Birds in Stockton-on-Tees
Explore 193 species found in this region.
Stockton-on-Tees boasts a rich and diverse birdlife, with 186 species recorded across its varied habitats, from the wetlands and mudflats along the River Tees to farmland, woodland, and urban green spaces. The area attracts notable species such as Pink-footed Goose, Northern Lapwing, and Common Merganser, while rarities like the Red-backed Shrike occasionally make an appearance. Whether you're exploring the Tees estuary or the surrounding countryside, Stockton-on-Tees offers excellent birdwatching opportunities throughout the year.
Visiting in April? Look out for Barn Swallow and Brambling arriving this month, and Bohemian Waxwing and Common Redpoll depart for the season.
Showing 93–115 of 193 species
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
A rare resident along streams and waterways, often bobbing its tail on rocks. Scarce during the main breeding months.
Jul–Apr
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A common year-round resident found on the Tees, reservoirs, and surrounding farmland. Feral and wild birds mix freely.
Year-round
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
A rare winter and early spring visitor, occasionally quartering farmland and marshes around Teesside. Ring-tails are most frequently recorded.
Jan–Mar
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
A rare passage visitor noted in June and September, hunting dragonflies and small birds over wetlands and open ground near the Tees.
Jun–Sep
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornixLC
A rare autumn passage visitor, occasionally recorded among Carrion Crow flocks. Stockton lies near the hybrid zone between Hooded and Carrion Crows.
Oct
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
A rare spring passage visitor recorded in April, occasionally stopping on reservoirs and sheltered coastal waters around the Tees.
Apr
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
An uncommon breeding summer visitor, nesting under eaves in Stockton's towns and villages. Numbers have declined significantly in recent decades.
Apr–Sep
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, found in noisy colonies around houses and urban areas across the borough.
Year-round
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Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoidesLC
A rare winter passage visitor, recorded in January and March. Check large gull roosts on the estuary for this pale-winged Arctic species.
Jan–Mar
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A rare passage visitor recorded in spring and autumn at boggy wetland margins. Easily overlooked due to its skulking habits.
Oct–Apr
Jackdaw
Coloeus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in chimneys and old buildings across Stockton. Often seen in noisy flocks on playing fields and rooftops.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
A familiar sight hovering over roadside verges and rough grassland throughout the borough. Present all year and commonly seen hunting small mammals.
Year-round
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
A rare passage visitor in March, occasionally seen moving along the Tees or offshore. Breeds on nearby North Sea cliffs but seldom lingers in the area.
Mar
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
A common year-round gull seen over the Tees valley, often loafing on industrial rooftops and feeding at landfill sites and the estuary.
Year-round
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
A rare breeding visitor from April to June, favouring dense hedgerows and scrubby thickets. Its rattling song is easily overlooked.
Apr–Jun
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipesVU
An uncommon Nearctic wader recorded on passage in October, typically found on freshwater pools and muddy scrapes.
Oct
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
An uncommon resident of weedy fields and scrubby margins, sometimes forming flocks along the Tees corridor in winter.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident along the Tees and nearby wetlands, reflecting a remarkable national increase. Feeds along river margins and pools year-round.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
A common resident on ponds, lakes, and quiet stretches of the Tees year-round. Its whinnying trill is often heard before it is seen.
Year-round
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
An uncommon breeder present from March to August, favouring wetland pools and the Tees estuary. The smallest gull, with a buoyant flight.
Mar–Aug
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare visitor, occasionally noted around farmland on the borough's fringes in spring. Prefers hedgerow trees and old buildings with suitable cavities.
Apr
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubiusLC
A common summer breeder on gravel pits, reservoir margins, and brownfield sites from March to September.
Mar–Sep
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
An uncommon visitor from May to October, feeding on estuarine mudflats. Tiny and active, best looked for among Dunlin flocks.
May–Oct