Birds to See in Kent in June
145 species matching this filter.
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, with around 145 species recorded in June alone. This is a peak month for breeding activity, making it an excellent time to spot species such as Barn Owl, Common Reed-warbler, and House Martin, alongside colourful residents like Linnet and Great Tit. The county's coastal wetlands and reedbeds also attract waders such as Greenshank, while the occasional Mandarin Duck can be found on quiet woodland lakes.
New in June7
Leaving after last month25
- Arctic Jaeger
- Arctic Loon
- Arctic Tern
- Barnacle Goose
- Black Tern
- Brent Goose
- Common Redpoll
- Common Redstart
- Common Sandpiper
- Eider
- Grasshopper Warbler
- Great Skua
- Osprey
- Pomarine Jaeger
- Purple Heron
- Red Knot
- Red-crested Pochard
- Red-throated Loon
- Ruddy Duck
- Ruff
- Short-eared Owl
- Temminck's Stint
- Tree Pipit
- Whinchat
- Wood Sandpiper
Resident
(117)
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
An elegant wader found year-round on coastal lagoons and marshes, notably at Elmley and Oare Marshes on the Swale.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of hedgerows, orchards and woodland edges. Shy and easily overlooked despite its rosy plumage.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
A common resident soaring over Kent's farmland, woodland edges and downs, having recovered strongly across the county in recent decades.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
An abundant and adaptable resident found across all Kent habitats, from farmland and coast to town centres.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common year-round resident found in woodlands, parks and gardens throughout Kent. Numbers are boosted in winter by continental migrants.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
An uncommon resident favouring coniferous and mixed woodland, less frequent in Kent than in more heavily forested regions of Britain.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Present year-round on farmland, playing fields, and coasts. Numbers swell in winter with Continental arrivals.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Abundant year-round across farmland, woodland edges, and rural gardens, sustained by widespread game releases.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon resident of wet grasslands and marshes across Kent. Winter numbers increase with continental arrivals to sites like Stodmarsh.
Year-round
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common resident throughout Kent. Winter roosts can be spectacular, with thousands gathering over towns and reedbeds at dusk.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Present year-round on estuaries, marshes, and farmland. Winter numbers bolstered by birds from northern breeding grounds.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Present year-round on coastal mudflats and saltmarshes, with numbers boosted in winter by Continental migrants.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
A rare, secretive resident of extensive reedbeds. Best detected by its booming call in spring at sites like Stodmarsh.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
A common resident of woodlands, hedgerows and gardens throughout Kent, often conspicuous in autumn when caching acorns for winter.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident favouring alder and birch woodland. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals; scarcer in midsummer.
Sep–Jun
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
A common resident singing high over Kent's farmland and downland year-round. Numbers swell in winter with continental arrivals.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
A rare and declining resident in Kent, now very localised around farmland with old hedgerows and stubble fields.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A colourful year-round resident, commonly seen in gardens, orchards and weedy fields across Kent, often in lively flocks.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
A common and familiar gull found year-round along the coast, in towns, and at landfill sites across Kent.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
An uncommon resident, nesting on chalk cliffs along the Kent coast. Stiff-winged flight over the Channel is distinctive year-round.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Common and widespread year-round along rivers, reservoirs, and the coast. Often seen drying wings on posts and jetties.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Jun–Apr
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
An uncommon resident found in gardens and farmland year-round. Numbers have declined significantly due to trichomonosis disease.
Year-round
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
An uncommon but regular wader, found on estuarine mudflats and coastal pools throughout the year, with a distinctive ringing call.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in church towers, old trees and buildings across Kent's towns and villages.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
A common resident, hovering over roadside verges and farmland throughout the year. One of Kent's most visible birds of prey.
Year-round
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
An uncommon year-round presence offshore, sometimes seen from coastal headlands. UK breeding populations are in steep decline.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
A common resident of open farmland, heathland and coastal scrub. Often forms large winter flocks on Kent's stubble fields.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident across Kent's marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons, having colonised rapidly since the 1990s.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon but resident grebe found on ponds, lakes, and slow rivers year-round, often betrayed by its whinnying trill.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident of gardens, hedgerows and farmland throughout Kent, easily recognised by its bold pied plumage.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Nov–Jul
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident on ponds, lakes and ditches throughout Kent. Easily spotted by its red frontal shield and jerky swimming style.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Uncommon but regularly seen offshore year-round, often plunge-diving for fish. Best observed from seawatching points like Dungeness.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
A familiar resident of farmland and marshes year-round. Winter flocks gather on the North Kent Marshes in good numbers.
