Birds to See in Tyne and Wear in February
129 species matching this filter.
Tyne and Wear offers a diverse range of birdwatching opportunities in February, with around 129 species recorded across the county's coastline, estuaries, urban parks, and river valleys. Winter visitors such as Fieldfare, Common Merganser, and Northern Lapwing can be found alongside resident favourites like Great Tit, Magpie, and Common Starling. The Tyne Estuary and coastal stretches near South Shields and Whitley Bay are particularly rewarding spots, while the occasional Mandarin Duck or Eurasian Woodcock may reward the more patient observer.
Leaving after last month8
Resident
(107)
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arcticaVU
Present most of the year offshore, with breeding colonies on the Farne Islands nearby. Occasionally seen from headlands.
Apr–Feb
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
A rare resident, with both feral birds and genuine wild vagrants occurring. Small numbers frequent parks and coastal fields.
Sep–May
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
A common and familiar resident of gardens, parks and woodland throughout the region, often seen foraging on lawns year-round.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
An uncommon resident breeding in woodland and scrub; some overwinter, supplemented by continental birds visiting garden feeders.
Jan–Nov
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
A common and much-loved garden resident, readily using nest boxes. Present year-round in parks, hedgerows and woodland.
Year-round
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of hedgerows, woodland edges and mature gardens. Often heard before seen with its soft piping call.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
An uncommon resident that has increased in recent decades, now seen soaring over farmland and urban fringes year-round.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
A common resident found year-round on park lakes, rivers, and reservoirs throughout the region. Feral populations are well established.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
A common and adaptable resident found across urban, suburban and rural habitats throughout the region all year round.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
A rare and recent colonist, more often heard than seen in dense wetland vegetation. Part of a northward range expansion across England.
Nov–Jul
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common resident of woodlands, hedgerows and gardens throughout the region, easily recognised by its bold wing bars and cheerful song.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common resident heard year-round, its distinctive two-note call echoing through woodlands, parks, and gardens.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
A common resident of coniferous and mixed woodland, also visiting garden feeders regularly, especially in winter months.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
A common year-round gull found on playing fields, reservoirs, and coasts. Numbers peak in winter with an influx of continental birds.
Year-round
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
A scarce year-round resident along clean rivers and streams, occasionally visiting urban waterways in the Tyne valley.
Year-round
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
A rare but near year-round presence off the coast, favouring deeper waters. Most likely seen from headlands and piers.
Sep–Jun
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
An uncommon resident breeding along rivers and seen on reservoirs year-round, often spotted fishing on the Tyne and its tributaries.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
A common resident of farmland, hedgerows, and woodland edges. Widely released for shooting and seen year-round across rural areas.
Year-round
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
An uncommon resident of birch and alder woodland, sometimes visiting garden feeders in winter. Numbers fluctuate with seed crop availability.
Jul–May
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
An uncommon sea duck present offshore year-round. Rafts can be spotted from coastal headlands, with numbers peaking in winter.
Year-round
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
An uncommon resident found year-round on estuarine mudflats and coastal pools, often seen along the Tyne estuary and nearby coastline.
Year-round
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon resident of damp grasslands and marshy areas, often flushed from cover with its characteristic zigzag flight and rasping call.
Year-round
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common and familiar resident, often seen in noisy flocks on rooftops and lawns. Winter roosts can number thousands, notably along the Tyne.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
A common resident on lakes, park ponds and reservoirs throughout the year. Readily seen at sites like Saltwell Park and the Leas.
Year-round
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
A common year-round resident found on estuarine mudflats and coastal fields. Numbers bolstered in winter by continental birds at sites like the Tyne estuary.
Year-round
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
A rare resident of fast-flowing upland streams in the west of the region, bobbing on rocks and diving for aquatic invertebrates.
Aug–Jun
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of estuaries and mudflats. Numbers peak in winter when passage and wintering birds join locals.
Year-round
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common resident found year-round in gardens, hedgerows and parks, often heard singing its rapid warbling song from dense cover.
Year-round
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
An uncommon resident along the rocky coastline. Breeds on nearby Northumberland shores and is seen year-round off local beaches.
