Birds in Somerset
Explore 192 species found in this region.
Somerset is one of the most rewarding counties in England for birdwatching, with 187 recorded species across its diverse landscapes. The Somerset Levels and Moors, a vast area of wetland and grazing marsh, attract spectacular species such as Great White Egret, Cetti's Warbler and Hen Harrier, while the coastline and estuaries host waders and gulls including the scarce Kentish Plover. From the Quantock Hills to Chew Valley Lake, the county offers year-round birding opportunities for beginners and experienced observers alike.
Visiting in April? Look out for Common Redstart and Common Reed-warbler arriving this month, and Black-necked Grebe and Brambling depart for the season.
Showing 93–115 of 192 species
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Present year-round on the Somerset Levels and Chew Valley, with feral populations supplemented by wintering birds from the continent.
Year-round
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon niloticaLC
An exceptionally rare visitor, with occasional June records likely involving overshooting continental migrants on the Levels.
Jun
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
A rare and elusive passage visitor in December, sometimes found in mature hornbeam and cherry woodland around the Mendips.
Dec
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
A rare winter visitor to the Somerset Levels, quartering reedbeds and rough grassland from December to March. A prized sighting.
Dec–Mar
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
A graceful summer visitor arriving in April, often seen hawking dragonflies over the Levels and Chew Valley Lake.
Apr–Oct
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
A common summer breeder nesting under eaves in towns and villages. Arrives in April and departs by October.
Apr–Oct
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A familiar year-round resident of towns and villages, nesting in roof spaces. Numbers have declined nationally.
Year-round
Hudsonian Godwit
Limosa haemasticaVU
An extremely rare Nearctic vagrant, recorded on passage in May. Any sighting on the Somerset Levels is a major county event.
May
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Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A rare and secretive winter passage visitor, lurking in boggy margins and wet ditches on the Levels.
Dec–Jan
Jackdaw
Coloeus monedulaLC
Abundant year-round in towns, villages, and farmland, nesting colonially in church towers and old buildings across the county.
Year-round
Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor in winter months, occasionally turning up on coastal shingle and sandy shores along the Somerset coast.
Nov–Feb
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
Hovers over roadside verges and open farmland across the county. Numbers have declined but it remains a familiar sight.
Year-round
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutillaNT
An extremely rare Nearctic vagrant, with midwinter records in Somerset representing a remarkable find for the county.
Jan–Feb
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Common year-round, found at reservoirs, farmland and urban areas. Numbers peak in winter at roost sites across the county.
Year-round
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
A rare summer breeder in Somerset, favouring tall hedgerows and scrubby thickets, present from April to September.
Apr–Sep
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
An uncommon resident forming flocks on weedy farmland and coastal rough ground, declining in Somerset as across much of England.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident across the Somerset Levels, feeding in ditches and flooded fields. Numbers have increased dramatically since the 1990s.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of sheltered ponds, rhynes, and quiet waterways on the Levels, betrayed by its whinnying trill.
Year-round
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
A rare passage migrant seen in spring and autumn, sometimes over Chew Valley Lake or coastal waters with its buoyant, dainty flight.
Mar–Sep
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare resident of farmland and orchards, most likely seen perched on fence posts in the eastern lowlands.
Jun–Apr
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubiusLC
A rare summer breeder, nesting on gravel margins at reservoirs and quarry pools from March to September.
Mar–Sep
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally stopping at muddy scrapes and reservoir margins in autumn and late winter.
Sep–Feb
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
A rare non-breeding visitor, occasionally recorded on reservoirs and coastal waters during winter months.
Nov–Mar