Birds to See in Edinburgh in April
111 bird species on our list for Edinburgh are recorded regularly in April
Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Magpie and Carrion Crow. New this month: Barn Swallow, House Martin, Willow Warbler and Whitethroat and 11 more.
On the move in April
GBIF · AprArriving
At their peak
From Edinburgh’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 111 birds in April
111 birds
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 5.07% in Apr
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 4.49% in Apr
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 4.28% in Apr
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 4.16% in Apr
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 4.14% in Apr
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.89% in Apr
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 3.85% in Apr
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.66% in Apr
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.65% in Apr
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 3.34% in Apr
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 3.16% in Apr
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 3.11% in Apr
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 3.06% in Apr
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.04% in Apr
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.64% in Apr
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.45% in Apr
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.18% in Apr
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.17% in Apr
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.10% in Apr
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in Apr
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.65% in Apr
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.51% in Apr
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Apr
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.29% in Apr
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Apr
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 1.24% in Apr
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in Apr
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.88% in Apr
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Apr
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Apr
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Apr
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Apr
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.76% in Apr
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.69% in Apr
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Apr
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Apr
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Apr
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Apr
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Apr
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Apr
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Apr
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Apr
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Apr
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Apr
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Apr
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Apr
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Apr
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Apr
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Apr
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Apr
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Apr
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.40% in Apr
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Apr
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Apr
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.39% in Apr
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Apr
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Apr
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Apr
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentUncommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Apr
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Apr
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Apr
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Apr
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Apr
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Apr
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.24% in Apr
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.24% in Apr
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Apr
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Apr
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.21% in Apr
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorUncommon45–50 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.17% in Apr
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.17% in Apr
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.16% in Apr
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Apr
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.12% in Apr
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.11% in Apr
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Apr
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.11% in Apr
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentUncommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Apr
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Apr
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · records held back in Apr (protected)
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Apr
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.10% in Apr
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaWinter visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.09% in Apr
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaSummer visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.08% in Apr
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Apr
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentUncommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Apr
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaSummer visitorUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.07% in Apr
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.07% in Apr
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Apr
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Apr
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.06% in Apr
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.06% in Apr
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in Apr
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.06% in Apr
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.06% in Apr
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.06% in Apr
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorUncommon51–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Apr
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · records held back in Apr (protected)
Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.05% in Apr
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorUncommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · records held back in Apr (protected)
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.05% in Apr
RazorbillAlca tordaWinter visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.04% in Apr
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.04% in Apr
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.04% in Apr
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentUncommon37–43 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.03% in Apr
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisPassage migrantRare58–70 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · records held back in Apr (protected)
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixResidentRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr · 0.02% in Apr
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.01% in Apr
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaScarceRare40–50 cmRegularly Mar–Jul · records held back in Apr (protected)
PochardAythya ferinaScarceRare42–49 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · records held back in Apr (protected)
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