Birds to See in Moray in May
123 bird species on our list for Moray are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Woodpigeon and Blackbird. New this month: House Martin, Common Swift, Common Tern and Sedge Warbler and 11 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
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 123 birds in May
123 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.22% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 2.93% in May
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.72% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.46% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 2.46% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.20% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.12% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 2.03% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.65% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.65% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.65% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.35% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosSummer visitorCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.30% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.18% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.06% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.85% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.80% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.80% in May
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorCommon54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.80% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.78% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.71% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.69% in May
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in May
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorCommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.59% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.59% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.57% in May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.55% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.55% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.54% in May
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in May
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in May
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.45% in May
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.45% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.42% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.40% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in May
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.36% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.35% in May
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.33% in May
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaSummer visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.33% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.28% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.24% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in May
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandraSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.23% in May
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in May
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorCommon28–32 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.23% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in May
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraSummer visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.23% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxSummer visitorUncommon54–67 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.21% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in May
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.19% in May
GarganeySpatula querquedulaPassage migrantUncommon37–41 cmRegularly May · 0.17% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusWinter visitorCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.17% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · records held back in May (protected)
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleSummer visitorUncommon30–32 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.12% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in May
Red KiteMilvus milvusResidentUncommon60–66 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.12% in May
Western Marsh-harrierCircus aeruginosusPassage migrantUncommon48–56 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.12% in May
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraScarceUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May · 0.12% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.10% in May
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.09% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Feb–May · 0.09% in May
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.07% in May
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisPassage migrantUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Jun · 0.07% in May
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.07% in May
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentUncommon58–77 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · records held back in May (protected)
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.05% in May
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensScarceUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · records held back in May (protected)
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorCommon51–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in May
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · records held back in May (protected)
PochardAythya ferinaResidentUncommon42–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · records held back in May (protected)
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