Birds to See in Scottish Borders in August
110 bird species on our list for Scottish Borders are recorded regularly in August
Of these, the most often recorded are Barn Swallow, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, House Martin and European Herring Gull. New this month: Eider, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Jay and Sparrowhawk and 15 more.
On the move in August
GBIF · AugArriving
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 110 birds in August
110 birds
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 3.66% in Aug
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.55% in Aug
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.41% in Aug
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 2.74% in Aug
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.71% in Aug
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.26% in Aug
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Aug
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.09% in Aug
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.09% in Aug
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Aug
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in Aug
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.84% in Aug
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.79% in Aug
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentCommon45–50 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 1.68% in Aug
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.65% in Aug
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.62% in Aug
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.62% in Aug
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Aug
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Aug
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Aug
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Aug
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in Aug
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Aug
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.40% in Aug
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.37% in Aug
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.37% in Aug
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Aug
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in Aug
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Aug
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Aug
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in Aug
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.17% in Aug
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Aug
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Aug
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Aug
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in Aug
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Aug
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Aug
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.98% in Aug
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusPassage migrantCommon30–38 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.95% in Aug
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.95% in Aug
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.95% in Aug
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Aug
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.81% in Aug
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.81% in Aug
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Aug
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.78% in Aug
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Aug
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Aug
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Aug
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Aug
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.70% in Aug
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusWinter visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.64% in Aug
CootFulica atraSummer visitorCommon36–42 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.59% in Aug
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.59% in Aug
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Aug
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.59% in Aug
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentCommon43–54 cmRegularly Aug–Nov · 0.56% in Aug
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Aug
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Aug
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Aug
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Aug
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.53% in Aug
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantCommon41–46 cmRegularly Jul–Oct · 0.50% in Aug
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Aug
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Aug
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Aug
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoSummer visitorCommon30–32 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.47% in Aug
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Aug
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.42% in Aug
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.42% in Aug
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.42% in Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Jul–Sep · 0.42% in Aug
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorCommon50–71 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.39% in Aug
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaPassage migrantUncommon50–58 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.39% in Aug
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Aug
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Aug
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Aug
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.36% in Aug
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaPassage migrantUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Aug–Nov · 0.36% in Aug
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.34% in Aug
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Aug
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.34% in Aug
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Aug
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.31% in Aug
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Aug
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.25% in Aug
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusPassage migrantCommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · records held back in Aug (protected)
DipperCinclus cinclusWinter visitorCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Aug
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.22% in Aug
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.22% in Aug
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.22% in Aug
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaPassage migrantUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.22% in Aug
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaPassage migrantUncommon33–39 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.20% in Aug
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.20% in Aug
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jun–Sep · 0.20% in Aug
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorUncommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.14% in Aug
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantUncommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.14% in Aug
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.14% in Aug
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataResidentCommon53–69 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.14% in Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.14% in Aug
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.14% in Aug
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.14% in Aug
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPassage migrantUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.11% in Aug
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusPassage migrantUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.11% in Aug
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentUncommon76–110 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.08% in Aug
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaSummer visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.08% in Aug
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaScarceUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.08% in Aug
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentUncommon58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · records held back in Aug (protected)
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Aug · records held back in Aug (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