Year-round
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
An uncommon visitor, most numerous in winter on coastal marshes and estuaries. Elegant flocks favour the Swale and North Kent Marshes.
Aug–Jun
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.
Year-round
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon year-round resident, increasingly seen around coastal cliffs, quarries and urban structures including Canterbury Cathedral.
Year-round
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon year-round resident, found on deeper lakes and gravel pits. Numbers have declined nationally, making Kent sightings increasingly valued.
Year-round
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
A rare auk seen offshore, mainly in winter and during passage. Occasionally noted from seawatching points like Dungeness.
Sep–Jun
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare and irruptive resident of conifer plantations. Sightings peak in late summer and autumn during invasion years.
Jun–Feb
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon resident breeding on shingle beaches and coastal margins. Numbers bolstered in passage periods at sites like Dungeness.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Ubiquitous in towns and cities year-round as feral pigeons. Truly wild birds are essentially absent from Kent.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Mar–Dec
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common resident of gardens, woodlands and hedgerows, heard singing from early spring. Numbers bolstered by continental birds in winter.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
An uncommon but widespread resident, hunting small birds in woodlands, hedgerows and gardens. Often dashes low through Kent's suburban areas.
Year-round
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.
Jan–Nov
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A common resident found in parkland, woodland edges and farmland across Kent. Often nests in tree holes and old buildings.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant resident seen across Kent in woodlands, parks, and gardens. Huge autumn flocks gather on farmland, swelled by continental migrants.
Year-round
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.
Year-round
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of farmland hedgerows and scrubby field margins. Declining but still heard singing across rural Kent.
Year-round
Breeding
(22)
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.
Mar–Nov
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.
Apr–Oct
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.
Apr–Sep
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.
Apr–Oct
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
An uncommon summer visitor arriving in April, heard across Kent's marshes and woodland edges. Declining nationally, making each record notable.
Apr–Aug
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.
Apr–Sep
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.
Apr–Sep
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.
Mar–Oct
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
An elegant summer breeder arriving in April, hunting dragonflies and small birds over Kent's heathland, farmland and wetland margins.
Apr–Oct
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.
Apr–Nov
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.
Apr–Oct
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubiusLC
An uncommon summer breeder favouring Kent's gravel pits and reservoir margins. Arrives from March and departs by September.
Mar–Sep
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.
Apr–Sep
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchosLC
Kent is one of Britain's key strongholds. An uncommon breeder in dense scrub and coppiced woodland from April to July.
Apr–Jul
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.
Mar–Oct
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.
Mar–Sep
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
A rare and declining summer breeder, arriving in May. Favours woodland clearings and mature gardens, sallying from exposed perches.
May–Oct
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.
Mar–Oct
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.
Apr–Oct
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
A common summer breeder arriving in April, favouring scrubby hedgerows and farmland edges. Its scratchy song is a Kent summer staple.
Apr–Oct
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.
Mar–Oct
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.
Apr–Oct
Passage
(6)
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
A rare escapee from wildfowl collections, occasionally seen on lakes and rivers in late spring. Not a naturally occurring species in Kent.
May–Jun
Eleonora's Falcon
Falco eleonoraeLC
An exceptionally rare vagrant from the Mediterranean, occasionally overshooting to Kent in late spring — a prized find for county birders.
May–Jun
European Honey-buzzard
Pernis apivorusLC
A rare summer passage migrant through Kent from June to August. Favours wooded areas and is most often seen soaring over the North Downs.
Jun–Aug
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinusLC
A rare passage visitor seen during summer and early autumn seawatches, mainly from Dungeness headland.
Jun–Sep
Nightjar
Caprimulgus europaeusLC
A rare passage visitor in June, occasionally found on heathland. Breeds very locally in Kent's remaining heathy woodlands.
Jun
Savi's Warbler
Locustella luscinioidesLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally recorded in June at Kent's larger reedbed sites. Its distinctive reeling song resembles a buzzing insect.
Jun