Birds to See in Kent in July

148 species matching this filter.

All birds in Kent

Kent's diverse landscapes — from the chalk cliffs of Dover to the expansive marshes of the Thames Estuary and the ancient woodlands of the Weald — support a rich variety of birdlife throughout the summer months. In July, around 148 species can be observed across the county, including breeding residents such as Barn Owl, Linnet and Great Tit, alongside wetland specialists like Common Reed-warbler and Common Shelduck. As the month progresses, early returning waders such as Common Sandpiper and Greenshank begin to appear on passage, offering a tantalising preview of the autumn migration ahead.

Resident

(119)
Avocet

Avocet

Recurvirostra avosettaLC

An elegant wader found year-round on coastal lagoons and marshes, notably at Elmley and Oare Marshes on the Swale.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponicaNT

An uncommon year-round presence on Kent's estuarine mudflats, with numbers peaking in winter. Favours the Thames, Medway and Swale estuaries.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

Tyto albaLC

A rare year-round resident, ghosting silently over farmland and rough grassland at dusk. Nest boxes have aided its presence across Kent.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Bearded Tit

Bearded Tit

Panurus biarmicusLC

An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's extensive reedbeds, particularly at Stodmarsh and the Dungeness RSPB reserve. Often detected by its distinctive pinging call.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Phoenicurus ochrurosLC

A rare year-round resident, favouring coastal cliffs, industrial sites, and urban buildings across Kent. Dover's white cliffs are a well-known stronghold.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Limosa limosaNT

Present year-round on Kent's coastal marshes and estuaries, with the Swale and Medway hosting important flocks. Numbers peak in winter.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Blackbird

Blackbird

Turdus merulaLC

A common and familiar year-round resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland throughout Kent. Continental migrants bolster numbers during autumn and winter.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Blackcap

Blackcap

Sylvia atricapillaLC

Common in Kent's woodlands and gardens year-round, boosted in winter by continental migrants. A rich, fluty song heard from dense cover.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleusLC

One of Kent's most familiar garden birds, this common resident visits feeders year-round and nests readily in garden nest boxes.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Bullfinch

Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC

An uncommon but year-round resident of hedgerows, orchards and woodland edges. Shy and easily overlooked despite its rosy plumage.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Buzzard

Buzzard

Buteo buteoLC

A common resident soaring over Kent's farmland, woodland edges and downs, having recovered strongly across the county in recent decades.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Canada Goose

Canada Goose

Branta canadensisLC

A common year-round resident found on lakes, rivers, and gravel pits across Kent. Established feral populations breed readily throughout the county.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Carrion Crow

Carrion Crow

Corvus coroneLC

An abundant and adaptable resident found across all Kent habitats, from farmland and coast to town centres.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibisLC

An uncommon but increasingly established resident, often seen with livestock on Kent's marshes and farmland. A relatively recent coloniser of the county.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

Cettia cettiLC

A common resident of Kent's wetlands and dense scrub, having expanded rapidly since colonising in the 1970s. More often heard than seen with its explosive song.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Chaffinch

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebsLC

A common resident of woodlands, hedgerows and gardens throughout Kent. One of the county's most familiar finches, with a bold, cheerful song in spring.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybitaLC

A common year-round resident found in woodlands, parks and gardens throughout Kent. Numbers are boosted in winter by continental migrants.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Coal Tit

Coal Tit

Periparus aterLC

An uncommon resident favouring coniferous and mixed woodland, less frequent in Kent than in more heavily forested regions of Britain.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Gull

Common Gull

Larus canusLC

Present year-round on farmland, playing fields, and coasts. Numbers swell in winter with Continental arrivals.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Alcedo atthisLC

Found year-round along Kent's rivers, streams and gravel pits, this dazzling resident is uncommon but regularly seen at sites like Stodmarsh.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Pheasant

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicusLC

Abundant year-round across farmland, woodland edges, and rural gardens, sustained by widespread game releases.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Common Raven

