Common Birds in Norfolk
59 species matching this filter.
Norfolk is one of England's premier birdwatching destinations, with its sweeping coastline, vast salt marshes, and expansive wetlands supporting an impressive diversity of common species. From the haunting call of the Curlew across the mudflats to Eurasian Skylarks singing above open farmland, the county offers rewarding encounters with 60 commonly seen bird species. Many of these birds can also be spotted across the wider UK — for more on widespread species, see our guide to 23 Common Garden Birds in the UK (Full Guide with Pictures) and The most common bird in the UK.
Showing 24–46 of 59 species
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Common on coastal marshes and grazing meadows, with large winter flocks at sites like Cley and Holkham. Present all year.
Year-round
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
One of Norfolk's most widespread residents, found in gardens, hedgerows, and reedbeds. Remarkably loud for its tiny size, singing year-round.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A common and colourful resident seen year-round in gardens, hedgerows and weedy fields, often in lively flocks outside the breeding season.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
A familiar year-round resident along the coast and in towns. Readily scavenges at harbours, landfill sites and seaside resorts.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
A familiar year-round resident of Norfolk gardens, hedgerows, and woodlands, often singing from prominent perches even through winter.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
A common resident of Norfolk's broads, marshes, and gravel pits. Breeds widely and numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals.
Year-round
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
A bulky, powerful gull present year-round along the coast and at harbours, often dominating other gulls at feeding sites.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Common and widespread year-round, found along rivers, the Broads, and the coast, often seen drying wings on posts.
Year-round
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Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A bold and familiar garden visitor year-round, readily using nest boxes. Its loud 'teacher-teacher' song rings out from Norfolk's woods and hedgerows.
Year-round
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common year-round resident of gardens and hedgerows, though numbers have declined significantly due to trichomonosis disease.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A familiar year-round resident, commonly seen standing motionless at marshes, rivers, and Broads waterways.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A common resident found year-round on marshes, broads, and farmland. Norfolk hosts both feral and genuinely wild wintering birds.
Year-round
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
A common summer visitor nesting under eaves in Norfolk's towns and villages. Arrives in April and departs by October, often gathering on wires before migration.
Apr–Oct
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common year-round resident of Norfolk's towns, villages, and farmyards. Sociable and noisy, nesting in holes in buildings and dense hedges.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in church towers and old buildings across Norfolk's towns and villages.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
A common resident hovering over roadside verges, farmland, and coastal marshes throughout the year.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
A common year-round presence along the coast and at inland tips, often seen soaring over fields and marshes throughout Norfolk.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
A common resident of farmland, heathland and coastal scrub, often gathering in large flocks on stubble fields outside the breeding season.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Commonly seen along marshes and waterways year-round, often stalking shallow pools on Norfolk's coastal and inland wetlands.
Year-round
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A charming year-round resident, often seen in noisy family flocks moving through hedgerows and woodland edges across Norfolk.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common year-round resident, frequently seen in Norfolk's gardens, hedgerows, and farmland edges with its bold black-and-white plumage and long tail.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Abundant and widespread on virtually any freshwater habitat, from the Broads to village ponds. Present all year.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A common resident found on coastal marshes, heathland and rough grassland year-round, with numbers boosted by winter arrivals.
Year-round