Rare Birds in West Sussex
Our list for West Sussex has 30 rare birds recorded regularly there: 4 residents, 3 summer visitors, 5 winter visitors, 12 passage migrants and 6 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in West Sussex in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 30, most common first
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorRare34–43 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixSummer visitorRare16–18 cmRegularly May–Aug
Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodiaSummer visitorRare80–90 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
Black TernChlidonias nigerPassage migrantRare22–26 cmRegularly May–Sep
Water PipitAnthus spinolettaPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiPassage migrantRare33–41 cmRegularly May–Jul
Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minorWinter visitorRare14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Jul
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusPassage migrantRare46–51 cmRegularly Apr–May
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Oct–Dec
Purple HeronArdea purpureaScarceRare78–90 cm
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatusScarceRare10–11 cm
Great Grey ShrikeLanius excubitorScarceRare22–26 cm
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisWinter visitorRare58–70 cmRegularly Sep–May
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Nov–Feb
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorRare20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriResidentRare38–42 cmRegularly Mar–Jan
Bearded TitPanurus biarmicusResidentRare13–15 cmRegularly Jun–Sep
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaPassage migrantRare33–39 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaSummer visitorRare12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaPassage migrantRare58–77 cmRegularly Nov–May
Balearic ShearwaterPuffinus mauretanicusPassage migrantRare35–40 cmRegularly Sep
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentRare48–66 cmRegularly Nov
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Dec–Apr
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Yellow-browed Warbler 10–11 cm
- Wood Warbler 11–13 cm
- Grasshopper Warbler 12–13 cm
- Bearded Tit 13–15 cm
- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 14–16 cm
- Water Pipit 15–17 cm
- Common Quail 16–18 cm
- Jack Snipe 17–19 cm
- Purple Sandpiper 20–22 cm
- Black Tern 22–26 cm
- Great Grey Shrike 22–26 cm
- Black-necked Grebe 28–34 cm
- Manx Shearwater 30–38 cm
- Arctic Tern 33–39 cm
- Roseate Tern 33–41 cm
- Balearic Shearwater 35–40 cm
- Short-eared Owl 34–43 cm
- Rose-ringed Parakeet 38–42 cm
- Red-necked Grebe 40–50 cm
- Pomarine Jaeger 46–51 cm
- European Honey-buzzard 52–60 cm
- Glossy Ibis 48–66 cm
- Barnacle Goose 58–70 cm
- Ruddy Shelduck 58–70 cm
- Cackling Goose 53–76 cm
- Arctic Loon 58–77 cm
- Bar-headed Goose 68–78 cm
- Purple Heron 78–90 cm
- Eurasian Spoonbill 80–90 cm
- Indian Peafowl 86–230 cm
Body length, bill to tail. Rare birds in grey.
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