.
Year-round
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Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor from October to April, occasionally found in birch and alder woodland. Numbers vary greatly between winters.
Oct–Apr
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
A rare summer breeder favouring mature oak woodland with nest holes. The male's striking orange-red tail and black face make it unmistakable.
Apr–Sep
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
A rare resident, unusual this far inland. Occasionally breeds at gravel pits and reservoirs, with most records outside the late summer moult period.
Oct–Aug
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
A rare and declining resident of open arable farmland, now confined to a few sites in Berkshire. Its jangling song is heard from fence posts.
Oct–Jul
Dartford Warbler
Curruca undataNT
A rare resident of lowland heathland, found on sites in the south and east of the county. Vulnerable to harsh winters but slowly recovering.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
A rare visitor to Berkshire's muddy reservoir margins and gravel pits, mainly on passage from late summer into autumn.
May–Oct
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
A rare winter visitor to Berkshire's reedbeds, most likely at sites like Thatcham or Dinton Pastures in the coldest months.
Dec–Feb
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally noted in spring and autumn. Has declined dramatically in southern England and is now very scarce in Berkshire.
Nov–May
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
A rare and secretive breeding bird in Berkshire's damp woodlands. Winter visitors from the continent may boost numbers.
Jan–Jul
European Turtle-dove
Streptopelia turturVU
A rare and rapidly declining summer breeder, arriving in May. Favours scrubby farmland edges; one of the UK's most threatened birds.
May–Aug
Firecrest
Regulus ignicapillaLC
A rare but year-round resident of mature conifer and mixed woodland. Its high-pitched call is often the best clue to its presence.
Aug–Jun
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
A rare passage migrant seen briefly in spring and again in late summer. Look for it on shallow pools at sites like Theale or Woolhampton.
Apr–Sep
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
A rare winter visitor to Berkshire's farmland, occasionally seen in flocks on ploughed fields between October and March.
Oct–Mar
Grasshopper Warbler
Locustella naeviaLC
A rare breeding visitor to Berkshire's rough grasslands and scrubby margins from April to July. Best detected by its distinctive insect-like reeling song.
Apr–Jul
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor, mainly in winter months. Occasionally seen at larger reservoirs and gravel pits among other gull flocks.
Oct–Apr