Birds to See in Cornwall in May
125 species matching this filter.
Cornwall in May is a vibrant time for birdwatching, with around 125 species recorded across the county's diverse habitats. From the reedbeds echoing with the song of Common Reed-warblers and Garden Warblers to the estuaries hosting wading birds like Common Sandpiper and Greenshank, there is plenty to discover. Coastal cliffs, farmland hedgerows, and ancient woodlands all come alive with breeding activity, making May one of the best months to explore Cornwall's rich birdlife.
New in May9
Resident
(96)
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Frequents sandy estuaries such as the Camel and Hayle throughout the year, probing tidal flats with its distinctive upturned bill.
Year-round
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Uncommon but present year-round, favouring estuarine mudflats at sites like the Hayle Estuary and Camel Estuary.
Year-round
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
One of Cornwall's most abundant residents, thriving in gardens, hedgerows, and woodland. Numbers increase in autumn with continental migrants.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
Common year-round in woodland and gardens. Summer breeders are joined by continental wintering birds that readily take fruit from feeders.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
A common and familiar resident of gardens, hedgerows, and woodland throughout Cornwall. Readily visits feeders year-round.
Year-round
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, favouring dense hedgerows, orchards, and woodland edges. Often heard before seen.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
A common year-round resident, frequently seen soaring over farmland, moorland and coastal cliffs. One of Cornwall's most visible raptors.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
An uncommon year-round resident found on lakes, reservoirs and estuaries. Less numerous here than in many English counties.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
A common year-round resident found across all habitats from farmland to coastline. One of Cornwall's most familiar and adaptable birds.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
A resident skulker in dense wetland vegetation, more often heard than seen. Has expanded its range in Cornwall thanks to milder winters.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common resident of woodland, hedgerows, and gardens. Autumn flocks are boosted by continental migrants arriving along the coast.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common resident found year-round in gardens, woodland, and scrub. Cornwall's mild climate supports overwintering birds, including continental migrants.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
An uncommon resident of coniferous and mixed woodland. Often visits garden feeders in winter, recognised by its distinctive white nape stripe.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
An uncommon resident found year-round on estuaries, farmland, and playing fields. Smaller and more delicate than the abundant Herring Gull.
Year-round
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
An uncommon but regular presence in Cornish waters, favouring sheltered bays such as Mount's Bay. Absent during midsummer months.
Oct–Jun
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Found year-round in farmland and woodland edges, though less abundant here than in many English counties.
Year-round
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
An uncommon but widespread resident, often seen tumbling acrobatically along sea cliffs and over moorland. Its deep croaking call is distinctive.
Year-round
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
A rare resident, occasionally seen in birch and alder woodland. Most likely encountered during autumn and winter influxes.
Oct–Jun
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Found along rocky streams, reservoirs, and sheltered estuaries almost year-round, bobbing characteristically at the water's edge.
Jul–May
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
An uncommon but distinctive resident of sandy estuaries and mudflats. Breeds in burrows near the coast and gathers in moulting flocks.
Year-round
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A familiar resident in towns and farmland, though declining nationally. Winter flocks swell with continental arrivals along the Cornish coast.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Resident on freshwater lakes and reservoirs, often seen at Stithians and Drift, though less numerous than Moorhen.
Year-round
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
A year-round resident of Cornish estuaries and farmland, its evocative bubbling call is a familiar sound on moorland and coastal marshes.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Present year-round on estuarine mudflats, numbers swell in winter when birds from northern breeding grounds arrive.
Year-round
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common and widespread resident, found year-round in hedgerows, gardens, and scrubby undergrowth across the county.
Year-round
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
A familiar garden and farmyard bird throughout Cornwall, its monotonous three-note call heard in every season.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of mature woodland and well-treed gardens. Less numerous here than in much of southern England.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
An uncommon but increasing resident of mature deciduous woodland. Sedentary by nature, it favours oak-rich valleys across Cornwall.
Year-round
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
A familiar sight on rocky shores and estuaries year-round, its striking black-and-white plumage and piping call unmistakable.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon year-round resident, frequenting alder and birch trees. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Resident on farmland and coastal clifftops, singing in flight year-round. Numbers have declined but it remains a characteristic voice of open country.
