Birds to See in North Yorkshire in June

154 species matching this filter.

All birds in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire's diverse landscapes — from the windswept moorlands of the Dales and North York Moors to the coastal cliffs and estuaries of the east — support a remarkable variety of birdlife. In June, 154 species have been recorded across the county, including breeding favourites such as Barn Owl, Linnet, and Common Reed-warbler, alongside waders like Common Sandpiper frequenting the region's rivers and reservoirs. Whether you're exploring upland heather, lowland farmland, or freshwater wetlands, North Yorkshire offers outstanding birding throughout the summer months.

Resident

(118)
Arctic Jaeger

Arctic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticusLC

Uncommon offshore, seen harassing terns and kittiwakes from headlands like Flamborough and Filey Brigg, mainly during autumn seawatching.

Uncommonly spotted

Jun–Nov

Atlantic Puffin

Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula arcticaVU

A rare but charismatic resident, best seen at Bempton Cliffs and Flamborough Head during the spring and summer breeding season.

Rarely spotted

Mar–Dec

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

Tyto albaLC

An uncommon resident of farmland and field margins, often glimpsed at dusk quartering rough grassland for voles across the Vales.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Barnacle Goose

Barnacle Goose

Branta leucopsisLC

Present year-round but rare, with a mix of feral birds and genuine wild vagrants. Found on grassland and wetland margins.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Black Swan

Black Swan

Cygnus atratusLC

A rare and exotic sight, likely originating from ornamental collections. Occasionally turns up on lakes and rivers across the region.

Rarely spotted

Nov–Sep

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Limosa limosaNT

A rare resident, mainly seen at wetland sites from winter through autumn. Passage birds and Icelandic wintering flocks boost numbers.

Rarely spotted

Jan–Oct

Blackbird

Blackbird

Turdus merulaLC

One of the most widespread residents, found in gardens, woodland and hedgerows year-round. Continental migrants boost numbers in autumn.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Blackcap

Blackcap

Sylvia atricapillaLC

An increasingly year-round resident of woodland and gardens, its rich warbling song heard from early spring.

Uncommonly spotted

Feb–Nov

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleusLC

A common and familiar garden resident year-round, also thriving in woodland and hedgerows across the county.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Bullfinch

Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC

An unobtrusive year-round resident of hedgerows and woodland edges, often detected by its soft, piping call.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Buzzard

Buzzard

Buteo buteoLC

Now a common resident across the region, frequently seen soaring over farmland, moorland edges and the Yorkshire Dales.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Canada Goose

Canada Goose

Branta canadensisLC

Abundant year-round on lakes, rivers and gravel pits. A familiar and often bold presence in parks and urban waterways.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Carrion Crow

Carrion Crow

Corvus coroneLC

Abundant and widespread year-round across farmland, towns and moorland fringes. One of the most familiar birds in the county.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Cetti's Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

Cettia cettiLC

A rare but expanding resident of dense reedbed and waterside scrub, a relatively recent colonist of North Yorkshire wetlands.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Chaffinch

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebsLC

One of the region's most familiar residents, found in woodland, hedgerows and gardens year-round. Its cheerful song is a hallmark of spring.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybitaLC

A common resident heard year-round in woodland and scrub, with numbers boosted by continental migrants in autumn.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Coal Tit

Coal Tit

Periparus aterLC

Resident in coniferous and mixed woodland throughout the year, readily visiting garden feeders in winter. Often joins roving tit flocks.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Gull

Common Gull

Larus canusLC

A common year-round resident found on farmland, reservoirs, and the coast. Often nests on moorland edges in the Dales and North York Moors.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Alcedo atthisLC

An uncommon resident along clean rivers and streams, often glimpsed as a flash of electric blue over the water.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Merganser

Common Merganser

Mergus merganserLC

Resident on upland rivers and reservoirs throughout the Dales and moorland valleys. Often seen in small parties fishing along fast-flowing streams.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Pheasant

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicusLC

Abundant year-round across farmland, moorland edges and estates, largely sustained by releases for shooting on the region's grouse moors and lowland shoots.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Common Raven

Common Raven

Corvus coraxLC

A rare but increasing resident, favouring upland crags and moorland edges in the Dales and North York Moors.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Acanthis flammeaLC

A rare resident found in birch woodland and upland scrub. Numbers fluctuate with irruptive movements from the Continent in some winters.