Year-round
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
An uncommon year-round resident of suburban gardens and farmsteads. Its monotonous cooing call is a familiar sound in quieter neighbourhoods.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
An uncommon but increasing resident of mature woodland and parks, often detected by its harsh screeching call before being seen.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
An uncommon resident of mature deciduous woodland and parkland, slowly expanding its range northward into Tyne and Wear.
Year-round
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
A common year-round resident along the coast and estuaries. Breeds inland on farmland and frequents rocky shores in winter.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident often seen in alder and birch trees along river valleys, visiting garden feeders more frequently in winter.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
An uncommon resident of open farmland and coastal grassland, its song flight a familiar sight over remaining arable fields.
Year-round
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
An uncommon resident, more localised than House Sparrow, favouring farmland edges and rural hedgerows. Often visits feeders in small flocks.
Year-round
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, most conspicuous in winter when flocks gather on coastal wetlands and estuaries.
Year-round
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
A common and vocal resident, found in almost every habitat from dense woodland to urban gardens. Remarkably loud for its size.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A common and colourful resident, increasingly seen on garden feeders. Roaming flocks feed on teasel and thistle heads in autumn and winter.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
A familiar and noisy resident, nesting on rooftops across urban Tyne and Wear. Present in large numbers throughout the year.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
A common and confiding resident of gardens, parks and woodland throughout the region. Sings year-round and defends territory even in winter.
Year-round
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelisLC
An uncommon year-round resident of rocky coasts and harbour walls. Often seen perched with wings outstretched near pier structures.
Year-round
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
An uncommon resident seen year-round along coastal cliffs. Breeds on ledges and is often spotted gliding stiff-winged offshore.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
An uncommon resident breeding at wetland reserves. Washington WWT is a reliable site, with numbers boosted in winter.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
Britain's smallest bird, resident year-round in coniferous and mixed woodland. Numbers swell in autumn with Continental migrants arriving along the coast.
Year-round
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
An uncommon resident found on upland moors in summer and lowland fields in winter, often forming large flocks.
Jun–Apr
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
An uncommon winter visitor to rivers and lakes, present from October to spring. The Tyne and larger reservoirs are favoured sites.
Oct–May
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
A bulky, powerful gull present year-round along the coast and at harbours, often dominating smaller gulls at feeding sites.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
A common resident found along rivers, reservoirs, and the coast, often seen perched with wings outstretched to dry.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
An uncommon resident on larger lakes and reservoirs, also moving to coastal waters in winter. Elegant courtship displays occur in spring.
Year-round
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
An uncommon resident of mature woodland and parks, often heard drumming in spring across the region's wooded valleys.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A common year-round resident, readily visiting garden feeders. One of the most familiar birds in parks and woodlands.
Year-round
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common garden and parkland resident, though numbers have declined sharply due to disease. Often seen at feeders in small groups.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A common resident found along rivers, lakes, and estuaries throughout the region. Often seen standing motionless at the waterside.
Year-round
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
An uncommon and declining resident of arable farmland. Secretive and easily overlooked, favouring open fields with hedgerow margins.
Year-round
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon resident favouring fast-flowing streams and rivers such as the Derwent, often seen bobbing its tail on waterside rocks.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
An uncommon resident found on lakes and farmland. Feral populations breed locally, with numbers supplemented by wild birds in winter.
Year-round
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common and familiar resident, thriving in urban areas, gardens and around buildings throughout the region all year.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in buildings and old trees. Noisy flocks are a familiar sight across towns and parks.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
An uncommon resident seen hovering over roadside verges, farmland, and urban fringe areas throughout the year.
Year-round
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
An uncommon but iconic resident, nesting on buildings and cliffs along the Tyne. Numbers have declined sharply in recent decades.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
An uncommon year-round resident, often seen at landfill sites, playing fields and along the coast. Less numerous than Herring Gulls locally.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
A common resident of farmland, coastal scrub and rough ground. Flocks gather on weedy fields and saltmarshes outside the breeding season.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
A rare but increasingly regular resident, reflecting a dramatic northward spread. Seen at estuarine and wetland sites across the region.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident on sheltered ponds, lakes, and slow rivers. Its whinnying trill is often heard before it is seen.
