Rare Birds in Dorset
82 species matching this filter.
Dorset's diverse landscapes—from the dramatic Jurassic Coast and sheltered harbours of Poole and Portland to ancient heathlands and rolling chalk downlands—attract an impressive array of rare bird species. With 82 species classified as rare in the county, patient observers may encounter elusive visitors such as the Great Grey Shrike, Arctic Jaeger, and Grasshopper Warbler, alongside scarce residents like the Barn Owl and Eurasian Woodcock. Whether scanning offshore waters for Black Guillemots and Kittiwakes or listening for the reeling song of a Garden Warbler in dense scrub, Dorset offers rewarding birding for those willing to seek out its rarer avian inhabitants.
Showing 70–82 of 82 species
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A resident of Dorset's mature woodlands, heard more often than seen. Its familiar hooting call carries through the county's valleys on still nights.
Year-round
Tundra Bean Goose
Anser serrirostrisLC
A rare midwinter visitor in January and December, occasionally turning up on wet grassland and flooded fields among other wintering geese.
Dec–Jan
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fuscaVU
A rare non-breeding visitor to offshore waters from October to January. Best looked for from Portland Bill among Common Scoter flocks.
Oct–Jan
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
A rare winter visitor to Dorset's watercress beds and wetland margins, most likely seen between November and February.
Nov–Feb
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
A rare visitor seen mainly on passage in spring and autumn, favouring rough grassland and heathland edges. Identified by its bold pale supercilium.
Apr–Oct
White-tailed Sea-eagle
Haliaeetus albicillaLC
A rare but exciting resident following reintroduction on the Isle of Purbeck. Occasionally seen soaring over Poole Harbour and surrounding areas.
Year-round
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
A rare passage visitor recorded in March, occasionally stopping on flooded fields or lakes during northward spring migration.
Mar
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareolaLC
A rare passage migrant in late summer, occasionally stopping at Dorset's freshwater scrapes and flooded fields.
Jul–Sep
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Woodchat Shrike
Lanius senatorNT
A rare spring overshoot from southern Europe, occasionally appearing at Dorset's coastal sites in May. A striking, boldly patterned shrike.
May
Woodlark
Lullula arboreaLC
A rare resident favouring Dorset's lowland heaths and forest clearings. Sings its melodious descending song from treetops, mainly in spring.
Jan–Oct
Wryneck
Jynx torquillaLC
A rare autumn passage migrant, most likely at coastal sites like Portland in September. Once bred in Britain but now only an occasional visitor.
Sep
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
A rare but eagerly sought autumn passage migrant, typically appearing at Portland Bill in October. A Siberian waif with a bold supercilium.
Oct
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
A rare but increasingly regular visitor, mainly from late summer into winter. Often found among flocks of Herring Gulls at Poole Harbour.
Mar–Dec