Birds to See in Scotland in May
197 species listed for May · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024
197 bird species on our list for Scotland are recorded regularly in May. Of these, the most often recorded are Blackbird, European Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw. New this month: Common Swift, Arctic Tern, Spotted Flycatcher and Ruff and 20 more.
New in May24
- Common Swift
- Arctic Tern
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Ruff
- European Storm-petrel
- Common Rosefinch
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Little Stint
- Red-backed Shrike
- Bluethroat
- Red-billed Chough
- Pomarine Jaeger
- Marsh Warbler
- Common Quail
- Horned Lark
- Ruddy Shelduck
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Long-tailed Jaeger
- European Turtle-dove
- Subalpine Warbler
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Hobby
- Golden Oriole
- Nightingale
Residents
(102)Recorded all year
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
Recorded all year
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
Recorded all year
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
Recorded all year
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
Recorded all year
Jackdaw
Coloeus monedulaLC
Recorded all year
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
Recorded all year
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
Recorded all year
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
Recorded all year
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Recorded all year
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
Recorded all year
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Recorded all year
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
Recorded all year
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
Recorded all year
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Recorded all year
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla albaLC
Recorded all year
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Recorded all year
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
Recorded all year
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
Recorded all year
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
Recorded all year
Magpie
Pica picaLC
Recorded all year
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Recorded all year
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
Recorded all year
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
Recorded all year
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornixLC
Recorded all year
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
Recorded all year
European Shag
Gulosus aristotelisLC
Recorded all year
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
Recorded all year
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Recorded all year
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
Recorded all year
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
Recorded all year
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Recorded all year
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
Recorded all year
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
Recorded all year
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
Recorded all year
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
Recorded all year
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Recorded all year
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
Recorded all year
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
Recorded all year
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
Recorded all year
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
Recorded all year
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Recorded all year
Black Guillemot
Cepphus grylleLC
Recorded all year
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
Recorded all year
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Recorded all year
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Recorded all year
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Recorded all year
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
Recorded all year
Stonechat
Saxicola rubicolaLC
Recorded all year
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
Recorded all year
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
Recorded all year
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
Recorded all year
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
Recorded all year
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Recorded all year
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
Recorded all year
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
Recorded all year
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
Recorded all year
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Recorded all year
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
Recorded all year
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Recorded all year
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
Recorded all year
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
Recorded all year
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Recorded all year
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
Recorded all year
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
Recorded all year
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
Recorded all year
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
Recorded all year
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Recorded all year
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Recorded all year
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
Recorded all year
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
Recorded all year
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
Recorded all year
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
Recorded all year
Red Grouse
Lagopus scoticaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
Recorded all year
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Recorded all year
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
Recorded all year
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
Recorded all year
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fuscaVU
Recorded all year
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
Recorded all year
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
Recorded all year
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
Recorded all year
Crested Tit
Lophophanes cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
Recorded all year
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
Recorded all year
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
Recorded all year
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
Recorded all year
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
Recorded all year
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
Recorded all year
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula krameriLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
Regularly Mar–Jun
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschataLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Summer visitors
(56)Arrives to breed; scarce or absent in winter
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Recorded all year
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
Recorded all year
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
Regularly Mar–Nov
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
Recorded all year
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenusLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Recorded all year
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
Regularly Mar–Oct
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
Regularly Mar–Sep
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorusLC
Regularly Apr–Jul
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaLC
Regularly May–Oct
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Recorded all year
Common Swift
Apus apusLC
Regularly May–Aug
Great Skua
Stercorarius skuaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arcticaVU
Regularly Apr–Dec
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensisLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Twite
Linaria flavirostrisLC
Recorded all year
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
Regularly May–Oct
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borinLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
Regularly Mar–Sep
Arctic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Grasshopper Warbler
Locustella naeviaLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Wood Warbler
Phylloscopus sibilatrixLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
Recorded all year
European Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleucaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Recorded all year
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Little Tern
Sternula albifronsLC
Regularly Apr–Aug
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurioLC
Regularly May–Oct
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
Recorded all year
Little Ringed Plover
Thinornis dubiusLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Ruff
Calidris pugnaxLC
Regularly May–Oct
Marsh Warbler
Acrocephalus palustrisLC
Regularly May–Oct
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
Recorded all year
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferrugineaNT
Regularly May–Oct
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
European Storm-petrel
Hydrobates pelagicusLC
Regularly May–Oct
Pomarine Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinusLC
Regularly May–Nov
Common Quail
Coturnix coturnixLC
Regularly May–Sep
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
King Eider
Somateria spectabilisLC
Regularly Jan–Oct
Hobby
Falco subbuteoLC
Regularly May–Sep
European Turtle-dove
Streptopelia turturVU
Regularly May–Oct
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferrugineaLC
Regularly May–Nov
Winter visitors
(24)Present outside the breeding season
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Teal
Anas creccaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Recorded all year
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
Recorded all year
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
Regularly Sep–May
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Recorded all year
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Recorded all year
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillataLC
Regularly Aug–May
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
Recorded all year
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalisLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
Regularly Oct–Jul
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreusLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Regularly Aug–May
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
Regularly Aug–May
Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoidesLC
Regularly Sep–Jun
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
Regularly Aug–May
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
Recorded all year
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
Recorded all year
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
Regularly Sep–May
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxLC
Regularly May–Mar
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
Regularly Aug–May
Passage migrants
(15)Seen mainly in spring and autumn migration
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
Regularly Mar–Aug
Bluethroat
Luscinia svecicaLC
Regularly May–Oct
Common Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinusLC
Regularly May–Oct
Subalpine Warbler
Curruca cantillansLC
Regularly May–Jun
Long-tailed Jaeger
Stercorarius longicaudusLC
Regularly May–Oct
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
Regularly May–Oct
Wryneck
Jynx torquillaLC
Regularly Apr–Sep
Golden Oriole
Oriolus oriolusLC
Regularly May–Jun
Hoopoe
Upupa epopsLC
Regularly Apr–Oct
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
Regularly May–Oct
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensisLC
Regularly Jan–Jun
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphiaLC
Regularly May–Aug
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestrisLC
Regularly May–Nov
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchosLC
Regularly May
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