Birds to See in Northern Ireland in January
113 bird species on our list for Northern Ireland are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are European Robin, Blackbird, Common Starling, Chaffinch and House Sparrow. New this month: Canada Goose, Glaucous Gull and Yellowhammer.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanArriving
At their peak
From Northern Ireland’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 113 birds in January
113 birds
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.01% in Jan
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.48% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.31% in Jan
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.99% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.96% in Jan
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.94% in Jan
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.81% in Jan
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.79% in Jan
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.72% in Jan
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.65% in Jan
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in Jan
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in Jan
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in Jan
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.23% in Jan
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.21% in Jan
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 2.19% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.95% in Jan
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.88% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in Jan
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in Jan
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.55% in Jan
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Jan
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Jan
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Jan
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Jan
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Jan
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in Jan
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Jan
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Jan
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Jan
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Jan
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Jan
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Jan
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Jan
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Jan
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Jan
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Jan
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Jan
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Jan
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Jan
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Jan
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Jan
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Jan
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Jan
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Jan
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.56% in Jan
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Jan
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Jan
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Jan
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentUncommon25–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Jan
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Jan
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Jan
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.44% in Jan
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Jan
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Jan
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.41% in Jan
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.39% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.37% in Jan
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.37% in Jan
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Jan
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Jan
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Jan
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Jan
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Jan
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentCommon40–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.30% in Jan
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Jan
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentCommon45–50 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.28% in Jan
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Jan
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.27% in Jan
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.27% in Jan
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorUncommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.24% in Jan
PochardAythya ferinaResidentUncommon42–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentUncommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentUncommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Jan
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Jan
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaWinter visitorUncommon33–38 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.18% in Jan
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Jan
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Jan
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.15% in Jan
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Jan
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Jan
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusPassage migrantUncommon60–75 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.14% in Jan
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.12% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.12% in Jan
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneWinter visitorUncommon45–47 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.11% in Jan
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.11% in Jan
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.10% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusPassage migrantUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Jan–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Jan
DipperCinclus cinclusSummer visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.08% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.08% in Jan
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusPassage migrantUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.06% in Jan
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusSummer visitorUncommon37–40 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentUncommon76–110 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.04% in Jan
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Jan
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Jan–Aug · 0.03% in Jan
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