Year-round
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare and secretive resident found on farmland with old buildings and hedgerows, mainly in the rural west of the region.
May–Feb
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A common and endearing resident, roving through hedgerows and woodlands in noisy family parties linked tail to tail.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident of gardens, parks and farmland. Easily recognised by its bold black-and-white plumage and long tail.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
A common and familiar resident found on virtually any waterbody, from urban park ponds and rivers to coastal estuaries.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A common resident of upland grassland and moorland fringes. Also seen on coastal fields, with numbers boosted by passage birds in autumn.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
An uncommon resident of parks, playing fields and open woodland, often seen defending berry-laden trees with rattling calls in winter.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A familiar resident of ponds, lakes, and river margins, commonly seen picking through waterside vegetation year-round.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A familiar resident on rivers, lakes and park ponds throughout Tyne and Wear, breeding readily in urban and suburban settings.
Year-round
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Present year-round offshore, often visible plunge-diving from coastal vantage points. Numbers peak during summer and autumn.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
A common resident of farmland and coastal fields. Winter flocks gather on low-lying ground, though breeding numbers continue to decline.
Year-round
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
An uncommon resident favouring shallow wetlands and reservoirs, identifiable by its distinctive spatulate bill as it sweeps through the water.
Year-round
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
A scarce but year-round resident, nesting on urban buildings and bridges. Often seen hunting pigeons over Newcastle and Sunderland city centres.
Jun–Apr
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
An uncommon but regular visitor, with skeins passing over in autumn and spring. Flocks feed on stubble fields and roost at wetlands.
Sep–May
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon resident whose numbers have declined nationally. Found on deeper lakes and reservoirs, with winter flocks at key sites.
Year-round
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
An uncommon resident of wave-washed rocky shores and harbour walls, often seen alongside Turnstones on the region's piers and breakwaters.
Aug–May
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
An uncommon resident seen year-round offshore and at coastal cliffs, with breeding colonies nearby and birds rafting in coastal waters.
Year-round
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
A rare but increasingly seen resident, reflecting the species' ongoing northward expansion. Soars over open countryside and valleys.
Aug–Jun
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Small numbers occur year-round on tidal mudflats, though far scarcer here than on larger estuaries further south.
Year-round
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
A rare but regular sight along the coast and river mouths. Present most of the year, often seen fishing in the lower Tyne.
Sep–Jul
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
An uncommon resident seen year-round, most often spotted offshore or flying low over the sea along the Tyne and Wear coast.
Year-round
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
A common year-round resident of estuaries, mudflats and coastal marshes. Its piping alarm call is a characteristic sound of the shoreline.
Year-round
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common resident of reedbeds, wetland margins and rough vegetation. Males sing from prominent perches in spring and summer.
Year-round
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon resident breeding on shingle beaches and frequenting estuarine shores year-round along the Tyne and Wear coastline.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
A common resident abundant in towns and cities, with feral populations thriving on buildings across Tyne and Wear.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
An uncommon resident of rocky coastlines and harbour walls. Feeds along the tideline year-round at sites like Tynemouth and Whitburn.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
An uncommon resident forming noisy rookeries in tall trees across farmland and urban fringes, though declining in parts of the region.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
A rare but increasingly noted resident, part of the species' gradual northward spread from established southern populations.
Year-round
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
An uncommon resident of rocky shorelines, busily flipping stones and seaweed to find invertebrates along the Tyne and Wear coast.
Year-round
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Present year-round on sandy beaches, with flocks scurrying along the tideline at sites like Whitley Bay and South Shields.
Year-round
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of gardens, parks and woodland. Often heard smashing snail shells on a favourite stone anvil.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, hunting small birds in gardens, parks, and woodland edges across the region.
Year-round
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
An uncommon resident found year-round in farmland, parkland and wooded areas. Easily overlooked among the region's abundant Woodpigeons.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
An uncommon resident found year-round on coastal gorse, rough grassland and brownfield sites. Numbers can increase in winter.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A secretive resident of mature woodland and parks year-round. More often heard than seen, its hooting call carries through the region's wooded denes.