Year-round
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Winters on estuaries like the Camel and Fal, with flocks grazing coastal fields. Absent in midsummer, returning from September.
Sep–May
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
A common resident found year-round in hedgerows, coastal scrub, and gardens. Its remarkably loud song echoes along Cornwall's sheltered valleys.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A familiar year-round resident, commonly seen in gardens, hedgerows, and on seed heads along coastal paths throughout Cornwall.
Year-round
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
A scarce resident, favouring parkland and woodland edges. Its loud, laughing call carries across Cornish valleys.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
An iconic and abundant resident of Cornish towns, harbours, and cliffs. Nests on rooftops and sea cliffs throughout the county.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
A beloved year-round resident, abundant in gardens, hedgerows, and woodland. Sings throughout winter in Cornwall's mild climate.
Year-round
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelisLC
A common resident of rocky coasts and harbours, nesting on sea cliffs. Distinguished from Cormorant by its smaller size and green sheen.
Year-round
Firecrest
Regulus ignicapillaLC
Resident year-round in sheltered woodland and gardens. Cornwall is a stronghold, with numbers boosted by continental arrivals in autumn.
Year-round
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
An uncommon resident breeding on dramatic Cornish sea cliffs. Numbers have declined in recent years.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
A scarce year-round resident, favouring freshwater lakes and reservoirs. Loe Pool and other sheltered waters are reliable sites.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
A tiny resident of coniferous and mixed woodland, present year-round. Numbers swell in autumn with continental immigrants arriving on the coast.
Year-round
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
A common and imposing resident along rocky coasts and harbours. The largest gull in Cornwall, often seen dominating other species.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
A common year-round resident, frequently seen drying its wings on harbour walls and rocky outcrops.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
An uncommon year-round resident on larger reservoirs and estuaries. Its elaborate courtship display can be seen in spring.
Year-round
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
An uncommon resident of mature woodland and wooded valleys. Its drumming is heard in spring across Cornish estates.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A common year-round garden and woodland resident. Its bold two-note song is one of the earliest heard in Cornish hedgerows each spring.
Year-round
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
A rare but increasingly recorded visitor to Cornish wetlands, present mainly from autumn through spring.
Sep–May
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common resident of gardens, hedgerows, and farmland throughout the year, though numbers have declined due to disease.
Year-round
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
An uncommon but regular wader on Cornish estuaries, present most months and often seen feeding on tidal creeks.
Jul–May
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A common year-round resident, often seen stalking fish along Cornwall's estuaries, rivers, and rocky shorelines.
Year-round
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Feeds on muddy estuaries and beaches outside summer, its silvery plumage and black 'armpits' distinctive in flight.
Sep–May
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon resident along streams and rivers, bobbing its long tail on rocks. Also visits farmyards and coastal areas in winter.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A scarce year-round resident, with a mix of feral and genuinely wild birds found on estuaries, lakes and farmland.
Year-round
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common resident closely tied to towns and villages. Nests in buildings and hedges, often seen in noisy, sociable groups.
Year-round
Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoidesLC
A rare but annual winter visitor, typically found among large gull roosts at reservoirs and coastal harbours.
Nov–May
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, abundant around towns, villages and coastal cliffs. Often nests in old buildings and church towers across Cornwall.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
An uncommon year-round resident, often seen hovering over roadside verges and coastal clifftops.
Year-round
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Breeds on Cornish sea cliffs and is present year-round, though numbers have declined sharply in recent years.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
A common resident breeding on rooftops and coastal cliffs. Numbers swell in summer, with birds frequenting harbours and farmland.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
A common resident of gorse-clad clifftops, heathland, and farmland. Often seen in sizeable flocks outside the breeding season.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident on estuaries and creeks throughout Cornwall. Numbers have increased dramatically since colonising in the 1990s.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident on sheltered ponds, reservoirs, and slow-moving rivers. Its whinnying call is distinctive.