Rarely spotted

Sep–Jul

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Melanitta nigraLC

Uncommon but present year-round offshore. Dark flocks can be spotted from coastal headlands, often flying low over the waves.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Shelduck

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadornaLC

Found year-round on estuaries, coastal mudflats and inland wetlands. Breeds in rabbit burrows and other cavities near water.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Snipe

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinagoLC

An uncommon resident of moorland bogs and damp meadows, performing its distinctive 'drumming' display flight over the Dales and North York Moors in spring.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Common Starling

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgarisLC

Common and widespread year-round, with spectacular winter murmurations at roost sites. Numbers have declined nationally but remain strong in North Yorkshire.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Coot

Coot

Fulica atraLC

A common resident on lakes, reservoirs, and gravel pits across the region. Aggressive and conspicuous, with a distinctive white frontal shield.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Corn Bunting

Corn Bunting

Emberiza calandraLC

A rare and declining resident of open arable farmland, mainly in the eastern lowlands. Its jangling song from fence posts is increasingly scarce.

Rarely spotted

Oct–Jul

Curlew

Curlew

Numenius arquataNT

A common resident breeding on moorland and farmland, with its evocative call defining the Dales landscape. A declining species of conservation concern.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Dipper

Dipper

Cinclus cinclusLC

A charismatic resident of fast-flowing rivers and becks in the Dales and North York Moors, bobbing on rocks year-round.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Dunlin

Dunlin

Calidris alpinaLC

Present year-round, breeding on upland moors in summer and gathering on estuarine mudflats in winter. A small wader with a distinctive downcurved bill.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Dunnock

Dunnock

Prunella modularisLC

A common and unobtrusive resident of hedgerows, gardens and scrub throughout the region. Its thin, warbling song is heard year-round.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Egyptian Goose

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiacaLC

A rare and sporadic resident, part of a slowly expanding feral population. Seen occasionally on lakes and grassy margins.

Rarely spotted

Sep–Jun

Eider

Eider

Somateria mollissimaNT

An uncommon year-round resident along the rocky Yorkshire coast. Breeds on sheltered stretches and forms rafts offshore in winter.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Collared Dove

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaoctoLC

A familiar resident of villages, farms and suburban gardens year-round. Its monotonous three-note cooing is a constant soundtrack in settled areas.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Jay

Garrulus glandariusLC

An uncommon but resident corvid of broadleaved woodland, often heard giving its harsh, screeching call in autumn.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Nuthatch

Eurasian Nuthatch

Sitta europaeaLC

Resident in mature deciduous woodland, climbing bark with distinctive jerky movements. Visits garden feeders, especially near wooded areas.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegusNT

Common year-round along the coast from Whitby to Filey and increasingly breeding inland on river shingle in the Dales.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Siskin

Eurasian Siskin

Spinus spinusLC

An uncommon resident found year-round in conifer plantations and alder-lined valleys. Often visits garden feeders in winter.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Skylark

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensisLC

A common resident of open farmland and moorland, its soaring song flight a characteristic sound of the Yorkshire countryside.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanusLC

An uncommon year-round resident favouring farmyards and hedgerows, often in small flocks around arable land in the Vale of York.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelopeLC

Present year-round on reservoirs, lakes and coastal wetlands. Numbers swell in winter with continental arrivals joining small resident populations.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Eurasian Woodcock

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticolaLC

A secretive resident of damp woodland floors, most often glimpsed during its roding display flights at dusk in spring and summer.

Rarely spotted

Oct–Jun

Eurasian Wren

Eurasian Wren

Troglodytes troglodytesLC

A common and widespread resident of hedgerows, gardens, and woodland, delivering its remarkably loud song throughout the year.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Goldfinch

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelisLC

A common and colourful resident, increasingly seen in gardens and on seed feeders. Sociable flocks gather on thistles and teasels in autumn and winter.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Green Woodpecker

European Green Woodpecker

Picus viridisLC

A scarce resident found in parkland and woodland edges, often heard giving its distinctive laughing call. Near its northern range limit here.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

European Herring Gull

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatusLC

A common and conspicuous resident, breeding on sea cliffs at Flamborough and Whitby and frequenting towns, harbours, and tips year-round.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Robin

