Rare Birds in Merseyside
85 species matching this filter.
Merseyside's diverse coastal habitats, estuaries, and pockets of woodland provide occasional refuge for a fascinating array of rare bird species. With 85 species classified as rare across the county, patient birders may be rewarded with sightings of Arctic Jaeger and Great Skua offshore, Eurasian Woodcock in secluded woodland, or the striking European Green Woodpecker in parkland settings. The Mersey Estuary and Sefton Coast are particularly notable hotspots where uncommon visitors and scarce residents can turn up throughout the year.
Showing 1–23 of 85 species
Arctic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticusLC
A rare passage migrant off the Merseyside coast from July to September, sometimes seen harassing terns at Seaforth or New Brighton.
Jul–Sep
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
A rare passage visitor in midwinter, occasionally spotted offshore or in Liverpool Bay during December and January.
Dec–Jan
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
A rare but cherished resident, hunting voles over farmland and rough grassland. Nest box schemes have helped sustain the local population.
Sep–Jul
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
A rare resident, with small numbers on coastal marshes. Origins of birds can be uncertain, mixing feral and genuinely wild individuals.
Sep–Jun
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
A rare breeding species favouring industrial and waterfront buildings, with occasional records around Liverpool's docklands.
Apr–Oct
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
A rare introduced breeder, occasionally seen on park lakes and ornamental waters from spring through autumn.
Apr–Oct
Black Tern
Chlidonias nigerLC
A rare breeder, present spring to early autumn at freshwater marshes. Elegant dark plumage makes it unmistakable among terns.
Apr–Sep
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
A rare passage visitor to sheltered pools and reservoirs, most likely seen in late summer and autumn.
Jul–Oct
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Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter visitor from Scandinavia, occasionally found among Chaffinch flocks in beech woodland and farmland edges from October to April.
Oct–Apr
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to the Mersey estuary and Dee shoreline, present mainly from autumn through to spring.
Sep–Apr
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
A shy resident of hedgerows and woodland edges, rarely seen but sometimes visits garden feeders. Numbers have declined significantly across the region.
Year-round
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibisLC
A rare but increasingly recorded resident, reflecting its northward spread in the UK. Often associates with livestock on damp pastures.
Apr–Jan
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
A rare late-autumn and winter visitor to Liverpool Bay, occasionally spotted from shore during seawatches in November and December.
Nov–Dec
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to reservoirs and river channels, mainly from autumn through to spring.
Sep–Apr
Common Quail
Coturnix coturnixLC
A rare and secretive passage visitor in June, more often heard calling from arable fields than seen.
Jun
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
A rare resident found in birch and alder woodland. Numbers fluctuate year to year, with small flocks sometimes visiting garden feeders in winter.
Sep–May
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
A rare passage migrant in spring and autumn, pausing briefly in coastal scrub and gardens on the Sefton coast.
Apr–Sep
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally noted offshore in Liverpool Bay during March, with larger flocks further out to sea.
Jul–Apr
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
A rare breeding visitor to arable farmland from March to June. One of the UK's most rapidly declining species, very scarce here.
Mar–Jun
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
A rare spring passage migrant, heard or seen briefly in April and May. Declining nationally, its distinctive call is now an increasingly scarce sound in Merseyside.
Apr–May
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferrugineaNT
A rare passage wader visiting Merseyside's coastal pools and mudflats, mainly in late summer and autumn. Often found among flocks of dunlin at favoured sites.
May–Oct
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
A rare passage visitor, occasionally spotted offshore or on the Mersey estuary during May and autumn. Most records involve single birds lingering briefly.
May–Oct
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
A rare breeding visitor, increasingly seen at Marshside and the Mersey estuary marshes from February to September.
Feb–Sep