Uncommon Birds in Kent
73 species matching this filter.
Kent's diverse landscapes — from the Thames Estuary mudflats and Romney Marsh to the chalk downland of the North Downs — support a remarkable variety of birdlife, including 73 species classed as uncommon in the county. Among these are passage migrants such as Arctic Jaeger and Greenshank, elegant breeders like the Avocet, and declining farmland species including the Bullfinch. Whether you're scanning coastal scrapes or exploring ancient woodland, Kent offers rewarding encounters with birds that require a little more patience and local knowledge to find.
Showing 1–23 of 73 species
Arctic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticusLC
An uncommon seabird seen offshore during spring and autumn passage, often harrying terns and gulls along the Kent coast.
Apr–Nov
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
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-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
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
Winters on Kent's estuaries and coastal marshes, with flocks favouring the Swale and Thames estuary mudflats. Absent during summer months.
Sep–May
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
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
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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 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 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 Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
An uncommon resident, mainly seen in Kent's birch and alder woodland. Numbers fluctuate with periodic influxes of continental birds in autumn and winter.
Sep–May
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
An uncommon passage and wintering wader along rivers and reservoir margins. Most frequent in spring and autumn.
Apr–Feb
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 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
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
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
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferrugineaNT
An uncommon autumn passage migrant from July to October, favouring coastal pools and estuarine mudflats across north and east Kent.
Jul–Oct
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Present year-round on coastal mudflats and saltmarshes, with numbers boosted in winter by Continental migrants.
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 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 Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident favouring alder and birch woodland. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals; scarcer in midsummer.
Sep–Jun
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