Birds to See in Dumfries and Galloway in December
107 bird species on our list for Dumfries and Galloway are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Carrion Crow, Blackbird, European Robin, Jackdaw and Mallard. New this month: Black Guillemot, Dipper, Common Loon and Hooded Crow.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Dumfries and Galloway’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 107 birds in December
107 birds
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.19% in Dec
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.69% in Dec
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.58% in Dec
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.55% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.35% in Dec
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.32% in Dec
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.32% in Dec
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Dec
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 1.82% in Dec
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.82% in Dec
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in Dec
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.77% in Dec
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.71% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in Dec
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisWinter visitorCommon58–70 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 1.62% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.59% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Dec
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Dec
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Dec
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Dec
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 1.25% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in Dec
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Dec
Red KiteMilvus milvusResidentCommon60–66 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in Dec
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.07% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Dec
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.98% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Dec
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.96% in Dec
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.81% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.78% in Dec
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Dec
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Dec
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.70% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Dec
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.64% in Dec
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Dec
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Dec
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorCommon50–71 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.58% in Dec
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Dec
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Dec
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Dec
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.55% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Dec
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.52% in Dec
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Dec
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorUncommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Dec
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Dec
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorUncommon43–54 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.46% in Dec
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.46% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.46% in Dec
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.43% in Dec
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusResidentUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.43% in Dec
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.43% in Dec
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.41% in Dec
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.41% in Dec
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.38% in Dec
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.32% in Dec
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.29% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.29% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisPassage migrantUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.29% in Dec
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaWinter visitorUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.26% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.26% in Dec
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.26% in Dec
Water RailRallus aquaticusWinter visitorUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.26% in Dec
CootFulica atraWinter visitorUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.23% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.23% in Dec
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisWinter visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.20% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerResidentUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.20% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.20% in Dec
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.20% in Dec
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Nov–Aug · 0.17% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
DipperCinclus cinclusWinter visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.12% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaWinter visitorUncommon80–104 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.12% in Dec
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.12% in Dec
Willow TitPoecile montanusWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.12% 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