Birds in Merseyside
Explore 203 species found in this region.
Merseyside supports a rich diversity of birdlife, with 195 species recorded across the county's varied habitats. From the internationally important estuarine mudflats of the Dee and Mersey, which attract large flocks of Northern Pintail, Pink-footed Geese and Northern Lapwing, to urban parks where Great Tits and Magpies thrive, the region offers excellent birding year-round. Notable species include wintering wildfowl such as Common Shelduck and Common Merganser, as well as passage waders like Common Sandpiper and the elusive Eurasian Woodcock in woodland areas.
Visiting in April? Look out for Arctic Tern and Black Redstart arriving this month, and Common Kingfisher and Common Scoter depart for the season.
Showing 139–161 of 203 species
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
A rare Nearctic vagrant, occasionally turning up on spring passage in May at coastal pools and marshes.
May
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, nesting on tall buildings in Liverpool and hunting over estuarine mudflats and marshes.
Year-round
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
A common sight over Merseyside in winter, with large skeins flying to and from feeding fields. Numbers peak from October to March.
Aug–May
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon year-round resident on Merseyside's lakes and meres. Numbers have declined nationally, making local sightings increasingly noteworthy.
Year-round
Pomarine Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinusLC
A rare autumn seabird, occasionally spotted from headlands during September seawatches, often following gales in the Irish Sea.
Sep
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to Merseyside's rocky shorelines and sea walls from November to April. Favours wave-washed rocks at sites like New Brighton.
Nov–Apr
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
Rarely recorded on passage in September, typically seen from seawatching points. More often observed offshore during stormy weather.
Sep
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally noted in October during irruptive movements, favouring conifer stands in parks and woodlands.
Oct
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Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
An uncommon but locally significant wader on Merseyside's estuaries. Large winter flocks gather on the Dee and at Seaforth, swirling in spectacular aerial displays.
Year-round
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
An uncommon non-breeding visitor to the Mersey estuary and coastal waters from autumn through spring. Often seen fishing in sheltered bays and river channels.
Sep–Apr
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
A rare resident, occasionally found on agricultural land in Merseyside. An introduced species, it is far less established here than in southern England.
Year-round
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
A rare resident, mainly seen offshore in autumn and winter. Spring passage birds occasionally noted in Liverpool Bay.
Sep–Apr
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
A familiar wader year-round on the Mersey estuary and Ribble marshes, its piping calls a constant soundtrack to the region's mudflats.
Year-round
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
An uncommon winter visitor from Scandinavia, foraging in hedgerows and on berry-laden trees from autumn through to early spring.
Sep–Apr
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common resident of reedbeds, marshes and damp scrub. Readily found at wetland sites and along the region's canal corridors.
Year-round
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
A rare passage migrant, briefly pausing on coastal scrub and dunes in April on its way to upland breeding grounds.
Apr
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensisLC
A rare Nearctic gull occasionally found among winter gull flocks in January. Careful checking of Herring Gulls may reveal one.
Jan
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon year-round resident breeding on sandy shores along the Sefton coast, with numbers boosted by passage birds.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
A common resident in its feral form throughout urban Merseyside, nesting on buildings and bridges year-round.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to Merseyside's rocky shorelines and sea walls, most likely seen from autumn through to early spring.
Aug–Mar
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
An uncommon resident nesting in noisy rookeries in farmland trees, though declining across much of its former range in the region.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, with small numbers establishing in suburban parks and gardens across the region.
Year-round
Roseate Tern
Sterna dougalliiLC
A rare and prized breeding visitor from May to August, with Seaforth Nature Reserve offering one of the UK's few nesting sites.
May–Aug