Birds to See in Shetland Islands in February
88 bird species on our list for Shetland Islands are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Common Starling, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Greylag Goose and Hooded Crow. New this month: Eurasian Skylark, Goldcrest, Woodpigeon and Lesser Black-backed Gull and 5 more.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebArriving
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 88 birds in February
88 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 4.76% in Feb
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.62% in Feb
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 3.97% in Feb
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 3.89% in Feb
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 3.70% in Feb
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 3.67% in Feb
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.46% in Feb
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentCommon45–50 cmRecorded all year · 3.44% in Feb
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 3.43% in Feb
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 3.32% in Feb
Common GullLarus canusResidentCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 3.26% in Feb
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.17% in Feb
RedshankTringa totanusResidentCommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 3.11% in Feb
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 3.02% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in Feb
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.38% in Feb
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.28% in Feb
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Feb
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 1.68% in Feb
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.59% in Feb
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Feb
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in Feb
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 1.35% in Feb
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Feb
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Feb
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Feb
Northern GannetMorus bassanusResidentCommon87–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Feb
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in Feb
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 1.06% in Feb
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 1.04% in Feb
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoResidentCommon25–27 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Feb
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Feb
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaResidentCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Feb
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Feb
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Feb
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Feb
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Feb
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorCommon20–22 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.86% in Feb
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Feb
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.83% in Feb
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorCommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.83% in Feb
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataResidentCommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Feb
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.79% in Feb
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsWinter visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.74% in Feb
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaResidentCommon26–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Feb
Grey HeronArdea cinereaWinter visitorCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Feb
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Feb
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorCommon62–68 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.52% in Feb
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Feb
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.36% in Feb
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorCommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Feb
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorUncommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.36% in Feb
MoorhenGallinula chloropusWinter visitorUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Feb
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Feb
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaWinter visitorCommon33–38 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.28% in Feb
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Feb
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorCommon20–23 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.26% in Feb
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Feb
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Nov–Jul · 0.24% in Feb
Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostrisPassage migrantUncommon66–84 cmRegularly Jan–Apr · 0.24% in Feb
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Feb
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisSummer visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Feb
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.16% in Feb
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusSummer visitorCommon40–42 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.16% in Feb
Red GrouseLagopus scoticaSummer visitorUncommon37–42 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.15% in Feb
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaSummer visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.12% in Feb
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Feb
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentUncommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Feb
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Feb
Water RailRallus aquaticusWinter visitorUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.12% in Feb
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisResidentUncommon58–70 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.11% in Feb
GoldcrestRegulus regulusPassage migrantCommon9–10 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.11% in Feb
Greater ScaupAythya marilaPassage migrantUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.11% in Feb
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorUncommon51–58 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.11% in Feb
CootFulica atraWinter visitorUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.10% in Feb
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.10% in Feb
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentUncommon58–77 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.09% in Feb
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.09% in Feb
Northern PintailAnas acutaPassage migrantUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.09% in Feb
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.08% in Feb
BramblingFringilla montifringillaPassage migrantCommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.08% in Feb
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusResidentUncommon41–52 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · records held back in Feb (protected)
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.08% in Feb
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.07% in Feb
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.07% in Feb
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.06% in Feb
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.06% in Feb
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneSummer visitorUncommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
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