Birds to See in South Ayrshire in April
106 bird species on our list for South Ayrshire are recorded regularly in April
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Rook, House Sparrow and Lesser Black-backed Gull. New this month: Barn Swallow, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler and 16 more.
On the move in April
GBIF · AprArriving
At their peak
From South Ayrshire’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 106 birds in April
106 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 9.28% in Apr
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 9.12% in Apr
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 9.01% in Apr
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 7.81% in Apr
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 7.40% in Apr
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 6.50% in Apr
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 5.53% in Apr
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 5.43% in Apr
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.72% in Apr
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 3.42% in Apr
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 3.00% in Apr
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in Apr
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.60% in Apr
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.47% in Apr
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 1.89% in Apr
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.54% in Apr
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Apr
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.04% in Apr
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Apr
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.88% in Apr
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Apr
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Apr
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Apr
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Apr
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Apr
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.42% in Apr
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Apr
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Apr
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisWinter visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.40% in Apr
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Apr
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorUncommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.34% in Apr
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Apr
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.31% in Apr
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Apr
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorUncommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.30% in Apr
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentUncommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Apr
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Apr
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.23% in Apr
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.22% in Apr
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.22% in Apr
GreenfinchChloris chlorisWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Apr
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.21% in Apr
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Apr
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Apr
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Apr
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Apr
CootFulica atraPassage migrantUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Jan–Apr · 0.17% in Apr
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.16% in Apr
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Apr
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Apr
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.15% in Apr
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Apr
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.13% in Apr
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Apr
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentUncommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Apr
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Apr
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Apr
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.10% in Apr
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.09% in Apr
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.09% in Apr
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaWinter visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.08% in Apr
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Apr
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Apr
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Apr
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.06% in Apr
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Apr
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.05% in Apr
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Apr
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Apr
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.05% in Apr
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.04% in Apr
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Apr
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorUncommon55–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.04% in Apr
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.04% in Apr
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon58–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Apr
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaWinter visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.04% in Apr
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Apr
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantRare12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.03% in Apr
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Apr
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Apr
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Apr
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorUncommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Apr
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Apr
Canada GooseBranta canadensisWinter visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Apr
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Apr
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorUncommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.03% in Apr
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Apr
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Apr
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentRare44–51 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.02% in Apr
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Apr
Stock DoveColumba oenasWinter visitorUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Apr
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantRare40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.02% in Apr
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorRare34–58 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · records held back in Apr (protected)
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.02% in Apr
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.01% in Apr
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRecorded all year · records held back in Apr (protected)
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.01% in Apr
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentRare40–47 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Common LoonGavia immerResidentRare66–91 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.01% in Apr
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentRare17–20 cmRegularly Jan–Jun · 0.01% in Apr
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentRare58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · records held back in Apr (protected)
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesPassage migrantRare52–60 cmRegularly Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Greater ScaupAythya marilaScarceRare39–56 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · records held back in Apr (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