Uncommon Birds in Lancashire
54 species matching this filter.
Lancashire supports a rich variety of birdlife across its diverse landscapes, from the vast mudflats of Morecambe Bay to the mosses, meres and upland moors of the interior. Among the county's 54 uncommon species, birders can encounter striking birds such as the Avocet, Eurasian Bittern and Fieldfare, many of which are associated with the region's important wetland habitats and coastal reserves. Whether visiting the reedbeds of Leighton Moss or the estuarine marshes of the Ribble, these less frequently seen species offer rewarding encounters for the patient observer.
Showing 1–23 of 54 species
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
An uncommon breeder at coastal wetlands, with the Ribble Estuary marshes a key site. Present from February to October.
Feb–Oct
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Uncommon but present year-round, favouring wet grasslands and estuarine pools at sites like Martin Mere and the Ribble.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
An uncommon year-round resident of woodland and mature gardens. Some overwinter, supplemented by continental birds visiting berry-laden hedgerows.
Year-round
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon year-round resident, often found in hedgerows and woodland edges. Shy and easily overlooked despite the male's striking pink breast.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
An uncommon but increasing year-round resident of dense reedbed and waterside scrub. Its explosive song rings out at sites like Leighton Moss.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Present year-round but most numerous in winter, frequenting playing fields, reservoirs, and the coast alongside other gull species.
Year-round
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
An uncommon but delightful resident along clean rivers and streams. Often glimpsed as a flash of blue over water.
Year-round
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
An uncommon resident breeding along upland rivers in the Forest of Bowland, moving to lowland lakes and reservoirs in winter.
Year-round
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Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
An uncommon resident that has spread across Lancashire in recent decades, now seen over uplands, coasts and increasingly in lowland areas.
Year-round
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
An uncommon summer breeder found in Phragmites reedbeds from April to September. Key sites include Leighton Moss and the Ribble marshes.
Apr–Sep
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Breeds along upland streams in the Bowland fells and Pennine fringes, bobbing on riverside rocks from April to October.
Apr–Oct
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon resident of Lancashire's bogs, marshes and wet meadows. Numbers increase in winter with arrivals from the continent.
Year-round
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
An uncommon breeding visitor from April to September, nesting on rafts and islands at sites like Brockholes and along the Ribble.
Apr–Sep
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, favouring moorland edges and reed beds. Its distinctive call echoes across Bowland's valleys.
Apr–Jun
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
An uncommon resident found year-round on estuarine mudflats, especially Morecambe Bay and the Ribble, with winter flocks.
Year-round
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
A secretive year-round resident of reedbeds at sites like Leighton Moss. Its booming call in spring is a highlight of Lancashire birding.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of mature broadleaved and mixed woodland. Often detected by its harsh, screeching call in autumn.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
An uncommon resident of mature deciduous woodland, found at sites across Lancashire. Its loud call and tree-climbing habit make it distinctive.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident favouring conifer plantations and alder stands. Often visits garden nyjer feeders in winter when numbers are boosted by migrants.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
An uncommon resident of open farmland and moorland edges, singing in hovering flight over Lancashire's fields. Numbers have declined significantly.
Year-round
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
An uncommon resident found around farmyards and rural hedgerows. Has declined nationally but persists in scattered Lancashire colonies.
Year-round
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
An uncommon winter visitor arriving in flocks from October, feeding on berries and in open fields across Lancashire's farmland.
Oct–Apr
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
An uncommon resident breeding on Bowland's moorland tops. Large winter flocks gather on coastal fields and the Ribble marshes.
Jul–May