Birds to See in Scottish Borders in May
114 bird species on our list for Scottish Borders are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow. New this month: Common Swift, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Tawny Owl and 13 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
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 114 birds in May
114 birds
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.27% in May
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 3.04% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.00% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.97% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 2.88% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.84% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.46% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 2.34% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.33% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 2.10% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.94% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.87% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.85% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.76% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.73% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.72% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.70% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.49% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.48% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in May
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.33% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.27% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 1.22% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.04% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 1.00% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.97% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.93% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.88% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentCommon45–50 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.88% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.88% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in May
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.79% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.79% in May
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.73% in May
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.67% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoSummer visitorCommon30–32 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.61% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.61% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.61% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in May
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.57% in May
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in May
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentCommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in May
CootFulica atraSummer visitorCommon36–42 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.49% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.46% in May
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.43% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorCommon50–71 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.39% in May
DipperCinclus cinclusWinter visitorCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in May
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.37% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
CuckooCuculus canorusPassage migrantUncommon32–34 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.30% in May
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.24% in May
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Mar–Jun · 0.21% in May
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly May–Jul · 0.21% in May
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.21% in May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.19% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorCommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.19% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentUncommon76–110 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.18% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusWinter visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.18% in May
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.15% in May
Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.13% in May
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusPassage migrantCommon140–165 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · records held back in May (protected)
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaSummer visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.12% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly May · 0.10% in May
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.10% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · records held back in May (protected)
Tawny OwlStrix alucoResidentCommon37–43 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.10% in May
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly May–Jun · 0.09% in May
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in May
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixSummer visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.09% in May
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.09% in May
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrixPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May · 0.09% in May
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatusPassage migrantUncommon23–24 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.07% in May
European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleucaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.06% in May
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusPassage migrantCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorUncommon28–34 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.04% in May
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantUncommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.04% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Feb–Jul · records held back in May (protected)
European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisResidentUncommon30–36 cmRegularly Feb–May · 0.04% in May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · records held back in May (protected)
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentUncommon58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · records held back in May (protected)
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusScarceUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Mar–Jun · records held back in May (protected)
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · records held back in May (protected)
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Aug · 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