Birds to See in Moray in December
100 bird species on our list for Moray are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Great Black-backed Gull, European Robin and Black-headed Gull. New this month: Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Dipper and Greater Scaup and 1 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
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 100 birds in December
100 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 4.12% in Dec
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.71% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.45% in Dec
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.37% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in Dec
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in Dec
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Dec
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.18% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.18% in Dec
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.16% in Dec
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Dec
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.11% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 2.06% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in Dec
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.74% in Dec
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.74% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.74% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.72% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.72% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.62% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.55% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Dec
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Dec
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 1.40% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 1.40% in Dec
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Dec
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.31% in Dec
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in Dec
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.24% in Dec
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in Dec
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Dec
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in Dec
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in Dec
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 1.02% in Dec
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.99% in Dec
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Dec
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Dec
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.94% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Dec
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Dec
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Dec
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Dec
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusWinter visitorCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Dec
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Dec
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Dec
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Dec
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Dec
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Dec
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorCommon20–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.58% in Dec
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Dec
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Dec
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Dec
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.48% in Dec
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Dec
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.44% in Dec
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Dec
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.44% in Dec
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Dec
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.44% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.34% in Dec
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Dec
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaWinter visitorUncommon33–38 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.31% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.31% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.31% in Dec
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorCommon51–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.31% in Dec
Crested TitLophophanes cristatusWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.29% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Dec
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusResidentCommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.22% in Dec
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorCommon28–32 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.19% in Dec
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosSummer visitorCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleSummer visitorUncommon30–32 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.15% in Dec
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.12% in Dec
PochardAythya ferinaResidentUncommon42–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.12% in Dec
Barn OwlTyto albaWinter visitorUncommon33–39 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.10% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaPassage migrantUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–Jan · 0.10% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.10% in Dec
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
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