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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Edinburgh

Our list for Edinburgh has 161 bird species recorded regularly there: 69 residents, 23 summer visitors, 29 winter visitors, 26 passage migrants and 14 scarce visitors

The list comes from 209,000 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.

Species on our list
161
In October
112
Common
75
Busiest month
May

What's special about Edinburgh

vs Scotland

The birds recorded far more often here than across Scotland, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones Edinburgh is worth visiting for.

  1. BullfinchBullfinch4.4×Resident · 1.9% of records here, 0.43% across Scotland
  2. Long-tailed TitLong-tailed Tit3.3×Resident · 1.6% of records here, 0.50% across Scotland
  3. Stock DoveStock Dove3.0×Resident · 0.49% of records here, 0.16% across Scotland
  4. GreenfinchGreenfinch2.8×Resident · 1.5% of records here, 0.54% across Scotland
  5. MagpieMagpie2.7×Resident · 4.6% of records here, 1.7% across Scotland
  6. Bohemian WaxwingBohemian Waxwing2.4×Winter visitor · 0.06% of records here, 0.03% across Scotland
  7. MoorhenMoorhen2.2×Resident · 1.2% of records here, 0.52% across Scotland
  8. Eurasian Tree SparrowEurasian Tree Sparrow2.2×Resident · 0.45% of records here, 0.20% across Scotland

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. Carrion CrowCarrion Crow5.10%
  2. MagpieMagpie4.75%
  3. WoodpigeonWoodpigeon4.62%
  4. European RobinEuropean Robin4.54%
  5. Blue TitBlue Tit3.39%
  6. JackdawJackdaw3.33%

Arriving now

  1. RedwingRedwingWinter visitorSep 0.04% → Oct 1.09%
  2. FieldfareFieldfareWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.22%
  3. Rock PipitRock PipitWinter visitorSep 0.03% → Oct 0.16%
  4. Whooper SwanWhooper SwanWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.08%
  5. Long-tailed DuckLong-tailed DuckWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.08%
  6. Common SnipeCommon SnipeWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.06%

Share of all bird records in Edinburgh in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for Edinburgh

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in Edinburgh

Records by month
Bird records in Edinburgh by month, 2019–2024
January18,747
February15,052
March20,197
April21,250
May22,539
June20,411
July16,919
August14,819
September14,852
October14,343
November14,351
December15,361

May has the most records (23,000). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 28
All 28 families in Edinburgh

How common

More of Scotland

All of Scotland

All 161 birds, A to Z

Show all 161 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Edinburgh known for?

Compared with the rest of Scotland, Edinburgh stands out for Bullfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Stock Dove and Greenfinch. Each is recorded at least 2.7 times as often here as across Scotland, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for Edinburgh?

161 species, each recorded regularly in Edinburgh (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 69 residents, 23 summer visitors, 29 winter visitors, 26 passage migrants and 14 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Edinburgh, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Edinburgh in October?

112 species on our list for Edinburgh are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, European Robin and Blue Tit.

What are the most common birds in Edinburgh?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Edinburgh are Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Magpie.

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

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