Birds to See in Moray in October
114 bird species on our list for Moray are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Great Black-backed Gull and Great Cormorant. New this month: Long-tailed Duck, Redwing, Fieldfare and Common Loon and 10 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
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 114 birds in October
114 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 4.03% in Oct
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.16% in Oct
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 3.01% in Oct
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in Oct
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 2.67% in Oct
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.52% in Oct
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.37% in Oct
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.28% in Oct
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Oct
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.11% in Oct
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 2.03% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in Oct
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in Oct
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.90% in Oct
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 1.84% in Oct
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in Oct
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.41% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.41% in Oct
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in Oct
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Oct
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Oct
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Oct
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Oct
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in Oct
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Oct
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 1.26% in Oct
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Oct
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.24% in Oct
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 1.20% in Oct
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in Oct
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.17% in Oct
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in Oct
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Oct
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 1.11% in Oct
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in Oct
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.05% in Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Oct
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Oct
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Oct
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Oct
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.94% in Oct
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.88% in Oct
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Oct
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Oct
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Oct
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.75% in Oct
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Oct
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Oct
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Oct
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Oct
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.62% in Oct
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Oct
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Oct
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Oct
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Oct
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Oct
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorCommon51–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.58% in Oct
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Oct
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Oct
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Oct
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Oct
MoorhenGallinula chloropusWinter visitorCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Oct
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Oct
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.47% in Oct
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.45% in Oct
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Oct
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Oct
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.38% in Oct
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.36% in Oct
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Oct
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleSummer visitorUncommon30–32 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.34% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.34% in Oct
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorCommon20–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.32% in Oct
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentUncommon58–77 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.30% in Oct
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisPassage migrantUncommon58–70 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.30% in Oct
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.30% in Oct
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Oct
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.30% in Oct
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Nov · 0.28% in Oct
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Oct
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorCommon28–32 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.28% in Oct
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusResidentCommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.28% in Oct
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Oct
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.23% in Oct
Crested TitLophophanes cristatusWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.23% in Oct
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.23% in Oct
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.21% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Oct · 0.21% in Oct
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Oct
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosSummer visitorCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Oct
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.21% in Oct
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusWinter visitorUncommon32–35 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.19% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.19% in Oct
PochardAythya ferinaResidentUncommon42–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.19% in Oct
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.17% in Oct
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraSummer visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.17% in Oct
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.15% in Oct
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.15% in Oct
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.15% in Oct
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.15% in Oct
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Oct
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Oct
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Oct
Water RailRallus aquaticusResidentUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.09% in Oct
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Oct
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.06% in Oct
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensScarceUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in Oct
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