Birds to See in Herefordshire in May
91 bird species on our list for Herefordshire are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Blackbird, Woodpigeon, European Robin, Eurasian Wren and Chiffchaff. New this month: Common Swift, Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat and Little Ringed Plover and 2 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
From Herefordshire’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 91 birds in May
91 birds
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 4.49% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 4.23% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.87% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.44% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 3.43% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.30% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 3.21% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 3.04% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.85% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.76% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.57% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.40% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.32% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.21% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 2.02% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.88% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.64% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.57% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.52% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.44% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.36% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in May
Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.31% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 1.27% in May
Red KiteMilvus milvusResidentCommon60–66 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in May
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 1.13% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.05% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.97% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.83% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.77% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusPassage migrantCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.70% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in May
Mandarin DuckAix galericulataSummer visitorCommon41–49 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.67% in May
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in May
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.58% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.55% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRegularly Feb–Jun · 0.42% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.34% in May
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.34% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.34% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusSummer visitorCommon55–67 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.28% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.28% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in May
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Mar–Jun · 0.27% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.25% in May
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.25% in May
European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleucaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.23% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorCommon75–90 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.23% in May
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.22% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.22% in May
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.20% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.20% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon29–37 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.20% in May
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.19% in May
European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisResidentCommon30–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in May
DipperCinclus cinclusSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.16% in May
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Jan–Jun · 0.16% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in May
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrixPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May · 0.13% in May
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaPassage migrantUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.13% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusPassage migrantUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · records held back in May (protected)
Marsh TitPoecile palustrisResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.09% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.06% in May
Northern PintailAnas acutaScarceUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · records held back in May (protected)
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