Year-round
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
An unobtrusive resident of mature woodland, spiralling up tree trunks probing bark for insects. Present year-round in parks and wooded denes.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
A common resident on lakes and reservoirs across the region. Breeds locally and numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals.
Year-round
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fuscaVU
A rare sea duck seen offshore, most often in winter. Small numbers linger along the coast, sometimes mixing with Common Scoter flocks.
Jun–Mar
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
A secretive year-round resident of reedbeds and marshy wetlands, more often heard squealing than seen.
Year-round
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
An uncommon and declining resident of damp woodland with dead trees, one of the UK's most rapidly declining species.
Year-round
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant resident found in gardens, parks and farmland throughout the region. One of the most familiar birds in Tyne and Wear.
Year-round
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
A rare passage visitor in July and August, occasionally found among large gull flocks at coastal roosts and tips.
Jun–Mar
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
An uncommon resident of farmland hedgerows and scrubby field margins. Declining nationally but still present year-round in the region.
Year-round
Non-breeding
(18)
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
A rare non-breeding visitor to estuaries and mudflats, present from late summer through winter. Best looked for along the Tyne and Wear coastline.
Jul–Feb
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter visitor and passage migrant, sometimes joining Chaffinch flocks in woodland and farmland from October to April.
Oct–Apr
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
A rare winter visitor to the coast, occasionally seen on mudflats and estuaries around the Tyne and Wear shoreline from autumn through to early spring.
Sep–Feb
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
A rare winter visitor from October to March, skulking in woodland and damp scrubby areas. Cold-weather influxes can boost numbers.
Oct–Mar
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
A winter visitor from Scandinavia, arriving from October and feeding in flocks on hedgerow berries across farmland and open countryside.
Oct–Apr
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreusLC
A rare winter visitor from the Arctic, occasionally spotted among gull flocks at harbours and tips from November to March.
Nov–Mar
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
A rare winter visitor to coastal waters and sheltered bays. Small numbers appear from autumn to spring, often near harbour areas.
Sep–Apr
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifronsLC
A rare winter visitor, occasionally turning up among other goose flocks on farmland or wetlands between December and March.
Dec–Mar
Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoidesLC
A rare winter visitor from the Arctic, occasionally spotted among gull flocks at the coast or reservoirs from November to April.
Nov–Apr
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A secretive winter visitor to boggy margins and wetlands, rarely flushed from cover. Present from October to March but easily overlooked.
Oct–Mar
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
An uncommon non-breeding visitor, seen at coastal sites from late summer through winter. Often noted during seawatches.
Jul–Feb
Long-eared Owl
Asio otusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor, skulking in dense scrub and conifer plantations. Most likely encountered in winter months.
Jun–Mar
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to estuaries and wetlands, most likely seen in autumn and winter among other dabbling ducks.
Sep–Mar
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
An uncommon winter visitor, arriving from Scandinavia in autumn to feed on hedgerow berries across parks and farmland throughout the region.
Sep–Apr
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to open grassland and coastal fields, mainly seen from autumn through to early spring.
Sep–Apr
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalisLC
A rare winter visitor from Arctic breeding grounds, occasionally seen on beaches and coastal fields from October to March.
Oct–Mar
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
A rare winter visitor to wetland margins and watercress beds from November to March. Easily overlooked among Meadow Pipits.
Nov–Mar
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
A rare winter visitor, occasionally seen on wetlands and estuaries from October to April, with bugling calls distinguishing it from Mute Swan.
Oct–Apr
Passage
(4)
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
A rare passage visitor, occasionally spotted on coastal waters or reservoirs in February, typically in winter plumage.
Feb
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
A rare and elusive visitor, occasionally turning up on wooded rivers and park lakes, most likely involving feral or wandering birds.
Dec–Apr
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschataLC
A rare and unexpected visitor, likely of feral or escaped origin. Occasionally recorded on urban waterways in February.
Feb
Tundra Bean Goose
Anser serrirostrisLC
A rare passage visitor, only occasionally recorded. Any sightings should be checked carefully among flocks of Pink-footed Geese.
Feb