Common Raven

Corvus coraxLC

Once absent from Kent, this impressive corvid has recolonised the county in recent years and is now an uncommon but increasing resident.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucosLC

An uncommon passage and wintering wader along rivers and reservoir margins. Most frequent in spring and autumn.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Feb

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Melanitta nigraLC

Present year-round off Kent's coast, with rafts visible from headlands and sea-watching points. Numbers peak during autumn passage.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Shelduck

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadornaLC

Common on Kent's estuaries and coastal grazing marshes year-round. Large numbers breed on the North Kent Marshes and Pegwell Bay.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Common Snipe

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinagoLC

An uncommon resident of wet grasslands and marshes across Kent. Winter numbers increase with continental arrivals to sites like Stodmarsh.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Starling

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgarisLC

A common resident throughout Kent. Winter roosts can be spectacular, with thousands gathering over towns and reedbeds at dusk.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Coot

Coot

Fulica atraLC

A common resident on Kent's lakes, reservoirs and marshes year-round. Winter flocks can number in the hundreds at favoured wetland sites.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Corn Bunting

Corn Bunting

Emberiza calandraLC

An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's arable farmland, particularly on the chalk downs. A declining species nationally but still holding on locally.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Curlew

Curlew

Numenius arquataNT

Present year-round on estuaries, marshes, and farmland. Winter numbers bolstered by birds from northern breeding grounds.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Dunlin

Dunlin

Calidris alpinaLC

Present year-round on coastal mudflats and saltmarshes, with numbers boosted in winter by Continental migrants.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Dunnock

Dunnock

Prunella modularisLC

A common and widespread resident, found in Kent's gardens, hedgerows, and woodland undergrowth year-round. Its shuffling song is heard from dense cover.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Egyptian Goose

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiacaLC

An uncommon but spreading resident, found year-round on lakes and parkland. Part of the expanding feral population established across southeast England.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Bittern

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellarisLC

A rare, secretive resident of extensive reedbeds. Best detected by its booming call in spring at sites like Stodmarsh.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Collared Dove

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaoctoLC

A common resident throughout Kent's towns, villages and farmsteads. Its monotonous three-note call is a familiar suburban sound all year.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Jay

Garrulus glandariusLC

A common resident of woodlands, hedgerows and gardens throughout Kent, often conspicuous in autumn when caching acorns for winter.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Nuthatch

Eurasian Nuthatch

Sitta europaeaLC

An uncommon but year-round resident of Kent's mature deciduous woodlands. Its loud, ringing call carries far through the Wealden woods.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegusNT

A common resident along Kent's coastline, frequenting estuaries and shingle beaches. Noisy and conspicuous, especially around the Thames and Medway.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Skylark

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensisLC

A common resident singing high over Kent's farmland and downland year-round. Numbers swell in winter with continental arrivals.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Spoonbill

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodiaLC

A rare but increasingly regular visitor to Kent's coastal marshes, often seen sweeping its distinctive bill through shallow water at sites like Oare and Stodmarsh.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanusLC

A rare and declining resident in Kent, now very localised around farmland with old hedgerows and stubble fields.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelopeLC

Mainly a winter visitor to Kent's coastal marshes and estuaries, with large flocks on the Swale and Medway. Small numbers may linger year-round.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Wren

Eurasian Wren

Troglodytes troglodytesLC

One of Kent's most abundant residents, found in virtually every habitat with low cover. Its remarkably powerful song belies its tiny size.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Goldfinch

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelisLC

A colourful year-round resident, commonly seen in gardens, orchards and weedy fields across Kent, often in lively flocks.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Green Woodpecker

European Green Woodpecker

Picus viridisLC

A common resident of parkland, orchards and woodland edges, its loud laughing call is a familiar sound across the Kent countryside.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Herring Gull

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatusLC

A common and familiar gull found year-round along the coast, in towns, and at landfill sites across Kent.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Robin

European Robin

Erithacus rubeculaLC

An abundant year-round resident of Kent's gardens, woodlands, and hedgerows. One of the most familiar and confiding birds in the county.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Shag

European Shag

Phalacrocorax aristotelisLC

A rare coastal visitor, occasionally seen on rocky structures and harbour walls, more typical of western and northern UK coasts.