European Robin

Erithacus rubeculaLC

A familiar year-round resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodlands across North Yorkshire, singing even through the winter months.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

European Shag

European Shag

Phalacrocorax aristotelisLC

An uncommon resident of rocky coastlines, breeding on cliffs at Flamborough and Staithes. Stays closer inshore than its cormorant cousin.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmarus glacialisLC

Nests on the dramatic sea cliffs at Bempton and Flamborough, present year-round and often seen gliding stiffly on outstretched wings.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Gadwall

Gadwall

Mareca streperaLC

An uncommon year-round resident of lowland lakes and reservoirs. Quieter and less conspicuous than its close relative the Mallard.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

Regulus regulusLC

Britain's smallest bird, resident year-round in coniferous and mixed woodland. High-pitched calls betray its presence in spruce plantations across the Dales and moors.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricariaLC

Breeds on upland moorland in summer, then forms large flocks on lowland fields in winter. Its plaintive call is iconic across the Dales.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinusLC

Present year-round along the coast, this powerful gull frequents harbours, cliffs and estuaries, often dominating smaller species.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carboLC

A common year-round resident found along the coast, rivers, and reservoirs. Often seen perched with wings outstretched to dry.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatusLC

An elegant resident of larger lakes and reservoirs, performing its elaborate courtship display in spring at sites across the region.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Great Skua

Great Skua

Catharacta skuaLC

Scarce but regular off the coast from summer through autumn, best seen during seawatches at Flamborough Head and Filey Brigg.

Rarely spotted

Jun–Nov

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos majorLC

An uncommon but year-round resident of mature woodland, its loud drumming a familiar spring sound in North Yorkshire.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Great Tit

Great Tit

Parus majorLC

A common garden and woodland resident year-round, readily visiting feeders and nesting in nest boxes.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Ardea albaLC

A rare but increasingly recorded resident at wetland sites, reflecting a national range expansion northwards into Yorkshire.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Greenfinch

Greenfinch

Chloris chlorisLC

An uncommon resident of gardens, hedgerows and farmland, declining due to disease. Year-round but less numerous than in previous decades.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Ardea cinereaLC

A common and familiar resident, found along rivers, reservoirs, and farmland ponds throughout the region. Nests colonially in tall trees.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Grey Partridge

Grey Partridge

Perdix perdixLC

A declining resident of arable farmland and rough grassland. Once widespread, now rare due to agricultural intensification.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinereaLC

An elegant resident of fast-flowing streams and rivers across the Dales and moors. Bobs its long tail on rocks, sometimes visiting lowland areas in winter.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose

Anser anserLC

A common year-round resident found on farmland, reservoirs and parkland lakes across the region. Feral and wild populations mix freely.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Passer domesticusLC

A common resident of towns, villages and farmsteads, though numbers have declined significantly since the 1970s.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Jackdaw

Jackdaw

Corvus monedulaLC

A common and sociable resident, nesting in old buildings, church towers and tree cavities across the region.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Kestrel

Kestrel

Falco tinnunculusLC

A common resident often seen hovering over roadside verges and moorland edges while hunting for voles.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Kittiwake

Kittiwake

Rissa tridactylaVU

Nests in large colonies on coastal cliffs, notably at Bempton. Numbers are declining sharply due to food shortages, making it a conservation priority.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscusLC

An uncommon year-round resident, often seen at reservoirs, tips, and farmland. Smaller and darker-backed than the Herring Gull.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Linnet

Linnet

Linaria cannabinaLC

A common resident of gorse-covered moorland edges, farmland and rough ground. Forms sociable flocks outside the breeding season across open countryside.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Little Egret

Little Egret

Egretta garzettaLC

An uncommon but increasing resident, favouring estuaries, rivers, and wetlands. A relatively recent coloniser of North Yorkshire.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Little Grebe

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollisLC

A shy, uncommon resident on ponds, lakes, and slow rivers. Its distinctive whinnying trill often reveals its presence before it is seen.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Little Gull

Little Gull

Hydrocoloeus minutusLC

A rare and dainty gull, occasionally seen offshore or at coastal pools, most likely during autumn passage and winter storms.

Rarely spotted

Jun–Feb

Little Owl

Little Owl

Athene noctuaLC

A rare but resident owl of lowland farmland, often perching on fence posts and dry-stone walls in the Dales.

