Birds to See in Edinburgh in March
105 bird species on our list for Edinburgh are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird and European Robin. New this month: Chiffchaff, Northern Gannet, Kittiwake and Tawny Owl and 4 more.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
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 105 birds in March
105 birds
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 5.10% in Mar
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 4.47% in Mar
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 4.35% in Mar
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 4.29% in Mar
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.17% in Mar
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 4.06% in Mar
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 3.44% in Mar
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.40% in Mar
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.30% in Mar
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 3.22% in Mar
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 3.05% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 2.97% in Mar
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in Mar
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.58% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.52% in Mar
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Mar
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Mar
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.96% in Mar
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.91% in Mar
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Mar
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.46% in Mar
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Mar
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.19% in Mar
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Mar
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Mar
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Mar
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Mar
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Mar
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Mar
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Mar
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Mar
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.63% in Mar
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Mar
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Mar
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Mar
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Mar
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Mar
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Mar
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Mar
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Mar
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Mar
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Mar
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Mar
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Mar
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Mar
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Mar
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Mar
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.43% in Mar
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Mar
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Mar
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Mar
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Mar
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Mar
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.39% in Mar
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Mar
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentUncommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Mar
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.32% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.31% in Mar
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.30% in Mar
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.30% in Mar
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.30% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.26% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.23% in Mar
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Mar
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Mar
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.19% in Mar
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Mar
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Mar
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Mar
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.14% in Mar
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentUncommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorUncommon51–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Mar
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorUncommon45–50 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.12% in Mar
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Mar
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Mar
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.10% in Mar
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorUncommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.10% in Mar
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.09% in Mar
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.08% in Mar
RazorbillAlca tordaWinter visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.08% in Mar
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentUncommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.07% in Mar
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.05% in Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentRare44–51 cmRegularly Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaWinter visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.04% in Mar
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentUncommon37–43 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.04% in Mar
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.03% in Mar
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.03% in Mar
BramblingFringilla montifringillaPassage migrantRare14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Mar
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaSummer visitorUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.02% in Mar
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisPassage migrantRare58–70 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.01% in Mar
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaScarceRare40–50 cmRegularly Mar–Jul · records held back in Mar (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