Birds to See in Devon in December
136 species matching this filter.
Devon's diverse landscapes — from the rugged coasts of Exmoor and the South Hams to the sheltered estuaries of the Exe and Taw — support a rich variety of birdlife throughout the winter months. In December, around 136 species can be observed across the county, including winter visitors such as Brambling and Goldeneye alongside resident favourites like Cetti's Warbler, Grey Heron and Jackdaw. The county's estuaries and reservoirs are particularly rewarding at this time of year, attracting waders, wildfowl and gulls in impressive numbers.
Resident
(110)
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
An elegant wader present on Devon's estuaries for much of the year. The Exe Estuary is a key site, with notable winter flocks.
Jun–Apr
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Frequents Devon's estuaries, especially the Exe and Taw-Torridge, probing mudflats with its upturned bill. Most numerous in winter and on autumn passage.
Jul–May
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
A year-round presence on the Exe Estuary, one of the UK's key wintering sites. Feeds on mudflats in large flocks, with numbers peaking from autumn through spring.
Year-round
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
A common resident found year-round in Devon's gardens, hedgerows and woodlands. Males sing prominently from rooftops and treetops at dusk.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
A common resident found in woodlands and gardens year-round. Winter numbers are bolstered by continental migrants visiting berry-laden hedgerows.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
A common and familiar garden resident throughout Devon. Readily uses nest boxes and feeders, with numbers boosted in winter by continental birds.
Year-round
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of Devon's hedgerows and woodland edges. Shy and easily overlooked despite its striking plumage.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
Devon's most common raptor, soaring over farmland, moors, and woodland edges year-round. Often seen perched on fence posts.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
A common resident found year-round on Devon's lakes, rivers and parkland. Flocks gather on larger water bodies outside the breeding season.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
A common and adaptable resident found across all Devon habitats from coast to moorland. One of the county's most familiar birds.
Year-round
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibisLC
A rare but increasingly regular resident, often seen among livestock on lowland pastures. Part of a recent UK colonisation trend, with a summer gap in records.
Jul–Apr
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, skulking in dense reedbeds and waterside scrub. More often heard than seen, with its explosive song.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common and widespread resident of Devon's woodlands, hedgerows and gardens. Its cheerful song is a hallmark of spring.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common resident heard year-round in woodlands, hedgerows and gardens. Devon's mild climate supports a wintering population boosted by continental birds.
Year-round
Cirl Bunting
Emberiza cirlusLC
Devon is the UK stronghold for this scarce resident. Found on warm, sheltered farmland along the south coast, especially near the Labrador Bay RSPB reserve.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
A common resident of Devon's conifer and mixed woodlands, also visiting garden feeders. Smaller than Blue Tit with a distinctive peaked crest.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Present year-round but most numerous in winter on estuaries, playing fields, and farmland. Less abundant than Herring or Black-headed Gulls.
Year-round
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
Found year-round along Devon's rivers and sheltered estuaries. A flash of electric blue darting low over the water.
Year-round
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
A rare but regular visitor to Devon's coast and estuaries, mainly from October to April. Larger and heavier-billed than other divers.
Oct–May
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
Scarce year-round resident on Devon's rivers, favouring fast-flowing stretches on Dartmoor and the Exe catchment for breeding.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Abundant year-round across Devon's farmland, woodland edges, and hedgerows. Frequently encountered on rural walks throughout the county.
Year-round
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, favouring Devon's rugged coastline and Dartmoor's tors. Deep cronking calls carry far across open landscapes.
Year-round
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Bobs along Devon's rivers and rocky shores throughout the year. Breeds beside upland streams on Dartmoor and Exmoor, with wider dispersal in winter.
Year-round
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
Scarce sea duck seen off Devon's coast most of the year, often in small rafts on open water. Numbers peak during autumn passage.
Jul–May
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
A common resident breeding on Devon's estuaries and coasts. Large moulting flocks gather on the Exe Estuary in late summer.
Year-round
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Found year-round in wet meadows, marshes and estuary margins. Its distinctive 'drumming' display flight can be heard over Devon's moorland bogs in spring.
Aug–Jun
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common resident forming spectacular winter murmurations, notably at coastal piers. Breeds in buildings and tree holes across the county.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Found year-round on Devon's larger lakes and reservoirs. Less widespread than Moorhen, preferring open water with marginal vegetation.
Year-round
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Present year-round, breeding on Dartmoor and wintering on Devon's estuaries. Its evocative call is iconic across the county's moors.
Year-round
Dartford Warbler
Curruca undataNT
A rare resident of gorse-covered heathland, particularly on Devon's coastal commons. Vulnerable to harsh winters but slowly recovering.