Rarely spotted

Jul–Apr

Firecrest

Firecrest

Regulus ignicapillaLC

An uncommon but year-round resident of mature woodland and conifer plantations. Kent is a stronghold for this tiny, jewel-crowned bird.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmarus glacialisLC

An uncommon resident, nesting on chalk cliffs along the Kent coast. Stiff-winged flight over the Channel is distinctive year-round.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Gadwall

Gadwall

Mareca streperaLC

Present year-round on freshwater lakes and marshes, with good numbers at Stodmarsh and the Dungeness area. A quiet, easily overlooked dabbling duck.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

Regulus regulusLC

An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's coniferous and mixed woodlands. Britain's smallest bird, often located by its thin, high-pitched call.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricariaLC

Winters in large flocks on arable fields and marshes. Scarce in summer but returns from July onwards.

Uncommonly spotted

Jul–Apr

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinusLC

A bulky resident gull found along the coast and at reservoirs year-round. Often dominates other gulls at feeding sites.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carboLC

Common and widespread year-round along rivers, reservoirs, and the coast. Often seen drying wings on posts and jetties.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatusLC

A common year-round resident on lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits. Its elaborate courtship dance is a highlight on Kent's inland waters in spring.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos majorLC

A common year-round resident in woodlands, parks and mature gardens. Its loud drumming is a familiar spring sound across Kent.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Great Tit

Great Tit

Parus majorLC

A common and bold year-round garden visitor across Kent. Its loud "teacher-teacher" call is one of the first heard in spring.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Ardea albaLC

An increasingly established resident, now seen year-round at marshes and wetlands. Stodmarsh and the Dungeness RSPB reserve are reliable sites.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropusLC

An uncommon but widespread resident of Kent's watercress beds, ditches and marshy pools. Often bobs conspicuously before flying off with a sharp call.

Uncommonly spotted

Jun–Apr

Greenfinch

Greenfinch

Chloris chlorisLC

An uncommon resident found in gardens and farmland year-round. Numbers have declined significantly due to trichomonosis disease.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Greenshank

Greenshank

Tringa nebulariaLC

An uncommon but regular wader, found on estuarine mudflats and coastal pools throughout the year, with a distinctive ringing call.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Ardea cinereaLC

A common year-round resident, standing patiently at the water's edge on rivers, lakes and marshes. Heronries are well established across Kent.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Grey Partridge

Grey Partridge

Perdix perdixLC

A rare and declining resident of Kent's arable farmland, favouring open fields with hedgerow margins. Numbers have fallen sharply across the county.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Grey Plover

Grey Plover

Pluvialis squatarolaLC

Found year-round on Kent's estuarine mudflats, especially the Thames, Medway and Swale. Numbers peak in winter with Continental arrivals.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinereaLC

An uncommon year-round resident along Kent's streams and rivers. Often seen bobbing its long tail on rocks near fast-flowing water.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose

Anser anserLC

Common resident breeding on lakes, marshes, and gravel pits across Kent. Feral populations are well established, often mixing with Canada Geese.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Passer domesticusLC

A common year-round resident closely associated with human habitation across Kent's towns and villages. Numbers have declined nationally but remain steady locally.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Jackdaw

Jackdaw

Corvus monedulaLC

A common and sociable resident, nesting in church towers, old trees and buildings across Kent's towns and villages.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Kestrel

Kestrel

Falco tinnunculusLC

A common resident, hovering over roadside verges and farmland throughout the year. One of Kent's most visible birds of prey.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Kittiwake

Kittiwake

Rissa tridactylaVU

An uncommon year-round presence offshore, sometimes seen from coastal headlands. UK breeding populations are in steep decline.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscusLC

A common resident found at landfill sites, reservoirs and along the coast. Numbers peak in summer but present throughout the year.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Linnet

