Birds in Staffordshire
Explore 197 species found in this region.
Staffordshire supports a rich and varied birdlife, with 193 species recorded across the county's diverse habitats, from the moorland edges of the Peak District in the north to the lowland wetlands and river valleys further south. Notable species include the elegant Northern Lapwing on farmland, the striking Mandarin Duck along wooded waterways, and scarce winter visitors such as the Great Grey Shrike. With reservoirs like Blithfield and Chasewater providing important refuges for wildfowl and waders, the county offers rewarding birdwatching opportunities throughout the year.
Visiting in April? Look out for Arctic Tern and Bar-tailed Godwit arriving this month, and Black Grouse and Black Swan depart for the season.
Showing 139–161 of 197 species
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
A rare Nearctic vagrant, occasionally turning up at freshwater pools in September. Always a notable county record when found.
Sep
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
A rare but year-round resident, increasingly seen around urban areas and church towers. Hunts over open country and wetland sites.
Year-round
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
A rare but regular visitor mainly from autumn to spring, occasionally seen in skeins overhead or on farmland near large water bodies.
Sep–May
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon year-round resident, declining nationally. Favours larger reservoirs and gravel pits, with numbers boosted in winter.
Year-round
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare and irruptive resident of conifer plantations, notably around Cannock Chase. Numbers fluctuate greatly with cone crop availability.
Oct–Jul
Red Grouse
Lagopus lagopus scoticaLC
A rare resident of the moorland fringe in the north of the county, around the Staffordshire Moorlands. A sedentary bird seldom seen away from heather-clad uplands.
Nov–Jun
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
A rare but increasing resident, benefiting from national reintroduction programmes. Occasionally seen drifting over farmland and woodland.
Year-round
Red-breasted Goose
Branta ruficollisVU
An extremely rare spring passage visitor, with records in March to May. Any sighting requires careful scrutiny to rule out escapes from wildfowl collections.
Mar–May
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Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
A rare passage visitor, recorded in December. Primarily a coastal species, it is an unusual inland find at Staffordshire's reservoirs and gravel pits.
Dec
Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufinaLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally turning up on larger reservoirs in midwinter. Sightings likely involve wandering feral birds.
Dec–Jan
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
A rare resident, thinly distributed on arable farmland. Less well established here than in southern England, and numbers remain low across the county.
Year-round
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
An uncommon resident breeding on wet grassland and reservoir margins. Present most of the year but scarce in midwinter.
Jan–Nov
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
A common winter visitor from October to April, foraging in hedgerows and fields. Often found alongside Fieldfares in berry-rich habitats.
Oct–Apr
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common resident of reedbeds, wetland margins and farmland hedgerows. Often visits garden feeders in winter across the county.
Year-round
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
A rare spring passage migrant, occasionally seen in April on moorland edges and upland pastures in the north of the county.
Apr
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon breeding visitor favouring gravel pit shores and reservoir edges from spring to autumn. Passage birds boost numbers in late summer.
Feb–Oct
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Common and widespread year-round in towns and cities. Feral populations thrive on buildings across Staffordshire's urban centres.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
A rare autumn passage visitor, very occasionally recorded at reservoirs and wetland sites in October. A coastal species far from home.
Oct
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Noisy rookeries are a common sight in Staffordshire's farmland trees, with large flocks foraging across arable fields year-round.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
A rare and localised resident, part of the species' slow spread from south-east England. Sightings are scattered and unpredictable.
May–Jan
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensisLC
A rare non-breeding visitor, now scarce following the national eradication programme. Occasionally still recorded on reservoirs and pools.
Aug–Apr
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferrugineaLC
A rare late-summer vagrant appearing in August–September. Provenance is often debated, as many British records may involve escapes from captive collections.
Aug–Sep
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
A rare May passage visitor, this coastal wader occasionally turns up at reservoir edges during spring migration.
May