Year-round
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
A rare but charismatic resident of fast-flowing Dartmoor rivers and streams. Bobs on rocks and dives for aquatic invertebrates.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Found year-round on Devon's estuaries, forming busy flocks on the Exe mudflats. Numbers peak in winter when Continental birds augment the resident population.
Year-round
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common but unobtrusive resident of Devon's hedgerows and garden shrubberies. Its thin, warbling song is heard year-round.
Year-round
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiacaLC
A rare but increasing feral resident, occasionally seen on Devon's lakes and parkland. Part of a spreading UK population.
Nov–Aug
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
A rare resident along Devon's coast, mainly seen in winter. Small numbers linger off rocky shores and estuarine waters.
Oct–May
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
A familiar resident of Devon's gardens, farms, and villages year-round. Its monotonous three-note call is a constant backdrop.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
An uncommon but widespread resident of Devon's oak woodlands and mature gardens. Its harsh screeching call often betrays its presence.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
An uncommon resident of mature deciduous woodland, often seen spiralling down oak trunks. Sedentary and territorial throughout the year.
Year-round
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
A familiar sight on Devon's estuaries and rocky shores year-round. Its piping call is a characteristic sound of the coast.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident, breeding in conifer woods and visiting garden feeders in winter. Often found in alders along Devon's river valleys.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
An uncommon resident of Devon's open farmland and moorland edges. Declining due to agricultural intensification but still sings over Dartmoor's fringes.
Year-round
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
A rare but increasingly regular visitor to Devon's estuaries, present in most months. Favours sites like the Exe Estuary.
Jun–Apr
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
An uncommon resident, with numbers boosted in winter on Devon's estuaries and flooded fields. Whistling flocks favour the Exe.
Year-round
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
A common and widespread resident, belting out its powerful song from hedgerows, gardens and woodland undergrowth across Devon year-round.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A common and colourful year-round resident, thriving in gardens, orchards, and weedy field margins. Often seen in charm flocks feeding on teasel and thistle.
Year-round
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
Resident year-round, often heard giving its laughing 'yaffle' call across Devon's parklands and pastures. Feeds mainly on ants in short grassland.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
An abundant and familiar resident of Devon's towns, harbours, and coastline. Nests on rooftops and cliffs throughout the county.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
One of Devon's most familiar garden birds, present year-round and singing through much of the winter. Fiercely territorial despite its gentle appearance.
Year-round
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelisLC
Resident on Devon's rocky coasts, favouring cliffs and harbours. Smaller and darker than the Great Cormorant.
Year-round
Firecrest
Regulus ignicapillaLC
An uncommon resident favouring evergreen woodland and sheltered valleys. Devon is a stronghold, with numbers boosted by autumn continental migrants.
Sep–Jul
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
Breeds on Devon's dramatic sea cliffs, notably at Hartland and Berry Head. Present most of the year but scarce in autumn.
Dec–Sep
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
A rare year-round resident on Devon's freshwater lakes and marshes. Often overlooked among flocks of other dabbling ducks.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
A common resident of coniferous and mixed woodland. Tiny but vocal, its high-pitched call is a familiar sound in Devon's woods and gardens.
Year-round
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
A common and imposing resident found along Devon's coast and estuaries year-round. The largest gull regularly seen in the county.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Common throughout the year on Devon's estuaries, reservoirs, and coastline. Often seen perched with wings outstretched to dry.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
An uncommon year-round resident on Devon's larger lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. Its elaborate courtship display is a highlight of spring.
Year-round
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Common in Devon's woodlands, parks, and gardens year-round. Its loud drumming is a familiar sound in spring.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A common resident found in virtually every Devon habitat with trees. A dominant visitor to garden feeders with a bold, assertive character.
Year-round
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
A scarce but regular visitor to freshwater pools, ditches and watercress beds. Most often seen during return migration in July–August and again in winter.
Jul–Apr
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common year-round resident, though numbers have declined due to trichomonosis. Frequents gardens, hedgerows, and farmland across the county.
Year-round
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
Present year-round on Devon's estuaries and coastal creeks, though never in large numbers. Elegant and long-legged, often seen wading in shallow tidal channels.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A familiar year-round resident on Devon's rivers, estuaries, and farmland ponds. Nests colonially in tall trees.
Year-round
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Found on Devon's estuaries and mudflats for much of the year, with peak numbers in winter. The Exe Estuary is a favoured site.
Jul–May
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon resident favouring Devon's fast-flowing streams and rivers, often seen bobbing on rocks. Moves to lowland areas in winter.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A rare year-round resident found on Devon's estuaries, lakes and farmland. Both feral and genuinely wild birds occur.