Rarely spotted

Jan–Nov

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatusLC

Common year-round in hedgerows and woodland, often seen in lively, acrobatic flocks bouncing along branches. Visits garden feeders in winter.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Magpie

Magpie

Pica picaLC

A common and conspicuous resident of gardens, hedgerows, and farmland, seen throughout the region in all seasons.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mallard

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchosLC

A common and familiar resident on virtually any body of water, from village ponds and park lakes to moorland reservoirs.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mandarin Duck

Mandarin Duck

Aix galericulataLC

A rare but established resident of wooded rivers and lakes. Males are strikingly ornate, often seen around mature parkland.

Rarely spotted

Nov–Sep

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit

Poecile palustrisLC

An uncommon resident of mature deciduous woodland, declining nationally but still found in parts of the Dales and Howardian Hills.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Anthus pratensisLC

A common resident of the moorlands and upland pastures, its thin piping call is the soundtrack of the Dales and North York Moors.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Turdus viscivorusLC

Resident in parkland, orchards and open woodland, often singing boldly from treetops even in midwinter. Forms post-breeding flocks in autumn.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Moorhen

Moorhen

Gallinula chloropusLC

A common resident found on ponds, rivers and wetlands throughout the region, often seen flicking its white undertail along waterside vegetation.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Mute Swan

Mute Swan

Cygnus olorLC

A familiar and elegant resident of rivers, canals and lakes throughout the region. Breeds widely and is present all year.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet

Morus bassanusLC

Uncommon but seen year-round offshore, often visible from Flamborough Head. Spectacular plunge-diving can be watched from coastal vantage points.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Northern Goshawk

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilisLC

A rare and secretive resident of large forests, slowly expanding its range. Most likely seen soaring over extensive conifer plantations in the region.

Rarely spotted

Jan–Aug

Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellusNT

A common year-round resident of farmland and moorland edges. Breeds on upland fields but flocks on lowland pastures in winter.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeataLC

An uncommon resident of shallow lakes and flooded fields. Numbers increase in winter as continental birds arrive.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinusLC

An uncommon year-round resident nesting on coastal cliffs and inland crags, sometimes hunting over towns and estuaries in winter.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Pochard

Pochard

Aythya ferinaVU

Present year-round but declining nationally. Favours large lakes and reservoirs, with numbers boosted by winter visitors.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Razorbill

Razorbill

Alca tordaLC

Breeds on the dramatic cliffs at Flamborough and Bempton, with large numbers present in spring and summer before dispersing offshore.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Red Crossbill

Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostraLC

A rare and nomadic resident of conifer plantations, with numbers varying greatly between years. Its distinctive crossed bill extracts seeds from spruce cones.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Red Grouse

Red Grouse

Lagopus lagopus scoticaLC

An iconic resident of the North York Moors and Dales heather moorland. Present all year, with numbers managed for grouse shooting.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Red Kite

Red Kite

Milvus milvusLC

Now resident year-round following successful reintroduction at Harewood, increasingly seen soaring over the Dales and Vale of York.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Red Knot

Red Knot

Calidris canutusNT

Uncommon but present year-round, gathering in flocks on the Tees estuary mudflats. Numbers peak in winter with arrivals from Arctic breeding grounds.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serratorLC

An uncommon resident favouring coastal waters and estuaries. Also breeds along upland rivers in the Dales and North York Moors.

Uncommonly spotted

Sep–Jul

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

Alectoris rufaNT

An uncommon resident of arable farmland in the Vale of York and lower dales, often seen in small coveys along field margins.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Red-throated Loon

Red-throated Loon

Gavia stellataLC

Present year-round, most often seen offshore in winter. Breeds on remote moorland pools and moves to coastal waters outside the season.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Redshank

Redshank

Tringa totanusLC

An uncommon year-round resident of coastal marshes and upland wet pastures, its piping alarm call a familiar sound on the region's estuaries.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclusLC

A common resident of reedbeds, marshes and damp scrub across the region. Males show a distinctive black head in breeding plumage from spring.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticulaLC

Present year-round on sandy and shingle beaches along the coast. Breeds on the shore in summer and joins estuarine flocks in winter.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Rock Dove

