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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Highland

Our list for Highland has 200 bird species recorded regularly there: 93 residents, 46 summer visitors, 26 winter visitors, 24 passage migrants and 10 scarce visitors

The list comes from 468,000 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
200
In October
146
Common
101
Busiest month
Jun

What's special about Highland

vs Scotland

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

  1. Crested TitCrested Tit6.5×Resident · 0.37% of records here, 0.06% across Scotland
  2. Red KiteRed Kite3.8×Resident · 0.58% of records here, 0.15% across Scotland
  3. CuckooCuckoo3.2×Passage migrant · 0.54% of records here, 0.17% across Scotland
  4. OspreyOsprey3.2×Summer visitor · 0.40% of records here, 0.12% across Scotland
  5. Tree PipitTree Pipit3.1×Summer visitor · 0.26% of records here, 0.08% across Scotland
  6. Ring OuzelRing Ouzel2.9×Summer visitor · 0.10% of records here, 0.04% across Scotland
  7. White-tailed Sea-eagleWhite-tailed Sea-eagle2.9×Resident · 0.15% of records here, 0.05% across Scotland
  8. Red GrouseRed Grouse2.9×Resident · 0.26% of records here, 0.09% across Scotland

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. European RobinEuropean Robin3.75%
  2. European Herring GullEuropean Herring Gull3.25%
  3. Hooded CrowHooded Crow2.66%
  4. ChaffinchChaffinch2.60%
  5. MallardMallard2.46%
  6. Grey HeronGrey Heron2.29%

Arriving now

  1. RedwingRedwingWinter visitorSep 0.02% → Oct 1.24%
  2. FieldfareFieldfareWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.49%
  3. Long-tailed DuckLong-tailed DuckWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.46%
  4. Eurasian WoodcockEurasian WoodcockWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.07%
  5. Little AukLittle AukPassage migrantSep 0.00% → Oct 0.02%
  6. Jack SnipeJack SnipePassage migrantSep 0.00% → Oct 0.02%

Share of all bird records in Highland 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 Highland

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 Highland

Records by month
Bird records in Highland by month, 2019–2024
January20,511
February18,420
March25,912
April48,745
May78,269
June80,726
July51,300
August45,295
September40,350
October28,153
November15,648
December14,754

June has the most records (81,000). 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 31
All 31 families in Highland

How common

More of Scotland

All of Scotland

All 200 birds, A to Z

Show all 200 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Highland known for?

Compared with the rest of Scotland, Highland stands out for Crested Tit, Red Kite, Cuckoo and Osprey. Each is recorded at least 3.1 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 Highland?

200 species, each recorded regularly in Highland (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 93 residents, 46 summer visitors, 26 winter visitors, 24 passage migrants and 10 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Highland, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Highland in October?

146 species on our list for Highland are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are European Robin, European Herring Gull, Hooded Crow, Chaffinch and Mallard.

What are the most common birds in Highland?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Highland are European Robin, European Herring Gull, Chaffinch, Willow Warbler and Blackbird.

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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