Year-round
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common resident closely tied to Devon's towns and villages, nesting in roof spaces. Numbers have declined but colonies persist.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in Devon's church towers, old buildings, and cliff faces. Often seen in noisy flocks with Rooks.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
An uncommon resident, often seen hovering over Devon's roadside verges, farmland, and coastal grasslands while hunting for voles and small mammals.
Year-round
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Breeds on Devon's sea cliffs, notably at Lundy and Berry Head. Numbers are declining nationally, making local colonies increasingly important.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Present year-round but most numerous from spring to autumn. Frequents estuaries, landfill sites, and coastal fields across Devon.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
Found year-round on coastal scrub, farmland, and gorse-covered commons. Numbers have declined but flocks still gather on stubble fields in winter.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident along Devon's estuaries and coasts, having colonised since the 1990s. Readily seen on the Exe Estuary year-round.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident on Devon's ponds, lakes, and sheltered waterways. Its distinctive whinnying call often reveals its presence.
Year-round
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A common and charming resident of hedgerows and woodland. Often seen in noisy family flocks moving acrobatically through Devon's trees.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident throughout Devon's towns, villages, and farmland. Bold and adaptable, frequently seen in gardens.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
A common year-round resident found on virtually any freshwater across Devon, from farm ponds to estuaries and town parks.
Year-round
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
A rare but striking resident found on wooded rivers and lakes. Males are unmistakable with their ornate plumage.
Year-round
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
An uncommon resident of Devon's mature deciduous woodlands and hedgerows. Sedentary and territorial, often found in the same patch year-round.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
An uncommon resident of Dartmoor's open grasslands and coastal clifftops. Numbers swell in autumn with passage birds moving through.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
An uncommon resident of parkland, orchards and open woodland. Often sings from treetops in late winter, earlier than most thrushes.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident of Devon's ponds, streams, and waterways year-round. Often seen picking along muddy banks with a flicking tail.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A familiar year-round resident gracing Devon's rivers, estuaries and town lakes. Pairs nest along waterways across the county.
Year-round
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Seen offshore year-round, often plunge-diving spectacularly. Regularly observed from headlands such as Berry Head and Prawle Point.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
A declining resident found on Devon's farmland and estuaries year-round. Winter flocks on the Exe can be impressive.
Year-round
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
An uncommon resident found on Devon's wetlands and estuaries. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals.
Jul–May
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, nesting on Devon's sea cliffs and occasionally on urban buildings. Spectacular stoops on prey at high speed.
Year-round
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
Breeds on Devon's dramatic sea cliffs and winters offshore. Often seen at sites like Berry Head and Lundy Island year-round.
Year-round
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare and irruptive resident of conifer plantations, notably on Dartmoor and in Haldon Forest. Numbers vary greatly between years.
Aug–Jun
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Scarce on Devon's estuaries compared to larger east coast sites. Small flocks occasionally appear on the Exe mudflats, mainly in winter and on passage.
Jul–Apr
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Common on Devon's estuaries year-round, with its loud piping calls a familiar sound on the Exe and Taw mudflats. Numbers bolstered by winter visitors.
Year-round
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
An uncommon resident of reedbeds, marshes, and wet ditches. Found at sites like the Exe Estuary and Slapton Ley throughout the year.
Year-round
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
Present year-round on Devon's shingle beaches and estuarine mudflats. Breeds on a few coastal sites but numbers remain modest.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Found year-round along Devon's sea cliffs and in towns as feral pigeons. True wild-type birds favour rocky coastal ledges.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
An uncommon resident of Devon's rocky coastline, foraging along wave-splashed shores and harbour walls throughout the year.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
A common resident of Devon's agricultural lowlands, nesting colonially in tall trees. Rookeries are a familiar sight across the county's farmland.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
A rare resident, with small numbers established around Exeter and other Devon towns. A non-native species slowly spreading from south-east England.
Year-round
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Forages along Devon's rocky shorelines and harbour walls, flipping stones and seaweed to find invertebrates. Present most months but absent in midsummer.
Jul–May
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Scarce but regular on Devon's sandy beaches, running rapidly along the tideline. Most likely on south coast beaches in winter and during passage periods.
Jul–May
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland. Its rich, repetitive song is one of the earliest heard in Devon's spring chorus.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
A year-round resident, hunting small birds in Devon's woodlands, hedgerows, and gardens. Often dashes low through cover.
Year-round
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
Scarce but regular on the Exe and other estuaries, often feeding apart from common Redshanks. Most likely seen in autumn passage and winter months.
Jul–Apr
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A quiet, unobtrusive resident of Devon's mature woodlands and parkland. Often overlooked but identified by its black eye and wing bars.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
A common resident of Devon's coastal gorse, heathland and Dartmoor margins. Often perches prominently, flicking its tail.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A secretive year-round resident of Devon's mature woodlands and wooded gardens. More often heard than seen after dark.
