Birds in Scottish Borders

167 species listed · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024

Our list for Scottish Borders has 167 bird species recorded regularly there: 67 residents, 33 summer visitors, 11 winter visitors, 43 passage migrants and 13 scarce visitors.

The list comes from 45,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Birds to see in Scottish Borders in September

119 species on our list are recorded regularly this month. These are the ones birdwatchers record most often.

All 119 birds in September

Arriving in September: Eurasian Wigeon, Pink-footed Goose, Tawny Owl, Yellow-browed Warbler, Gadwall, European Pied Flycatcher, Barnacle Goose, Red-legged Partridge and 10 more.

Through the year

Species recorded regularly in Scottish Borders each month: most in September (119), fewest in December (63). Choose a month to see its birds.

119
Show as a table
Goldcrest
GoldcrestSmallest · 8.5cm
to
Whooper Swan
Whooper SwanLargest · 165cm
From the Goldcrest (8.5 cm) to the Whooper Swan (165 cm)48 families

All 167 birds on the list

Showing 139–161 of 167 species

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Curruca currucaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Jun–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Osprey

Osprey

Pandion haliaetusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Apr–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Whinchat

Whinchat

Saxicola rubetraLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Jun–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serratorLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly Jul–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smew

Smew

Mergellus albellusLC

ScarceUncommon

Regularly Feb

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Circus cyaneusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Jack Snipe

Jack Snipe

Lymnocryptes minimusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black Redstart

Black Redstart

Phoenicurus ochrurosLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit

Anthus trivialisLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Aug–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Dunlin

Dunlin

Calidris alpinaLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly Jul

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropusLC

ScarceUncommon
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Pomarine Jaeger

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Aug–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Grasshopper Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naeviaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brent Goose

Brent Goose

Branta berniclaLC

ScarceUncommon

Regularly Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Merlin

Merlin

Falco columbariusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatusLC

ScarceUncommon
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Quail

Common Quail

Coturnix coturnixLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalusLC

ScarceUncommon
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Purple Sandpiper

Purple Sandpiper

Calidris maritimaLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Water Rail

Water Rail

Rallus aquaticusLC

ScarceUncommon
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Reed-warbler

Common Reed-warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly May–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

Phylloscopus sibilatrixLC

Passage migrantUncommon

Regularly May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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Frequently Asked Questions

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

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