Year-round
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Resident year-round, often seen in noisy family flocks moving through hedgerows and woodland. Distinctive long tail makes it easy to identify.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident found in gardens, farmland and hedgerows throughout the county. Easily recognised by its bold black-and-white plumage.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
The commonest duck in Cornwall, found year-round on rivers, estuaries, lakes and farm ponds across the county.
Year-round
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of offshore waters, often seen streaming past headlands. Breeds on nearby islands and rocky coasts.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A common resident of moorland, rough grassland, and clifftops. Numbers increase in autumn and winter with passage birds moving through.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
A scarce resident found in parkland, churchyards and farmland with tall trees. Its loud, rattling song carries across open ground even in winter.
Sep–Jul
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A rare winter visitor to Cornish estuaries, with its elegant upswept bill. Most records come from the Fal and Hayle.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
An uncommon resident gracing sheltered estuaries, lakes and rivers throughout the year. Breeds on a few Cornish waterways.
Year-round
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
A common and spectacular sight year-round, plunge-diving offshore. Easily seen from headlands such as Pendeen and Porthgwarra.
Year-round
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
A scarce resident, most visible on freshwater pools and flooded fields from autumn to spring. Numbers drop in midsummer.
Aug–May
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon but thrilling resident, nesting on dramatic sea cliffs. Cornwall's rugged coastline provides ideal breeding habitat year-round.
Year-round
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
A rare diving duck found on freshwater pools and reservoirs. Numbers have declined nationally, making sightings increasingly notable.
Oct–May
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
A rare but regular winter visitor to rocky headlands and harbour walls, often overlooked among other waders.
Oct–May
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
Nests on sea cliffs and winters offshore, regularly seen from headlands and harbours throughout the year.
Year-round
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxLC
An iconic Cornish resident, recolonising coastal cliffs after local extinction. The county's chough population is a celebrated conservation success story.
Year-round
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
An introduced gamebird, rarely encountered on Cornish farmland. Less established here than in drier eastern counties.
Sep–Jul
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A scarce year-round resident of reedbeds, marshes, and damp scrubby margins across Cornwall's wetland sites.
Year-round
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
Breeds on sandy beaches and shingle, with year-round presence boosted by passage birds. Vulnerable to disturbance at nest sites.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Feral populations inhabit Cornish sea cliffs, harbours, and towns year-round, alongside truly wild birds on remote headlands.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
A common resident of rocky coastlines year-round. Forages along wave-splashed rocks and harbour walls throughout Cornwall's extensive shoreline.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
A common resident forming noisy rookeries in farmland trees across the county. Large flocks forage in agricultural fields year-round.
Year-round
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Present year-round on rocky shorelines and harbours, often seen flipping stones and seaweed to find invertebrates.
Year-round
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Found year-round on sandy beaches, often seen in small flocks racing along the tideline on Cornwall's north coast.
Year-round
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common resident heard singing from gardens and woodland edges year-round. Often repeats its musical phrases from prominent perches in Cornish hedgerows.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, hunting small birds in woodland, hedgerows, and sometimes Cornish gardens.
Year-round
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A year-round resident of farmland and parkland, often overlooked among Woodpigeons. Nests in tree holes and old buildings.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
A common resident of gorse-covered clifftops and heathland year-round. Cornwall's mild winters support a strong and stable population.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A scarce year-round resident of mature woodland. More often heard than seen, calling after dark.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
An uncommon year-round resident on freshwater lakes and reservoirs. Numbers may increase slightly in winter with visiting birds.
Year-round
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
Present year-round along Cornish estuaries and rocky shores, with numbers peaking during spring and autumn passage.
Year-round
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant year-round resident, found in woodlands, parks, gardens, and farmland across the entire county.
Year-round
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
A scarce visitor to wet meadows and coastal fields, mainly seen on spring and autumn passage between April and October.
Apr–Oct
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
A scarce resident of farmland hedgerows, present mainly from late autumn through the breeding season. Has declined significantly in Cornwall.
Nov–Jul
Breeding
(22)
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arcticaVU
Breeds in small numbers on offshore islands, best seen from boat trips around the north coast cliffs in summer.
Mar–Oct
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A common summer visitor breeding in barns and outbuildings from March to November. Gathers in large pre-migration flocks along Cornish reedbeds in autumn.
