Birds in East Lothian

200 species listed · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024

Our list for East Lothian has 200 bird species recorded regularly there: 88 residents, 28 summer visitors, 29 winter visitors, 41 passage migrants and 14 scarce visitors.

The list comes from 235,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Birds to see in East Lothian in September

143 species on our list are recorded regularly this month. These are the ones birdwatchers record most often.

All 143 birds in September

Arriving in September: Pink-footed Goose, Mistle Thrush, Horned Grebe, Little Stint, Whooper Swan, Surf Scoter, Short-eared Owl, Brent Goose and 4 more.

Through the year

Species recorded regularly in East Lothian each month: most in October (146), fewest in December (121). Choose a month to see its birds.

Show as a table
Goldcrest
GoldcrestSmallest · 8.5cm
to
Whooper Swan
Whooper SwanLargest · 165cm
From the Goldcrest (8.5 cm) to the Whooper Swan (165 cm)52 families

All 200 birds on the list

Showing 139–161 of 200 species

King Eider

King Eider

Somateria spectabilisLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Raven

Common Raven

Corvus coraxLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red Grouse

Red Grouse

Lagopus scoticaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropusLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeusLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brent Goose

Brent Goose

Branta berniclaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Sep–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Yellow-browed Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Sep–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Eurasian Woodcock

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticolaLC

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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Garganey

Garganey

Spatula querquedulaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly May–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Barn Owl

Barn Owl

Tyto albaLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly Oct–Jul

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Avocet

Avocet

Recurvirostra avosettaLC

ScarceUncommon
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Manx Shearwater

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly May–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Curruca currucaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Apr–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black-necked Grebe

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollisLC

ScarceUncommon
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Pochard

Pochard

Aythya ferinaVU

Winter visitorUncommon

Regularly Jul–Feb

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Garden Warbler

Garden Warbler

Sylvia borinLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Apr–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striataLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly May–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

Alectoris rufaNT

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurioLC

ScarceUncommon
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brambling

Brambling

Fringilla montifringillaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Greater Scaup

Greater Scaup

Aythya marilaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Sep–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Plectrophenax nivalisLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Merlin

Merlin

Falco columbariusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Jul–Jan

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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