Linnet

Linaria cannabinaLC

A common resident of open farmland, heathland and coastal scrub. Often forms large winter flocks on Kent's stubble fields.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Little Egret

Little Egret

Egretta garzettaLC

Now a common resident across Kent's marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons, having colonised rapidly since the 1990s.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Little Grebe

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollisLC

An uncommon but resident grebe found on ponds, lakes, and slow rivers year-round, often betrayed by its whinnying trill.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Little Gull

Little Gull

Hydrocoloeus minutusLC

A rare but year-round presence, most often seen offshore or at coastal marshes. Dainty and buoyant, picking food from the water's surface.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Little Owl

Little Owl

Athene noctuaLC

A rare but sedentary resident found in farmland with old orchards and hedgerow trees. Often bobs comically when perched on fence posts.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatusLC

A charming year-round resident of hedgerows and woodland edges, often seen in busy family parties moving through Kent's gardens.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Magpie

Magpie

Pica picaLC

A common and conspicuous resident of gardens, hedgerows and farmland throughout Kent, easily recognised by its bold pied plumage.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mallard

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchosLC

Kent's most widespread duck, common year-round on virtually any body of water from town park ponds to coastal marshes and estuaries.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mandarin Duck

Mandarin Duck

Aix galericulataLC

A rare but established resident, favouring wooded lakes and rivers. Small numbers breed in Kent, often nesting in tree holes near quiet waterways.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit

Poecile palustrisLC

A rare and declining resident of mature deciduous woodland. Sedentary by nature, it favours ancient woods in the Weald and North Downs.

Rarely spotted

Nov–Jul

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Anthus pratensisLC

A common year-round resident of Kent's open grasslands, marshes and coastal areas. Numbers increase in winter with an influx of continental birds.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Turdus viscivorusLC

An uncommon resident of parkland, orchards and open woodland across Kent. Often seen defending berry-laden trees in winter with its rattling call.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Moorhen

Moorhen

Gallinula chloropusLC

A common resident on ponds, lakes and ditches throughout Kent. Easily spotted by its red frontal shield and jerky swimming style.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mute Swan

Mute Swan

Cygnus olorLC

A familiar sight on Kent's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters year-round. Breeds widely and is often seen on the Medway and Stour.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet

Morus bassanusLC

Uncommon but regularly seen offshore year-round, often plunge-diving for fish. Best observed from seawatching points like Dungeness.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellusNT

A familiar resident of farmland and marshes year-round. Winter flocks gather on the North Kent Marshes in good numbers.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeataLC

Found year-round on freshwater marshes and lakes, with numbers boosted in winter. Favours shallow wetlands at Stodmarsh, Cliffe, and Dungeness.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinusLC

An uncommon year-round resident, increasingly seen around coastal cliffs, quarries and urban structures including Canterbury Cathedral.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Pochard

Pochard

Aythya ferinaVU

An uncommon year-round resident, found on deeper lakes and gravel pits. Numbers have declined nationally, making Kent sightings increasingly valued.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Red Crossbill

Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostraLC

A rare and irruptive resident of conifer plantations. Sightings peak in late summer and autumn during invasion years.

Rarely spotted

Jun–Feb

Red Kite

Red Kite

Milvus milvusLC

A rare but increasing year-round resident, now occasionally seen soaring over Kent's countryside. Part of the species' ongoing UK recovery.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Red Knot

Red Knot

Calidris canutusNT

A rare visitor to Kent's mudflats, most likely seen in winter or on autumn passage. Absent in June, with numbers nationally declining.