Mar–Nov
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
A rare breeding visitor to mature oak woodland, arriving in April. More often noted on passage at coastal sites in autumn.
Apr–Oct
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
An uncommon summer breeder in reedbeds from April to October. Found at sites like Marazion Marsh and the Hayle Estuary RSPB reserve.
Apr–Oct
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
Screaming flocks arrive in late April to breed around Cornish towns and villages, departing by September for African wintering grounds.
Apr–Sep
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
A rare breeding visitor arriving in spring, nesting at a few coastal sites. Often seen plunge-diving in estuaries until October.
Apr–Oct
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
Arrives in spring, its distinctive call echoing across moorland and scrub. Parasitises Meadow Pipit and Dunnock nests.
Apr–Jul
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
A rare breeder found on fast-flowing streams on Bodmin Moor and in wooded river valleys. Present mainly from February to June.
Feb–Jun
European Storm-petrel
Hydrobates pelagicusLC
An uncommon breeder on offshore islands and rocky coasts. Best seen on pelagic trips or during onshore gales from May to November.
May–Nov
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borinLC
A scarce summer breeder in Cornwall, favouring dense scrubby woodland. More often heard than seen, with a rich warbling song.
Apr–Oct
Grasshopper Warbler
Locustella naeviaLC
A rare and secretive breeding visitor from April to July. Its insect-like reeling song is heard from dense scrub and rough grassland.
Apr–Jul
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
An uncommon summer visitor nesting under eaves in towns and villages. Arrives from March and departs by October, often seen hawking insects overhead.
Mar–Oct
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
A rare breeding visitor from March to June, slowly recolonising the southwest. Occasionally soars over farmland and wooded valleys with its distinctive forked tail.
Mar–Jun
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
An uncommon summer breeder, nesting in sandy riverbanks and quarry faces. Arrives from March and gathers in flocks before autumn departure.
Mar–Oct
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensisLC
An uncommon breeding visitor to Cornish coasts from March to October. Its harsh call is a familiar sound at sandy estuaries.
Mar–Oct
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
An uncommon summer breeder from April to September, favouring reedbeds and dense waterside vegetation. Its rapid, chattering song includes mimicry.
Apr–Sep
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
An uncommon and declining summer breeder, arriving in May. Favours woodland edges and churchyards, sallying for insects from exposed perches.
May–Oct
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
A rare breeder in scattered woodland clearings, arriving in April and departing by October. More often noted on passage.
Apr–Oct
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
A rare breeder, favouring reedbeds and wetlands. Seen quartering marshes from spring through autumn.
Jan–Oct
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
An uncommon summer breeder on clifftops and moorland, arriving from March. Also seen on passage at coastal headlands into October.
Mar–Oct
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
An uncommon summer breeder favouring scrubby hedgerows and gorse. Arrives in April and departs by October, singing from exposed perches.
Apr–Oct
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
A summer breeder arriving from March, favouring willow scrub and woodland edges. Numbers have declined notably across Cornwall in recent decades.
Mar–Oct
Passage
(7)
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
A rare passage visitor in May, reflecting the species' severe national decline. Once more widespread on Cornish farmland.
May
European Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleucaLC
A rare passage migrant, mainly seen in autumn at coastal headlands and valleys. The Lizard and Porthgwarra are favoured spots.
May–Oct
European Turtle-dove
Streptopelia turturVU
A rare passage migrant, critically declining across Britain. Occasionally recorded in spring and autumn on coastal scrub.
May–Oct
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
A rare passage migrant in spring and autumn, favouring shallow freshwater pools and marshes during brief stopovers.
Apr–Sep
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
A rare passage visitor in late spring and early autumn. This agile falcon occasionally hunts dragonflies over Cornish wetlands and heathland.
May–Sep
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
A rare passage migrant recorded mainly in May and October. Cornwall lies west of its main breeding range, so most records are of drifted migrants.
May–Oct
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
An uncommon passage migrant seen mainly in autumn on coastal scrub and rough grassland. Spring passage is briefer, peaking in May.
May–Oct