Birds to See in Shropshire in May
116 bird species on our list for Shropshire are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Blackbird, Woodpigeon, European Robin, Carrion Crow and Blue Tit. New this month: Common Swift, Spotted Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and Whinchat and 4 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
Garden WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–Jul
CuckooBusiest month of the year · Apr–Jun
Lesser WhitethroatBusiest month of the year · Apr–Sep
Common RedstartBusiest month of the year · Apr–Aug
Sedge WarblerBusiest month of the year · Apr–Aug
European Pied FlycatcherBusiest month of the year · Apr–Jun
From Shropshire’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 116 birds in May
116 birds
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.52% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.40% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.81% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 2.77% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.75% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.60% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.57% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.23% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 2.21% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 2.10% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.04% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.52% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.35% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.29% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.23% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 1.09% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.04% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in May- Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.97% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in May
Red KiteMilvus milvusResidentCommon60–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in May
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in May- CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantCommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.61% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in May- Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.59% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusSummer visitorCommon40–45 cmRegularly Jan–Aug · 0.56% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in May- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.52% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Nov–Jul · 0.45% in May- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.44% in May
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaSummer visitorCommon15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.40% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.37% in May
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentCommon37–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataSummer visitorUncommon50–60 cmRegularly Dec–Aug · 0.33% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.31% in May- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleucaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.29% in May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.29% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in May
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.28% in May
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaResidentUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in May
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.27% in May
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.26% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in May
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorUncommon28–35 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.24% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in May
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrixPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.21% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.17% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.17% in May
Mandarin DuckAix galericulataResidentUncommon41–49 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.14% in May
Marsh TitPoecile palustrisResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.14% in May
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in May
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in May
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.11% in May
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentUncommon33–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in May
European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisResidentUncommon30–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in May
Cetti's WarblerCettia cettiWinter visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.08% in May
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaPassage migrantUncommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.08% in May
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandraResidentUncommon16–19 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.08% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.07% in May
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaWinter visitorUncommon63–73 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.07% in May
Little OwlAthene noctuaSummer visitorUncommon21–23 cmRegularly Jan–Jul · 0.07% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · records held back in May (protected)
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorCommon25–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in May
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.05% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.05% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantRare40–46 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.05% in May
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in May
FirecrestRegulus ignicapillaScarceUncommon9–10 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.04% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.04% in May
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixPassage migrantUncommon16–18 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.03% in May
OspreyPandion haliaetusPassage migrantRare54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.03% in May
Western Marsh-harrierCircus aeruginosusResidentUncommon48–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.03% in May
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in May
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made