Birds to See in Renfrewshire in May
98 bird species on our list for Renfrewshire are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Chaffinch and Woodpigeon. New this month: House Martin, Common Swift, Common Sandpiper and Kestrel and 9 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
At their peak
From Renfrewshire’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 98 birds in May
98 birds
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 4.70% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 4.16% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.63% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.18% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.10% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 3.01% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.99% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 2.97% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.92% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.50% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.50% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.43% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.43% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 2.43% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.31% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.09% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.03% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.94% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.79% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 1.32% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 1.22% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Nov–Jul · 1.20% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in May
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentCommon44–51 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 1.11% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.05% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.02% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.92% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.75% in May
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisPassage migrantCommon14–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.66% in May
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in May
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.51% in May
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusPassage migrantCommon14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.51% in May
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.47% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.47% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.45% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.34% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaSummer visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Jan–Jul · 0.32% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.32% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosPassage migrantCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.30% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Dec–Jun · 0.30% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.28% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.28% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRegularly Nov–Jun · 0.28% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaResidentCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataPassage migrantCommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.26% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorCommon54–67 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.23% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantCommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.23% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.23% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.23% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.21% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentCommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.21% in May
GarganeySpatula querquedulaPassage migrantUncommon37–41 cmRegularly May · 0.21% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusWinter visitorCommon9–10 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.21% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon50–90 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.19% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorCommon64–79 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.19% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusWinter visitorCommon32–39 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.19% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.19% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.19% in May
Garden WarblerSylvia borinPassage migrantUncommon14–15 cmRegularly May · 0.17% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in May
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusPassage migrantCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in May
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Mar–May · 0.13% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaWinter visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.13% in May
OspreyPandion haliaetusPassage migrantUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.13% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.13% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.11% in May
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusResidentUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · records held back in May (protected)
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentUncommon44–51 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.09% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusPassage migrantUncommon87–100 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.09% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Feb–Aug · records held back in May (protected)
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–May · 0.09% in May
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · records held back in May (protected)
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusScarceUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · records held back in May (protected)
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · records held back in May (protected)
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 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