Birds to See in Scottish Borders in April
101 bird species on our list for Scottish Borders are recorded regularly in April
Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff and European Robin. New this month: Barn Swallow, House Martin, Willow Warbler and Blackcap and 5 more.
On the move in April
GBIF · AprArriving
At their peak
From Scottish Borders’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 101 birds in April
101 birds
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.28% in Apr
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.17% in Apr
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.09% in Apr
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 2.95% in Apr
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.91% in Apr
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.88% in Apr
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.83% in Apr
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 2.81% in Apr
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.72% in Apr
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.62% in Apr
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in Apr
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Apr
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 2.13% in Apr
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in Apr
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.91% in Apr
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in Apr
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in Apr
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Apr
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.70% in Apr
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.70% in Apr
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in Apr
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.61% in Apr
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.58% in Apr
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.37% in Apr
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Apr
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Apr
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in Apr
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in Apr
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.11% in Apr
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Apr
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.09% in Apr
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.09% in Apr
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in Apr
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.04% in Apr
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentCommon45–50 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 1.04% in Apr
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.02% in Apr
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Apr
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Apr
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Apr
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in Apr
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.87% in Apr
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Apr
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Apr
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.85% in Apr
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.83% in Apr
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Apr
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Apr
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.78% in Apr
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.76% in Apr
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.76% in Apr
CootFulica atraSummer visitorCommon36–42 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.71% in Apr
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Apr
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Apr
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.69% in Apr
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Apr
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoSummer visitorCommon30–32 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.69% in Apr
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorCommon50–71 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.61% in Apr
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.61% in Apr
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Apr
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Apr
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Apr
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.59% in Apr
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Apr
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Apr
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Apr
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Apr
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Apr
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.45% in Apr
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatusPassage migrantUncommon23–24 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.40% in Apr
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.38% in Apr
DipperCinclus cinclusWinter visitorCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Apr
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusPassage migrantCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.35% in Apr
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.33% in Apr
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.33% in Apr
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.31% in Apr
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Mar–Jun · 0.31% in Apr
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Apr
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaSummer visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.31% in Apr
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Apr
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.28% in Apr
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusWinter visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.28% in Apr
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.24% in Apr
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopePassage migrantCommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.24% in Apr
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.21% in Apr
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusPassage migrantCommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · records held back in Apr (protected)
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.19% in Apr
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Apr
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.17% in Apr
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · records held back in Apr (protected)
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Apr
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.14% in Apr
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Apr
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.12% in Apr
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.12% in Apr
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Feb–Jul · records held back in Apr (protected)
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · records held back in Apr (protected)
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentUncommon58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · records held back in Apr (protected)
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusScarceUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Mar–Jun · records held back in Apr (protected)
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · records held back in Apr (protected)
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Aug · records held back in Apr (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