Birds to See in North Ayrshire in May
99 bird species on our list for North Ayrshire are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon. New this month: Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher, Fulmar and Atlantic Puffin and 1 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
From North Ayrshire’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 99 birds in May
99 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.51% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.29% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 3.27% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.04% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.70% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.31% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.11% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 2.06% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.01% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.92% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.79% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.77% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.67% in May
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.64% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.45% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.42% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.40% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.15% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in May
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleSummer visitorCommon30–32 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.13% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.03% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantCommon32–34 cmRegularly May–Jun · 1.03% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.01% in May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 1.01% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorCommon50–90 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.96% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.96% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.88% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.88% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixSummer visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.86% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoSummer visitorCommon30–32 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.69% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.59% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.47% in May
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Dec–Jun · 0.44% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRegularly Dec–Jul · 0.44% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.39% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.34% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.34% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.32% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantCommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.29% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.29% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaWinter visitorCommon17–20 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.27% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaWinter visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.25% in May
Garden WarblerSylvia borinPassage migrantUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.22% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · records held back in May (protected)
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.20% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.17% in May
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusPassage migrantUncommon140–165 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · records held back in May (protected)
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentUncommon45–50 cmRegularly May · 0.15% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.15% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.12% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaPassage migrantUncommon28–34 cmRegularly May · 0.10% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorCommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.10% in May
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.10% in May
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusResidentUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · records held back in May (protected)
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.07% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaResidentUncommon16–17 cmRegularly May · 0.07% in May
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Nov–Aug · records held back in May (protected)
Northern PintailAnas acutaPassage migrantUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Jan–Aug · 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