Birds to See in Moray in August
116 bird species on our list for Moray are recorded regularly in August
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Great Black-backed Gull. New this month: Red-breasted Merganser, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Partridge and Eurasian Jay and 13 more.
On the move in August
GBIF · AugArriving
At their peak
From Moray’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 116 birds in August
116 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.54% in Aug
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.04% in Aug
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in Aug
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 2.74% in Aug
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.72% in Aug
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.61% in Aug
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.50% in Aug
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 2.37% in Aug
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in Aug
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 2.11% in Aug
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.09% in Aug
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.77% in Aug
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in Aug
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in Aug
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in Aug
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.66% in Aug
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.55% in Aug
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.55% in Aug
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Aug
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.51% in Aug
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in Aug
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorCommon54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.40% in Aug
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Aug
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Aug
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Aug
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.29% in Aug
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.27% in Aug
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Aug
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Aug
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.23% in Aug
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Aug
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.14% in Aug
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.12% in Aug
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Aug
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in Aug
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Aug
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Aug
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Aug
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Aug
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Aug
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Aug
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.84% in Aug
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.82% in Aug
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Aug
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.78% in Aug
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Aug
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Aug
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Aug
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.69% in Aug
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Aug
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.69% in Aug
MoorhenGallinula chloropusWinter visitorCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Aug
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Aug
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Aug
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Aug
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Aug
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Aug
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Aug
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.56% in Aug
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Aug
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Aug
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Aug
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Aug
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Aug
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Aug
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Aug
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.47% in Aug
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Aug
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.45% in Aug
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.45% in Aug
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.43% in Aug
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.41% in Aug
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.41% in Aug
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Aug
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.37% in Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.37% in Aug
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Aug
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug · 0.35% in Aug
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Aug
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Aug
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.30% in Aug
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Aug
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorCommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.28% in Aug
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Aug
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantUncommon41–46 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.24% in Aug
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentUncommon76–110 cmRegularly Jun–Sep · 0.24% in Aug
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Aug
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.24% in Aug
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosSummer visitorCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Aug
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.24% in Aug
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Aug
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleSummer visitorUncommon30–32 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.19% in Aug
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandraSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.19% in Aug
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.17% in Aug
Little TernSternula albifronsPassage migrantUncommon21–25 cmRegularly Aug · 0.17% in Aug
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.15% in Aug
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Aug
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Aug
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.15% in Aug
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.15% in Aug
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Aug
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaPassage migrantUncommon50–58 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.13% in Aug
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Aug
Red KiteMilvus milvusResidentUncommon60–66 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.11% in Aug
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.11% in Aug
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.11% in Aug
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.09% in Aug
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusResidentUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Aug · 0.09% in Aug
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusPassage migrantUncommon30–38 cmRegularly Aug · 0.09% in Aug
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentUncommon58–77 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · records held back in Aug (protected)
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorCommon28–32 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in Aug
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensScarceUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · records held back in Aug (protected)
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.06% in Aug
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