Birds to See in Orkney Islands in July
96 bird species on our list for Orkney Islands are recorded regularly in July
Of these, the most often recorded are Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Herring Gull, Common Starling, Great Black-backed Gull and Fulmar. New this month: Merlin, Sooty Shearwater, Common Swift and Leach's Storm-petrel.
On the move in July
GBIF · JulArriving
At their peak
From Orkney Islands’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 96 birds in July
96 birds
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 4.44% in Jul
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.99% in Jul
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.91% in Jul
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in Jul
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorCommon45–50 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 2.84% in Jul
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.62% in Jul
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorCommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Sep · 2.60% in Jul
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.57% in Jul
Rock DoveColumba liviaSummer visitorCommon31–34 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 2.54% in Jul
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.53% in Jul
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 2.51% in Jul
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaSummer visitorCommon50–58 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.50% in Jul
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Jul
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 2.38% in Jul
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in Jul
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 2.26% in Jul
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 2.20% in Jul
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.10% in Jul
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.87% in Jul
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.86% in Jul
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.83% in Jul
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.83% in Jul
House SparrowPasser domesticusSummer visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.71% in Jul
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 1.60% in Jul
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.59% in Jul
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.58% in Jul
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.50% in Jul
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusSummer visitorCommon41–46 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.37% in Jul
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.28% in Jul
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesSummer visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.28% in Jul
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Jul
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Jul
BlackbirdTurdus merulaSummer visitorCommon24–25 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.22% in Jul
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in Jul
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Jul
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.11% in Jul
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.10% in Jul
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.95% in Jul
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.85% in Jul
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.85% in Jul
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusSummer visitorCommon40–42 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.83% in Jul
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Jul
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentCommon25–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Jul
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataSummer visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.76% in Jul
DunlinCalidris alpinaSummer visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.73% in Jul
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Jul
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.68% in Jul
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoSummer visitorCommon30–32 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.59% in Jul
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.58% in Jul
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaSummer visitorCommon26–29 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.55% in Jul
Grey HeronArdea cinereaWinter visitorCommon90–98 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.55% in Jul
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.55% in Jul
MoorhenGallinula chloropusSummer visitorCommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.51% in Jul
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.51% in Jul
JackdawColoeus monedulaSummer visitorCommon34–39 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.49% in Jul
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.48% in Jul
RookCorvus frugilegusSummer visitorCommon45–47 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.48% in Jul
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.48% in Jul
CootFulica atraSummer visitorCommon36–42 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.43% in Jul
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusSummer visitorCommon34–43 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.43% in Jul
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorCommon50–90 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.40% in Jul
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneSummer visitorCommon45–47 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.36% in Jul
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorCommon58–67 cmRegularly Mar–Jul · 0.34% in Jul
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.34% in Jul
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Jul
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaSummer visitorCommon40–44 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.30% in Jul
KestrelFalco tinnunculusSummer visitorUncommon32–39 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.27% in Jul
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorUncommon21–25 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.27% in Jul
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.27% in Jul
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.25% in Jul
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.25% in Jul
GreenfinchChloris chlorisSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.24% in Jul
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.22% in Jul
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusPassage migrantUncommon30–38 cmRegularly Jun–Oct · 0.22% in Jul
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.22% in Jul
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.21% in Jul
European Storm-petrelHydrobates pelagicusPassage migrantUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Jun–Sep · 0.21% in Jul
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jul
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.18% in Jul
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Jun–Oct · 0.16% in Jul
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorCommon51–57 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.13% in Jul
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.13% in Jul
Common SwiftApus apusPassage migrantUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.12% in Jul
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.09% in Jul
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantCommon24–33 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.09% in Jul
Water RailRallus aquaticusSummer visitorUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.09% in Jul
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.09% in Jul
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusResidentCommon31–38 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · records held back in Jul (protected)
Leach's Storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousPassage migrantUncommon18–21 cmRegularly Jul · 0.07% in Jul
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentCommon58–77 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · records held back in Jul (protected)
DunnockPrunella modularisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.06% in Jul
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaSummer visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.06% in Jul
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaPassage migrantCommon40–51 cmRegularly Jul–Oct · 0.06% in Jul
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusSummer visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.04% in Jul
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusSummer visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Jul
Little AukAlle alleScarceUncommon18–21 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · records held back in Jul (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