Birds to See in West Midlands in May
99 bird species on our list for West Midlands are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Blackbird, Woodpigeon, European Robin, Magpie and Blue Tit. New this month: Common Swift, Hobby, Ringed Plover and Cuckoo and 1 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
From West Midlands’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 99 birds in May
99 birds
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 5.10% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 5.04% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.52% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 4.37% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 3.97% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.69% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 3.32% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.05% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 2.83% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.77% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.66% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 2.65% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.44% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 2.18% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.05% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.67% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 1.64% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.61% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.59% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.58% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriResidentCommon38–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.85% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.80% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.72% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in May
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusSummer visitorCommon40–45 cmRegularly Jan–Aug · 0.53% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.51% in May
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.50% in May
European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisResidentCommon30–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in May
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in May
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in May
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.42% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.32% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.28% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentUncommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in May
Cetti's WarblerCettia cettiResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in May
Garden WarblerSylvia borinPassage migrantUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.19% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.19% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in May
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.18% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.16% in May
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisSummer visitorCommon58–70 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.14% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.14% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.14% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in May
RedshankTringa totanusResidentUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Mar–Jun · 0.08% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.06% in May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in May
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorUncommon28–35 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.06% in May
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in May
Mandarin DuckAix galericulataResidentUncommon41–49 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.05% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · records held back in May (protected)
Red KiteMilvus milvusSummer visitorUncommon60–66 cmRegularly Dec–Jul · 0.05% in May
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentUncommon37–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in May
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaPassage migrantUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.05% in May
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusResidentRare37–40 cmRegularly Mar–Jul · 0.05% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Jan–Jun · 0.04% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.04% in May
Marsh TitPoecile palustrisResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaPassage migrantUncommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.04% in May
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.04% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.04% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentRare16–22 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.03% in May
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.02% in May
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · records held back in May (protected)
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusScarceRare140–165 cmRegularly Feb–Aug · records held back in May (protected)
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