Birds to See in Orkney Islands in December
49 species listed for December · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024
49 bird species on our list for Orkney Islands are recorded regularly in December. Of these, the most often recorded are Mallard, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Gull, Hen Harrier and Long-tailed Duck. New this month: Coot.
New in December1
Leaving after last month33
- Meadow Pipit
- Rock Dove
- Pied Wagtail
- Redwing
- Snow Bunting
- House Sparrow
- Rook
- Blackbird
- Chaffinch
- Kittiwake
- Eurasian Wren
- Merlin
- Razorbill
- Eurasian Woodcock
- Gadwall
- Pink-footed Goose
- Song Thrush
- Blackcap
- Brambling
- Goldcrest
- Chiffchaff
- Eurasian Collared Dove
- Peregrine Falcon
- Reed Bunting
- Moorhen
- European Goldfinch
- Greenfinch
- Black-tailed Godwit
- Little Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Jack Snipe
- Kestrel
- Greater Scaup
Residents
(24)Recorded all year
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Recorded all year
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Recorded all year
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Recorded all year
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Recorded all year
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
Recorded all year
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
Recorded all year
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Recorded all year
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
Recorded all year
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Recorded all year
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Recorded all year
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
Recorded all year
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
Recorded all year
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Recorded all year
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundusLC
Recorded all year
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Recorded all year
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornixLC
Recorded all year
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
Recorded all year
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
Recorded all year
European Shag
Gulosus aristotelisLC
Recorded all year
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Recorded all year
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
Recorded all year
Black Guillemot
Cepphus grylleLC
Recorded all year
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
Recorded all year
Summer visitors
(15)Arrives to breed; scarce or absent in winter
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Regularly Apr–Jan
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Eurasian Teal
Anas creccaLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Stonechat
Saxicola rubicolaLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Twite
Linaria flavirostrisLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Regularly Feb–Dec
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Regularly Apr–Dec
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
Regularly Mar–Dec
Winter visitors
(6)Present outside the breeding season
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
Regularly Oct–May
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
Regularly Jun–Apr
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
Regularly Sep–Mar
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Passage migrants
(4)Seen mainly in spring and autumn migration
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