Rare Birds in United Kingdom
60 species matching this filter.
The United Kingdom is home to a fascinating array of rare bird species, with 47 classified as uncommon visitors or localised breeders across its diverse landscapes. From the elusive Bluethroat and striking Golden Oriole to the hardy Lapland Longspur and graceful Arctic Loon, these rarities can be found in habitats ranging from remote Scottish highlands and coastal cliffs to windswept moorlands and offshore islands. Spotting these scarce species requires patience, careful timing, and often a willingness to venture to the more wild and inaccessible corners of Britain.
Showing 24–46 of 60 species
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A secretive winter visitor to boggy marshes and wet meadows, often flushing only at close range. Easily overlooked due to its cryptic plumage and solitary habits.
Sep–Apr
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicusLC
A rare winter visitor and scarce breeder in the Scottish Highlands, favouring windswept coastal marshes and stubble fields outside the breeding season.
Sep–Mar
Leach's Storm-petrel
Hydrobates leucorhousVU
A rare pelagic species breeding on remote Scottish islands, most often seen from headlands during autumn gales when storm-driven birds pass close to shore.
Sep–Nov
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Dryobates minorLC
A rare and declining resident of mature broadleaved woodland, mainly in southern England. Best located by its high-pitched spring call.
Nov–Sep
Little Auk
Alle alleLC
A rare winter visitor from Arctic seas, occasionally driven ashore in large numbers by autumn gales. Most sightings occur along North Sea coasts.
Oct–Jan
Long-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceusNT
A rare Nearctic vagrant found at coastal pools and marshes, mainly in autumn and winter. Often associates with other waders on muddy margins.
Jul–Apr
Long-tailed Jaeger
Stercorarius longicaudusLC
A rare autumn passage migrant, occasionally seen from headlands and pelagic trips between August and October. The most graceful and slender skua.
Aug–Oct
Montagu's Harrier
Circus pygargusLC
A rare summer visitor and passage migrant, with very few breeding pairs remaining in southern England. Favours open arable farmland and marshes.
May–Aug
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Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschataLC
A rare feral resident found on park lakes and farmyards, originating from escaped or released captive birds. Not established as a wild species.
Year-round
Northern Goshawk
Accipiter gentilisLC
A rare but increasing resident of mature forests and plantations. Secretive and elusive, most often encountered in large woodlands across Wales and northern England.
Year-round
Pacific Golden-Plover
Pluvialis fulvaLC
A rare vagrant from Asia, occasionally turning up on coastal grasslands and estuaries in summer. Easily confused with the commoner Golden Plover.
Jun–Aug
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
A rare but annual Nearctic passage migrant, most frequently found at freshwater pools and coastal scrapes in autumn, particularly in south-west England and Ireland.
May–Oct
Pomarine Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinusLC
A rare but regular passage seabird, best seen from headlands during autumn seawatches, especially in strong onshore winds.
Apr–Nov
Purple Heron
Ardea purpureaLC
A rare spring and autumn visitor, mainly to southern English wetlands. Slimmer and darker than Grey Heron, it favours dense reedbeds.
Apr–Oct
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A resident of mature conifer plantations, with numbers boosted by periodic irruptions from the continent. Its crossed bill is perfectly adapted for extracting pine seeds.
Year-round
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurioLC
Once a regular breeder, now a rare visitor mostly seen on passage along the east and south coasts. A striking but declining species across Europe.
May–Oct
Red-breasted Goose
Branta ruficollisVU
A rare passage visitor, occasionally wintering among flocks of Brent or Barnacle Geese on eastern coasts. Most records fall between November and spring.
Nov–May
Red-flanked Bluetail
Tarsiger cyanurusLC
A rare vagrant from Asia, mostly recorded on the Northern Isles and east coast in autumn. A prized find among birders during October falls.
Sep–Jan
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatusLC
A rare passage migrant with a tiny breeding population in northern Scotland. Most sightings occur at coastal pools and marshes during autumn migration.
May–Oct
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensisLC
A rare Nearctic winter visitor, most regularly found in Ireland and south-west England among flocks of Common and Black-headed Gulls.
Dec–Apr
Ross's Goose
Anser rossiiLC
A rare visitor from North America, occasionally turning up among flocks of wintering geese. Most records come from Scotland and eastern England.
Aug–May
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopusLC
A rare winter visitor, mainly to eastern England's coastal marshes and farmland. Often hovers while hunting, unlike the resident Common Buzzard.
Oct–Feb
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferrugineaLC
A rare visitor, with sightings often debated as possible escapes from wildfowl collections. Most records occur in southern and eastern England.
Feb–Nov