Birds to See in Shetland Islands in August
108 bird species on our list for Shetland Islands are recorded regularly in August
Of these, the most often recorded are Fulmar, European Herring Gull, Common Starling, Meadow Pipit and Northern Gannet. New this month: Eurasian Wigeon, Whooper Swan, Purple Sandpiper and Lesser Whitethroat and 20 more.
On the move in August
GBIF · AugArriving
At their peak
From Shetland Islands’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 108 birds in August
108 birds
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentCommon45–50 cmRecorded all year · 3.90% in Aug
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.69% in Aug
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.44% in Aug
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.94% in Aug
Northern GannetMorus bassanusResidentCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in Aug
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.79% in Aug
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.73% in Aug
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.73% in Aug
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaSummer visitorCommon50–58 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 2.68% in Aug
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 2.62% in Aug
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.59% in Aug
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 2.44% in Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 2.34% in Aug
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 2.29% in Aug
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in Aug
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in Aug
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Aug
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Aug
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.11% in Aug
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.07% in Aug
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in Aug
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorCommon33–39 cmRegularly May–Aug · 1.87% in Aug
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.86% in Aug
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaSummer visitorCommon17–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.85% in Aug
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.69% in Aug
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 1.68% in Aug
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataResidentCommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 1.46% in Aug
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaResidentCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in Aug
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Aug
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.30% in Aug
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Aug
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentCommon25–27 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Aug
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Aug
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in Aug
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusSummer visitorCommon41–46 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.12% in Aug
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Aug
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in Aug
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Aug
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Aug
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.90% in Aug
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusSummer visitorCommon40–42 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.86% in Aug
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Aug
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.78% in Aug
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Aug
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.71% in Aug
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.69% in Aug
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.66% in Aug
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Aug
Grey HeronArdea cinereaWinter visitorCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Aug
European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleucaPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.45% in Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.44% in Aug
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorCommon31–35 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.44% in Aug
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Aug
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.40% in Aug
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.39% in Aug
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorCommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantUncommon20–32 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.31% in Aug
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneSummer visitorUncommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Aug
European Storm-petrelHydrobates pelagicusSummer visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.30% in Aug
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.28% in Aug
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.28% in Aug
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.26% in Aug
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.26% in Aug
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaPassage migrantUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Aug–Nov · 0.25% in Aug
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaPassage migrantCommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Nov · 0.24% in Aug
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Sep · 0.24% in Aug
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.22% in Aug
Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurioPassage migrantUncommon16–18 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.22% in Aug
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaSummer visitorUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.21% in Aug
Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrixPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.21% in Aug
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Aug
KestrelFalco tinnunculusSummer visitorUncommon32–39 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.19% in Aug
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.19% in Aug
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Aug
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.17% in Aug
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorUncommon30–38 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.17% in Aug
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusPassage migrantUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.17% in Aug
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.17% in Aug
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.17% in Aug
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.16% in Aug
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.14% in Aug
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Aug
Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinusPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.13% in Aug
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Aug
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.12% in Aug
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.12% in Aug
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.10% in Aug
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.09% in Aug
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataPassage migrantCommon14–16 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.09% in Aug
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Aug
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · records held back in Aug (protected)
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.08% in Aug
MoorhenGallinula chloropusWinter visitorUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Aug
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Aug
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaPassage migrantUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Aug · 0.06% in Aug
Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.06% in Aug
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorCommon20–22 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.06% in Aug
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.05% in Aug
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaPassage migrantUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.05% in Aug
WryneckJynx torquillaPassage migrantUncommon16–18 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.05% in Aug
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravisScarceUncommon43–51 cmRegularly Aug · 0.04% in Aug
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusResidentUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · records held back in Aug (protected)
Leach's Storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousPassage migrantUncommon18–21 cmRegularly Jul–Aug · 0.04% in Aug
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentUncommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Aug
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Aug
Marsh WarblerAcrocephalus palustrisPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Jun–Oct · 0.03% in Aug
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.03% in Aug
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.02% in Aug
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