Uncommon Birds in Cumbria
64 species matching this filter.
Cumbria's diverse landscapes—from the Lake District's mountain tarns to the Solway Firth's expansive estuaries and the Eden Valley's rolling farmland—support a rich variety of birdlife beyond the commonly encountered species. Among the county's 64 uncommon birds, you can find elegant Blackcaps and Garden Warblers in woodland glades, Common Sandpipers along rocky lakeshores, and winter flocks of Fieldfares sweeping across hedgerow-lined fields. Species such as Common Merganser, Greylag Goose, and Common Shelduck highlight the importance of Cumbria's wetlands and coastal habitats for both breeding and wintering birds.
Showing 24–46 of 64 species
European Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleucaLC
A prized summer visitor to Cumbrian oak woodlands, readily using nestboxes. The Lake District is a key UK stronghold.
Apr–Aug
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
A winter thrush from Scandinavia, forming noisy flocks on berry-laden hedgerows and open farmland from October to April.
Oct–Apr
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
An uncommon resident on lowland lakes and reservoirs, often overlooked among larger flocks of dabbling ducks.
Year-round
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borinLC
An uncommon summer breeder from April to August, favouring dense scrub and woodland edges across the county.
Apr–Aug
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, favouring conifer woodlands and often hard to spot despite its high-pitched call.
Year-round
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
An uncommon winter visitor to Cumbria's lakes and estuaries, arriving from autumn and lingering into spring.
Aug–Apr
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
An uncommon but imposing resident found along the coast and at estuaries year-round. The largest British gull species.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
An uncommon resident on larger lakes and reservoirs year-round. Performs elaborate courtship displays on waters like Windermere.
Year-round
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
An uncommon resident of broadleaved and mixed woodlands, also visiting garden feeders. Its loud drumming echoes through Cumbrian woods in spring.
Year-round
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
A resident of fast-flowing streams and rivers, often seen bobbing its long tail on rocks alongside dippers.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
An uncommon year-round resident found on lakes, estuaries and farmland, with both feral and wild birds present.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
An uncommon year-round resident, hovering over roadside verges and rough grassland. Found across lowland farmland and along fell margins.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
An uncommon resident of gorse-covered commons and farmland edges, forming small flocks in winter on stubble fields and weedy margins.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, most often seen along estuaries and coastal wetlands such as Morecambe Bay.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon year-round resident on sheltered ponds, lakes, and slow rivers. Often heard before seen, with a distinctive trilling call.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
A bold, upright thrush found in parkland and open woodland. Often sings from tall trees even in midwinter storms.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
An uncommon resident of ponds, ditches and lake margins, often skulking among waterside vegetation.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
An uncommon but declining resident of farmland and wetland, with winter flocks gathering on coastal fields.
Year-round
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
An uncommon resident on shallow lakes and marshes, with numbers boosted by winter visitors. Scarcer during midsummer.
Aug–May
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
An uncommon but celebrated breeding visitor, returning from March to September. Bassenthwaite Lake hosts one of England's most famous nesting sites.
Mar–Sep
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
Winters on estuaries and farmland in large flocks, notably around Morecambe Bay, arriving from Iceland in autumn.
Sep–May
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
An uncommon resident along the coast and estuaries, also breeding on some upland rivers and lakes.
Year-round
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
An uncommon resident found on saltmarshes, estuaries, and wet grasslands. Breeds on coastal and upland pastures across Cumbria.
Year-round