Rock Dove

Columba liviaLC

A common year-round resident in towns, cities, and along coastal cliffs. Feral populations thrive alongside truly wild cliff-nesting birds.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosusLC

An uncommon resident found along the rocky coastline from Whitby to Scarborough, foraging among seaweed-strewn boulders year-round.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Rook

Rook

Corvus frugilegusLC

A common resident forming noisy rookeries in tall trees across farmland; large flocks feed in ploughed fields year-round.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpresLC

Found year-round on rocky shorelines and harbours along the coast. Flips stones and seaweed to find invertebrates hidden beneath.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Sanderling

Sanderling

Calidris albaLC

Uncommon but present all year, racing along sandy beaches at Filey and Scarborough. Most conspicuous during spring and autumn passage.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelosLC

A common resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland, often heard smashing snails on stones. Sings its repeated phrases from early spring through summer.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisusLC

A year-round resident, hunting small birds through woodland edges, hedgerows and gardens across the county with dashing low-level flights.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Stock Dove

Stock Dove

Columba oenasLC

A resident breeder nesting in tree holes and old buildings across farmland and parkland. Quieter and less conspicuous than its woodpigeon cousin.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Stonechat

Stonechat

Saxicola torquatusLC

Resident on gorse-clad moorland edges and coastal scrub year-round. Hardy enough to remain on upland territories through harsh winters.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Tawny Owl

Tawny Owl

Strix alucoLC

A rare but resident owl of mature woodland, more often heard than seen; its hooting carries through the Dales on still nights.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Treecreeper

Treecreeper

Certhia familiarisLC

A quiet resident of mature woodland, spiralling mouse-like up tree trunks. Found year-round in deciduous and mixed woods throughout the region.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligulaLC

A common diving duck found on lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits throughout the year. Often seen in tight rafts on open water.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Western Marsh-harrier

Western Marsh-harrier

Circus aeruginosusLC

A rare resident hunting over reedbeds and marshes, increasingly seen at lowland wetland reserves as the species recolonises northern England.

Rarely spotted

Year-round

Willow Tit

Willow Tit

Poecile montanusLC

A rare and declining resident of damp woodland with standing deadwood; North Yorkshire holds some of England's last strongholds.

Rarely spotted

Aug–Jun

Woodpigeon

Woodpigeon

Columba palumbusLC

A common resident seen in farmland, woodlands, parks, and gardens throughout the county all year round.

Commonly spotted

Year-round

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Emberiza citrinellaLC

An uncommon resident of hedgerows and arable farmland, declining nationally. Its bright yellow head and jangling song enliven field margins year-round.

Uncommonly spotted

Year-round

Breeding

(35)
Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaeaLC

A rare breeder, nesting at a few coastal colonies. Also seen on passage off Flamborough and Filey from May to October.

Rarely spotted

May–Oct

Avocet

Avocet

Recurvirostra avosettaLC

A rare breeder from March to July at select coastal and wetland sites. This elegant wader has expanded its range northward in recent decades.

Rarely spotted

Mar–Jul

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rusticaLC

A common summer visitor breeding in barns and outbuildings across farmland, arriving in April and departing by October.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Common Redstart

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC

A scarce summer breeder in mature oak woodland of the Dales and North York Moors, arriving in April. Males are strikingly colourful.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Oct

Common Reed-warbler

Common Reed-warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC

An uncommon summer breeder found in reedbeds from April to September, at the northern edge of its main English range.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucosLC

A summer breeder along upland rivers and reservoir edges from April to September. Bobs constantly on waterside rocks in characteristic fashion.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Common Swift

Common Swift

Apus apusLC

A common summer visitor screaming over towns and villages from April to September. Nests in older buildings and feeds entirely on the wing.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Common Tern

Common Tern

Sterna hirundoLC

An uncommon summer breeder, nesting at gravel pits and reservoirs from April. Often seen plunge-diving along the coast on passage.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Cuckoo

Cuckoo

Cuculus canorusLC

A declining summer visitor arriving in April, its distinctive call heard across moorland and dales where it parasitises meadow pipit nests.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Aug

European Honey-buzzard

European Honey-buzzard

Pernis apivorusLC

A rare and secretive summer breeder in mature woodlands, feeding largely on wasp and bee nests. Present May to July.