Rarely spotted

Jul–May

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

Alectoris rufaNT

An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's arable farmland and field margins. An introduced species, numbers are bolstered by releases.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Redshank

Redshank

Tringa totanusLC

A common year-round wader on Kent's estuaries and coastal marshes, easily recognised by its loud piping calls and bright orange-red legs.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclusLC

A common year-round resident of Kent's reedbeds, marshes, and farmland hedgerows. Males are distinctive with bold black head and white collar.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticulaLC

An uncommon resident breeding on shingle beaches and coastal margins. Numbers bolstered in passage periods at sites like Dungeness.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Rock Dove

Rock Dove

Columba liviaLC

Ubiquitous in towns and cities year-round as feral pigeons. Truly wild birds are essentially absent from Kent.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosusLC

An uncommon resident of Kent's rocky coastline, particularly around the chalk cliffs. Forages along the tideline and on seaweed-covered rocks.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Rook

Rook

Corvus frugilegusLC

A common and sociable resident, nesting in noisy rookeries in tall trees across Kent's farmland. Large flocks gather on ploughed fields.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Alexandrinus krameriLC

An established but uncommon resident, part of the expanding south-east England population, often seen in noisy flocks around suburban parks and gardens.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpresLC

An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's rocky shores and harbour walls. Flocks forage along the tideline, flipping stones for invertebrates.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Ruff

Ruff

Philomachus pugnaxLC

An uncommon visitor to Kent's coastal marshes, present most months but absent in June. Favours muddy scrapes at reserves like Elmley.

Uncommonly spotted

Jul–May

Sanderling

Sanderling

Calidris albaLC

Found year-round on Kent's sandy beaches, running along the surf line. Numbers are highest during autumn and spring passage periods.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Thalasseus sandvicensisLC

Present along the coast from March to December, plunge-diving for fish. Breeds at key colonies and is a familiar sight off Pegwell Bay.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Dec

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelosLC

A common resident of gardens, woodlands and hedgerows, heard singing from early spring. Numbers bolstered by continental birds in winter.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisusLC

An uncommon but widespread resident, hunting small birds in woodlands, hedgerows and gardens. Often dashes low through Kent's suburban areas.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropusLC

A rare but regular visitor to Kent's estuarine marshes, present in small numbers most of the year. The Swale and Medway are key sites.

Rarely spotted

Jan–Nov

Stock Dove

Stock Dove

Columba oenasLC

A common resident found in parkland, woodland edges and farmland across Kent. Often nests in tree holes and old buildings.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Stonechat

Stonechat

Saxicola torquatusLC

An uncommon resident of Kent's coastal gorse, heathland, and rough grassland. Numbers are bolstered in winter by birds from the continent.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Tawny Owl

Tawny Owl

Strix alucoLC

A scarce resident of mature woodland and parkland across Kent, more often heard than seen with its familiar hooting call on calm nights.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Treecreeper

Treecreeper

Certhia familiarisLC

An uncommon resident of mature woodland throughout Kent, spiralling up tree trunks in search of insects. Easily overlooked due to its cryptic plumage.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligulaLC

A common year-round resident on Kent's lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits. Males are striking black and white with a distinctive drooping head tuft.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Water Rail

Water Rail

Rallus aquaticusLC

An uncommon but year-round resident of Kent's reedbeds and marshes. More often heard than seen, with a pig-like squeal call.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Western Marsh-harrier

Western Marsh-harrier

Circus aeruginosusLC

A common resident of Kent's extensive reedbeds and marshes, particularly numerous at sites like Stodmarsh and the North Kent Marshes.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Woodpigeon

Woodpigeon

Columba palumbusLC

An abundant resident seen across Kent in woodlands, parks, and gardens. Huge autumn flocks gather on farmland, swelled by continental migrants.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Yellow-legged Gull

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellisLC

A rare year-round resident, most frequently noted in late summer. Best looked for among Herring Gull flocks along the coast.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Emberiza citrinellaLC

An uncommon but year-round resident of farmland hedgerows and scrubby field margins. Declining but still heard singing across rural Kent.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Breeding

(24)
Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaeaLC

A rare breeder in Kent, mainly seen on coastal passage from April to November. Best spotted from seawatching points like Dungeness.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Nov

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rusticaLC

A common summer visitor breeding in barns and outbuildings across rural Kent. Arrives from March and lingers into November before its long migration south.

