Birds to See in Down in May
101 bird species on our list for Down are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Common Starling, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and European Robin. New this month: Common Swift, House Martin, Manx Shearwater and Northern Gannet and 31 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
From Down’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 101 birds in May
101 birds
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.28% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.06% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.77% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.69% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.54% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.93% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.49% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.47% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.46% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.24% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.06% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.00% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 1.95% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.27% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 1.08% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.06% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaResidentCommon13–15 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 1.03% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.01% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.01% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.94% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaSummer visitorCommon90–98 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.92% in May
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleSummer visitorCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Aug · 0.90% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.87% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in May
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.78% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.75% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.75% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.75% in May
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaPassage migrantCommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.67% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantCommon40–46 cmRegularly May · 0.65% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.62% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorCommon75–90 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.62% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.62% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.60% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.59% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.55% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusPassage migrantCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.55% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantCommon37–41 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.52% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasScarceUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May · 0.46% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.44% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentUncommon45–50 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.43% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.43% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.41% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in May
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.35% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.33% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentUncommon40–47 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.33% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.32% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentUncommon32–35 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.30% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.30% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.30% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaPassage migrantUncommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.29% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.29% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.27% in May
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.25% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.25% in May
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataResidentUncommon53–69 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.24% in May
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.22% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantCommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.22% in May
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.21% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.21% in May
CootFulica atraSummer visitorUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.21% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisSummer visitorCommon23–29 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.21% in May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorPassage migrantUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.21% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxSummer visitorUncommon54–67 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.16% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusScarceUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May · 0.16% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May · 0.16% in May
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.16% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorPassage migrantUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.14% in May
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.13% in May
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusPassage migrantUncommon37–40 cmRegularly May · 0.13% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentCommon46–51 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.11% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.11% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.10% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May · 0.10% in May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.08% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaPassage migrantUncommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.08% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusScarceUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Jul · records held back in May (protected)
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · records held back in May (protected)
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Dec–Jul · 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