Year-round
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
An uncommon but widespread resident, creeping mouse-like up tree trunks in Devon's woodlands and mature gardens throughout the year.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
An uncommon year-round resident on Devon's lakes and reservoirs. Numbers peak in winter when birds gather on larger water bodies.
Year-round
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
A rare but increasingly seen resident, quartering reedbeds and marshes on Devon's estuaries and wetland reserves.
Jul–May
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant year-round resident found in woodlands, parks, gardens, and farmland across the county. Numbers swell in autumn with continental immigrants.
Year-round
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
An uncommon resident with additional rare passage birds in summer and autumn. Most reliably seen at coastal tips and harbours, peaking in late summer.
Jun–Apr
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of hedgerows and arable farmland. Males sing their distinctive song from prominent perches in spring and summer.
Year-round
Non-breeding
(22)
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
A rare midwinter visitor to Devon's coastal waters, mainly in December to February. Usually seen singly in sheltered bays.
Dec–Feb
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
A rare winter visitor occasionally spotted along Devon's rocky coastline and harbour walls between October and March.
Oct–Mar
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
A rare non-breeding visitor in midwinter, favouring sheltered estuaries and coastal lagoons. Most likely seen in January, February, or December.
Dec–Feb
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter visitor from Scandinavia, occasionally joining chaffinch flocks at beech mast sites across Devon's woodlands.
Oct–Mar
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
An uncommon winter visitor to Devon's estuaries, especially the Exe. Dark-bellied birds predominate from autumn through to spring.
Sep–Apr
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
Winters in Devon's damp woodlands and hedgerows, often flushed unexpectedly from leaf litter. Most likely encountered during cold snaps from December to March.
Dec–Mar
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
An uncommon winter visitor arriving from Scandinavia, often seen in flocks feeding on hedgerow berries across Devon's farmland from October to March.
Oct–Mar
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to Devon's farmland and estuaries from autumn to spring. Flocks sometimes gather on wet pastures.
Sep–Mar
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
Rare winter visitor to Devon's reservoirs and estuaries from November to March. The striking black-and-white males are easiest to spot.
Nov–Mar
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
A rare winter visitor to Devon's estuaries and sheltered coastal waters, most likely between November and March.
Nov–Mar
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
A rare non-breeding visitor from November to March. Favours sheltered estuaries and coastal bays, often in winter plumage.
Nov–Mar
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
An uncommon winter visitor to Devon's estuaries and coastal marshes. Elegant and long-tailed, favouring the Exe and Taw.
Sep–Apr
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
A rare non-breeding visitor to Devon's lakes and reservoirs. This nationally declining species is most likely in winter months.
Aug–Apr
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
A scarce winter visitor favouring rocky shorelines and breakwaters. Most reliably found along Devon's exposed north coast from November to March.
Nov–Mar
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Winters on Devon's estuaries and sheltered coasts, often seen fishing in small groups on the Exe or Taw-Torridge estuaries.
Oct–Apr
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
A rare non-breeding visitor from November to April. Seen in Devon's coastal waters and estuaries, often flying low over the sea.
Nov–Apr
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
An uncommon winter visitor from Scandinavia, arriving from October. Feeds on berries in hedgerows and fields, often alongside fieldfares.
Oct–Mar
Ruff
Philomachus pugnaxLC
A scarce non-breeding visitor to freshwater marshes and estuary edges. Most records fall between autumn and early spring, often involving single birds.
Jul–Mar
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fuscaVU
A rare winter visitor to Devon's coastal waters. Usually found singly among Common Scoter flocks offshore.
Nov–Jan
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
A rare winter visitor to Devon's watercress beds and marshy stream edges, present from November to March.
Nov–Mar
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
A secretive bird of Devon's reedbeds and marshes, more often heard than seen. Most frequently detected in winter months.
Aug–Apr
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
A rare autumn and winter visitor from Siberia, occasionally found in coastal scrub and gardens, mainly around October and November.
Oct–Jan
Passage
(4)
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
A rare passage visitor, with small numbers occasionally appearing on Devon's estuaries and coastal fields in autumn and late winter.
Oct–Mar
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifronsLC
A rare winter visitor, occasionally turning up on Devon's estuaries and coastal grazing marshes in midwinter cold snaps.
Dec–Jan
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A secretive winter visitor to boggy marshes and wet meadows. Easily overlooked due to its skulking habits, typically flushing only at very close range.
Dec
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
A rare passage visitor, most likely seen over Dartmoor or coastal headlands in autumn and early winter. Dashing flight low over open ground.
Oct–Mar