Birds to See in Edinburgh in January
108 bird species on our list for Edinburgh are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird and Blue Tit. New this month: Common Shelduck, Fulmar, Gadwall and Red-legged Partridge and 5 more.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanArriving
At their peak
Ruddy TurnstoneBusiest month of the year · Jul–Apr
Eurasian WigeonBusiest month of the year · Aug–Apr
Red-breasted MerganserBusiest month of the year · Aug–Jun
DunlinBusiest month of the year · All year
Eurasian TealBusiest month of the year · Jul–Apr
European Green WoodpeckerBusiest month of the year · Jan
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 108 birds in January
108 birds
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 4.88% in Jan
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 4.75% in Jan
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 4.62% in Jan
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 4.41% in Jan
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 4.41% in Jan
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.21% in Jan
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 4.01% in Jan
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 3.37% in Jan
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 3.15% in Jan
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Jan
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.57% in Jan
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.47% in Jan
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.32% in Jan
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Jan
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.11% in Jan
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.10% in Jan
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.04% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in Jan
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.69% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Jan
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in Jan
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Jan
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Jan
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in Jan
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in Jan
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Jan
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Jan
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.86% in Jan
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Jan
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Jan
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Jan
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Jan
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Jan- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.61% in Jan
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Jan
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.59% in Jan
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Jan
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Jan
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Jan
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.50% in Jan
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Jan
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Jan
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Jan
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Jan- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.46% in Jan
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Jan- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.45% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Jan
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Jan
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Jan
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.40% in Jan
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Jan
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Jan
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Jan
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.35% in Jan- DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Jan
- Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.32% in Jan
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Jan
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentUncommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Jan
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Jan
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentUncommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.21% in Jan
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.20% in Jan
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.18% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.14% in Jan
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorUncommon51–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Jan
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.13% in Jan
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.13% in Jan
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.13% in Jan
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusWinter visitorUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.10% in Jan
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.10% in Jan
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
RazorbillAlca tordaWinter visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.09% in Jan
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaWinter visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.09% in Jan
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.08% in Jan
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentUncommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorUncommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.06% in Jan
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorUncommon45–50 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.05% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.05% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.05% in Jan
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Jan
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.04% in Jan
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaSummer visitorUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.04% in Jan
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaPassage migrantUncommon33–38 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.03% in Jan
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusPassage migrantUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Jul–Jan · 0.03% in Jan
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.03% in Jan- European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisScarceRare30–36 cmRegularly Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantRare26–29 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentUncommon37–43 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.02% in Jan
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