Rarely spotted

May–Jul

European Pied Flycatcher

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleucaLC

A rare breeding visitor to oak woodlands, particularly in the western dales. Readily takes to nestboxes where provided from April to September.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Sep

European Turtle-dove

European Turtle-dove

Streptopelia turturVU

A rare and rapidly declining summer breeder, arriving in May. One of the UK's most threatened farmland birds, favouring hedgerow scrub.

Rarely spotted

May–Jul

Garden Warbler

Garden Warbler

Sylvia borinLC

An uncommon summer breeder in dense woodland understorey, arriving in late April and easily overlooked despite its rich song.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Garganey

Garganey

Spatula querquedulaLC

A rare summer breeder arriving in spring, favouring shallow wetlands with emergent vegetation. One of the UK's scarcest breeding ducks.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Sep

Grasshopper Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naeviaLC

A scarce summer breeder, arriving in April and delivering its insect-like reeling song from dense scrub on moorland edges and marshes.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Jul

Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropusLC

A rare breeder, most often glimpsed at freshwater pools and reservoir margins during autumn passage. Bobs distinctively when flushed.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Nov

Hobby

Hobby

Falco subbuteoLC

A rare summer breeder, this agile falcon hunts dragonflies and small birds over lowland heaths and wetlands.

Rarely spotted

May–Sep

House Martin

House Martin

Delichon urbicumLC

A common summer visitor nesting under eaves in towns and villages from April to October. Numbers have declined in recent decades.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Curruca currucaLC

A rare summer breeder favouring tall hedgerows and scrubby thickets, identified by its distinctive rattling song.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Oct

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubiusLC

An uncommon summer breeder favouring gravel pits, reservoir margins and river shingle, present from March to September.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Sep

Little Tern

Little Tern

Sternula albifronsLC

Scarce summer breeder on shingle beaches along the coast, present from May to August. A Schedule 1 protected species vulnerable to disturbance.

Uncommonly spotted

May–Aug

Manx Shearwater

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinusLC

An uncommon breeder seen offshore from May to October. Best spotted during seawatches from headlands like Flamborough and Filey Brigg.

Uncommonly spotted

May–Oct

Nightjar

Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeusLC

A rare summer breeder on heathland and young forestry plantations. Its churring song is heard at dusk from May to July.

Rarely spotted

May–Jul

Ruddy Duck

Ruddy Duck

Oxyura jamaicensisLC

A rare and declining breeder, present from April to July. Subject to national eradication efforts due to its non-native status.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Jul

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Riparia ripariaLC

An uncommon summer visitor, nesting colonially in sandy riverbanks along the Ouse, Swale and other Yorkshire rivers.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Sep

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Thalasseus sandvicensisLC

An uncommon summer breeder, nesting at coastal colonies and fishing offshore. Present from April to October along the coast.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Sedge Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC

An uncommon breeding visitor arriving in April, singing from reedbeds and waterside scrub at lowland wetland sites.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striataLC

A declining summer visitor from May to September, favouring woodland edges and mature gardens. Sallies from exposed perches to catch insects in flight.

Uncommonly spotted

May–Sep

Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit

Anthus trivialisLC

A rare summer breeder on moorland fringes and open woodland from April to September. Delivers its distinctive parachuting song flight over scattered trees.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Sep

Wheatear

Wheatear

Oenanthe oenantheLC

A summer breeder on upland moors and stone walls of the Dales, arriving from March. Also seen on passage along the coast.

Uncommonly spotted

Mar–Oct

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopusLC

An uncommon breeder on upland moors, present from April to September. Its distinctive seven-note whistle carries across the open landscape.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Whinchat

Whinchat

Saxicola rubetraLC

A rare breeding visitor to upland moorland edges, arriving in spring and departing by September. Declining across much of England.

Rarely spotted

Apr–Sep

Whitethroat

Whitethroat

Curruca communisLC

A summer visitor breeding in scrubby hedgerows and field margins from April to September. Often spotted performing its scratchy song flight over farmland.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilusLC

A common summer breeder of moorland edges, scrubby hillsides and open woodland, arriving from Africa in April.

Commonly spotted

Apr–Oct

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flavaLC

An uncommon summer breeder favouring lowland wet meadows and arable fields. Arrives in April and departs by September.

Uncommonly spotted

Apr–Sep

Passage

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Frequently Asked Questions