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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Essex

Our list for Essex has 214 bird species recorded regularly there: 97 residents, 29 summer visitors, 43 winter visitors, 35 passage migrants and 10 scarce visitors

The list comes from 666,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Species on our list
214
In October
162
Common
100
Busiest month
Jan

What's special about Essex

vs England

The birds recorded far more often here than across England, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones Essex is worth visiting for.

  1. NightingaleNightingale5.8×Summer visitor · 0.16% of records here, 0.03% across England
  2. SmewSmew5.3×Winter visitor · 0.08% of records here, 0.02% across England
  3. Grey PloverGrey Plover3.6×Winter visitor · 0.43% of records here, 0.12% across England
  4. Greater ScaupGreater Scaup3.1×Winter visitor · 0.09% of records here, 0.03% across England
  5. Corn BuntingCorn Bunting3.0×Resident · 0.20% of records here, 0.07% across England
  6. Tundra SwanTundra Swan2.9×Passage migrant · 0.05% of records here, 0.02% across England
  7. Horned GrebeHorned Grebe2.9×Winter visitor · 0.04% of records here, 0.01% across England
  8. Black-necked GrebeBlack-necked Grebe2.8×Winter visitor · 0.06% of records here, 0.02% across England

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. WoodpigeonWoodpigeon2.68%
  2. Carrion CrowCarrion Crow2.61%
  3. MagpieMagpie2.49%
  4. European RobinEuropean Robin2.47%
  5. Black-headed GullBlack-headed Gull2.41%
  6. Blue TitBlue Tit2.29%

Arriving now

  1. RedwingRedwingWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.44%
  2. Common RedpollCommon RedpollWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.14%
  3. Common MerganserCommon MerganserWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.13%
  4. GoldeneyeGoldeneyeWinter visitorSep 0.03% → Oct 0.13%
  5. FieldfareFieldfareWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.10%
  6. FirecrestFirecrestWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.06%

Share of all bird records in Essex in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for Essex

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in Essex

Records by month
Bird records in Essex by month, 2019–2024
January80,838
February46,155
March54,187
April73,971
May75,413
June44,646
July39,827
August49,006
September52,672
October50,743
November49,819
December48,496

January has the most records (81,000). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 31
All 31 families in Essex

How common

More of England

All of England

All 214 birds, A to Z

Show all 214 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Essex known for?

Compared with the rest of England, Essex stands out for Nightingale, Smew, Grey Plover and Greater Scaup. Each is recorded at least 3.1 times as often here as across England, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for Essex?

214 species, each recorded regularly in Essex (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 97 residents, 29 summer visitors, 43 winter visitors, 35 passage migrants and 10 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Essex, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Essex in October?

162 species on our list for Essex are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, European Robin and Black-headed Gull.

What are the most common birds in Essex?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Essex are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, European Robin, Magpie and Blue Tit.

Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made

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