Birds to See in Midlothian in May
93 bird species on our list for Midlothian are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Blackbird and Jackdaw. New this month: Common Swift, Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher and Barnacle Goose and 1 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
From Midlothian’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 93 birds in May
93 birds
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.47% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.35% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.29% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.24% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.79% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.71% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.65% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 2.54% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.50% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.47% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.29% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.26% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.17% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.01% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 1.96% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.87% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusSummer visitorCommon40–45 cmRegularly Feb–Aug · 1.67% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.64% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaPassage migrantCommon58–67 cmRegularly Feb–Aug · 1.15% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.01% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataSummer visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Jan–Aug · 1.00% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.78% in May
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.67% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.64% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.57% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.47% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.44% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentCommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.37% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in May
RedshankTringa totanusSummer visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Dec–Jul · 0.36% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in May
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.32% in May
Garden WarblerSylvia borinPassage migrantUncommon14–15 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.32% in May
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorCommon54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.32% in May
Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.31% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.29% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorCommon64–79 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.28% in May
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraSummer visitorCommon15–17 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.28% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.28% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.26% in May
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in May
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaWinter visitorCommon37–42 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.24% in May
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentCommon37–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.22% in May
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.22% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.18% in May
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisPassage migrantUncommon58–70 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.10% in May
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusPassage migrantUncommon140–165 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · records held back in May (protected)
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatusSummer visitorUncommon23–24 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.08% in 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