Birds to See in Edinburgh in August
116 bird species on our list for Edinburgh are recorded regularly in August
Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Magpie and European Herring Gull. New this month: Eurasian Wigeon, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Loon and Greenshank and 9 more.
On the move in August
GBIF · AugArriving
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 116 birds in August
116 birds
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 6.34% in Aug
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 5.49% in Aug
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 4.95% in Aug
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 4.80% in Aug
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 4.04% in Aug
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.66% in Aug
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 3.19% in Aug
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.12% in Aug
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in Aug
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.73% in Aug
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.55% in Aug
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.38% in Aug
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in Aug
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.27% in Aug
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in Aug
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in Aug
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in Aug
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Aug
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.79% in Aug
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.70% in Aug
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.69% in Aug
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in Aug
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.46% in Aug
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Aug
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Aug
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in Aug
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Aug
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 1.09% in Aug
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Aug
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Aug
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Aug
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Aug
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Aug
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Aug
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.80% in Aug
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Aug
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Aug
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.76% in Aug
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.71% in Aug
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Aug
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Aug
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Aug
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.61% in Aug
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Aug
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Aug
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Aug
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Aug
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.51% in Aug
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Aug
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Aug
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Aug
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Aug
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Aug
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Aug
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.38% in Aug
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentUncommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Aug
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.36% in Aug
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Aug
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Aug
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaPassage migrantUncommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.33% in Aug
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Aug
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Aug
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.28% in Aug
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Aug
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Aug
RazorbillAlca tordaWinter visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.24% in Aug
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Aug
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Aug
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentUncommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Aug
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.22% in Aug
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Aug
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantUncommon41–46 cmRegularly Jul–Oct · 0.20% in Aug
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Aug
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorUncommon45–50 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.20% in Aug
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.20% in Aug
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Aug
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.17% in Aug
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.16% in Aug
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Aug
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Aug
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.13% in Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.13% in Aug
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Aug
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.11% in Aug
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.11% in Aug
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.11% in Aug
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–Oct · 0.10% in Aug
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Aug
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.08% in Aug
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentUncommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Aug
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.07% in Aug
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorUncommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · records held back in Aug (protected)
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Aug
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.06% in Aug
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Aug
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.05% in Aug
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusPassage migrantUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Jul–Jan · 0.05% in Aug
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaWinter visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.05% in Aug
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Aug · 0.05% in Aug
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.05% in Aug
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentUncommon37–43 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.05% in Aug
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusPassage migrantRare30–38 cmRegularly Jun–Aug · 0.04% in Aug
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.03% in Aug
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Aug
OspreyPandion haliaetusPassage migrantRare54–58 cmRegularly Aug · 0.03% in Aug
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Aug
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.03% in Aug
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.03% in Aug
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisPassage migrantRare58–70 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · records held back in Aug (protected)
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusWinter visitorUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.03% in Aug
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorUncommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.02% in Aug
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.02% in Aug
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusPassage migrantUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.02% in Aug
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