Commonly spotted

Mar–Nov

Common Reed-warbler

Common Reed-warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC

A common breeding visitor from April, inhabiting Kent's extensive reedbeds at sites like Stodmarsh and Elmley. Its repetitive churring song carries across the marshes.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Common Swift

Common Swift

Apus apusLC

A common summer breeder screaming over Kent's towns and villages from late April to September. Nests in older buildings and purpose-built boxes.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Common Tern

Common Tern

Sterna hirundoLC

A common summer breeder at coastal and gravel-pit sites from April to October. Breeds at Dungeness and along the Medway.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Cuckoo

Cuckoo

Cuculus canorusLC

An uncommon summer visitor arriving in April, heard across Kent's marshes and woodland edges. Declining nationally, making each record notable.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Aug

European Turtle-dove

European Turtle-dove

Streptopelia turturVU

A declining summer breeder in Kent's farmland and hedgerows from April to September. One of the UK's fastest-declining birds.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Garden Warbler

Garden Warbler

Sylvia borinLC

An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, favouring dense woodland understorey. Its rich, even-paced warbling song lacks the terminal flourish of Blackcap.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Garganey

Garganey

Spatula querquedulaLC

A rare summer visitor breeding on Kent's freshwater marshes, arriving in spring. Stodmarsh and Dungeness are traditional sites for this scarce duck.

Rarely spotted

Mar–Oct

Hobby

Hobby

Falco subbuteoLC

An elegant summer breeder arriving in April, hunting dragonflies and small birds over Kent's heathland, farmland and wetland margins.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Oct

House Martin

House Martin

Delichon urbicumLC

An uncommon breeding visitor nesting under the eaves of Kent's houses and buildings. Numbers have declined in recent decades, making it a conservation concern.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Nov

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Curruca currucaLC

An uncommon summer breeder in Kent's dense hedgerows and scrubby thickets, arriving in April. Its rattling song is often the best clue to its presence.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubiusLC

An uncommon summer breeder favouring Kent's gravel pits and reservoir margins. Arrives from March and departs by September.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Sep

Little Tern

Little Tern

Sternula albifronsLC

A rare breeding summer visitor to shingle beaches, present from April to September. A Schedule 1 species needing protected nesting sites.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Sep

Nightingale

Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchosLC

Kent is one of Britain's key strongholds. An uncommon breeder in dense scrub and coppiced woodland from April to July.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Jul

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Riparia ripariaLC

An uncommon breeding visitor from March, nesting in sandy banks along Kent's rivers and gravel pits. Often seen hawking insects over water.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Oct

Sedge Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC

A common summer breeder arriving from March, favouring ditches and wetland margins across Kent's marshes. Delivers its rapid, chattering song from reed tops.

Commonly spotted

Mar–Sep

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striataLC

A rare and declining summer breeder, arriving in May. Favours woodland clearings and mature gardens, sallying from exposed perches.

Rarely spotted

May–Oct

Wheatear

Wheatear

Oenanthe oenantheLC

An uncommon breeder on Kent's chalk downland and coastal grasslands, present from March to October. Often bobs on fence posts and rabbit mounds.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Oct

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopusLC

An uncommon passage visitor, mainly seen on Kent's coastal marshes during spring and autumn migration. Its distinctive whistling call aids detection.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Whitethroat

Whitethroat

Curruca communisLC

A common summer breeder arriving in April, favouring scrubby hedgerows and farmland edges. Its scratchy song is a Kent summer staple.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilusLC

An uncommon breeding visitor to Kent's woodlands and scrubby habitats from March. Has declined significantly in southeast England in recent decades.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Oct

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Tringa glareolaLC

A rare visitor mainly on passage through Kent's freshwater marshes in spring and late summer. Favours muddy pool edges at sites like Stodmarsh.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Sep

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flavaLC

An uncommon summer breeder favouring Kent's low-lying grazing marshes and arable fields. Has declined significantly in southeast England in recent years.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Passage

(5)

Frequently Asked Questions