Birds to See in West Yorkshire in December
108 bird species on our list for West Yorkshire are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Magpie, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Black-headed Gull. New this month: Blackcap, Greater Scaup and Merlin.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From West Yorkshire’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 108 birds in December
108 birds
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 4.53% in Dec
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 4.50% in Dec
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 4.30% in Dec
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.98% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 3.80% in Dec
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.79% in Dec
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 3.63% in Dec
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.69% in Dec
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.51% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.43% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in Dec
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Dec
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.17% in Dec
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Dec
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in Dec
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.70% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.67% in Dec
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in Dec
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.53% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Dec
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Dec
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in Dec
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Dec
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.13% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 1.06% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Dec
Red KiteMilvus milvusResidentCommon60–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Dec
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Dec
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Dec
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Dec
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Dec
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Dec
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Dec
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Dec
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Dec
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.68% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Dec
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Dec
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Dec
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Dec
PochardAythya ferinaResidentCommon42–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Dec
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.56% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Dec
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Dec
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Dec
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Dec
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Dec
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Dec
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaWinter visitorUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Dec
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Dec
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Dec
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Dec
Western Marsh-harrierCircus aeruginosusResidentUncommon48–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Dec
Cetti's WarblerCettia cettiResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Dec
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentCommon25–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.20% in Dec
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorUncommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.20% in Dec
European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisResidentUncommon30–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
Mandarin DuckAix galericulataResidentUncommon41–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.18% in Dec
Water RailRallus aquaticusWinter visitorUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.16% in Dec
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriWinter visitorUncommon38–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaResidentUncommon37–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Little OwlAthene noctuaResidentUncommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixResidentUncommon28–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentUncommon33–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.10% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaResidentUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentUncommon37–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Willow TitPoecile montanusResidentUncommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Bearded TitPanurus biarmicusSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Nov–Aug · 0.05% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.04% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.04% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaPassage migrantUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.04% in Dec
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorUncommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaWinter visitorRare33–38 cmRegularly Nov–Jun · 0.03% in Dec
Water PipitAnthus spinolettaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantRare24–33 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusSummer visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Dec
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