Birds in Northern Ireland
Explore 166 species found in this region.
Northern Ireland is home to an impressive 164 recorded bird species, thriving across a rich tapestry of habitats from the vast shores of Lough Neagh and Strangford Lough to the rugged Antrim coastline and rolling upland moorlands. Wading birds such as the Northern Lapwing and Common Sandpiper frequent the region's wetlands, while woodlands and hedgerows support species like the Great Tit and Magpie. Coastal estuaries and mudflats attract wintering wildfowl including Common Shelduck and Common Merganser, making Northern Ireland a rewarding destination for birdwatchers year-round.
Visiting in April? Look out for Atlantic Puffin and Barn Swallow arriving this month, and Barnacle Goose and Common Loon depart for the season.
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Get Your Free DigestShowing 116–138 of 166 species
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
An uncommon resident, breeding on farmland and wet meadows. Declining as a breeder but winter flocks can be seen on coastal fields.
Year-round
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
Rare non-breeding visitor from autumn to early spring. Elegant and slender, found on coastal estuaries and large loughs.
Oct–Mar
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Uncommon year-round resident on shallow lakes and marshes. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals at key wetland sites.
Year-round
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally seen in August at larger loughs and reservoirs. Does not yet breed in Northern Ireland.
Aug
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
A rare but year-round resident, nesting on coastal cliffs and quarries. Increasingly seen hunting over Belfast and other urban areas.
Year-round
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
Rare passage visitor in autumn and early winter. Occasionally seen on stubble fields and coastal marshes, often mixed with other goose species.
Oct–Dec
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
Rare year-round resident on lakes and reservoirs. Declining nationally, making Northern Ireland sightings increasingly noteworthy.
Year-round
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
A rare winter visitor favouring rocky shorelines and harbour walls, present from October to May. One of the hardiest waders on exposed coasts.
Oct–May
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Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
An uncommon resident breeding on sea cliffs, notably at Rathlin Island. Disperses to open waters outside the breeding season but remains present year-round.
Year-round
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare and irruptive passage visitor, occasionally appearing in conifer plantations. Its distinctive crossed bill is adapted for extracting seeds from cones.
Mar–Oct
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally recorded in spring. A reintroduction programme has established a small population in the region.
Mar
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
A rare non-breeding visitor to coastal mudflats and estuaries, mainly seen from late summer through winter at sites like Strangford Lough and Belfast Lough.
Jul–Feb
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Rare year-round resident breeding along rivers and sea loughs. More coastal than Common Merganser, often seen in estuaries.
Year-round
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
A rare resident breeding on remote upland loughs, moving to coastal waters in winter. One of Northern Ireland's scarcest breeding divers.
Sep–May
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of estuaries, mudflats and wet grassland. Its loud, piping alarm call is a familiar estuary sound.
Year-round
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
A winter thrush arriving from Scandinavia, found in hedgerows and berry-laden bushes from October to April. Listen for its thin 'tseep' call on autumn nights.
Oct–May
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
An uncommon resident found year-round in reedbeds, boggy margins, and damp scrub. Often seen flicking its tail in wetland vegetation.
Year-round
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon year-round resident of sandy and shingle beaches. Breeds along the coast and numbers increase with autumn passage birds.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Common year-round, found along coastal cliffs and in towns where feral populations thrive alongside true wild birds on northern coasts.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
Resident along Northern Ireland's rocky coastline year-round, foraging among seaweed and rock pools. Darker and more streaked than the Meadow Pipit.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Abundant year-round, forming large rookeries in tall trees across farmland. A familiar sight in Northern Ireland's pastoral landscapes, often feeding in ploughed fields.
Year-round
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
An uncommon but year-round resident along rocky shorelines and harbours. Numbers increase in autumn with arrivals from Arctic breeding grounds.
Year-round
Ruff
Philomachus pugnaxLC
A rare passage visitor to freshwater marshes and lake margins, most likely seen between July and October at wetland reserves.
Apr–Oct