Birds to See in South Ayrshire in August
100 bird species on our list for South Ayrshire are recorded regularly in August
Of these, the most often recorded are Jackdaw, European Herring Gull, Rook, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Woodpigeon. New this month: European Robin, Mute Swan, Common Snipe and Red Knot and 10 more.
On the move in August
GBIF · AugArriving
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 100 birds in August
100 birds
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 10.04% in Aug
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 9.54% in Aug
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 9.34% in Aug
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 8.16% in Aug
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 6.78% in Aug
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 6.12% in Aug
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 5.41% in Aug
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 5.02% in Aug
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.36% in Aug
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.29% in Aug
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.75% in Aug
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 2.71% in Aug
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.37% in Aug
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in Aug
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Aug
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 1.91% in Aug
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 1.61% in Aug
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.06% in Aug
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Aug
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.92% in Aug
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 0.89% in Aug
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Aug
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Aug
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.62% in Aug
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Aug
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Aug
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Aug
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Aug
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Aug
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Aug
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Aug
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Aug
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorUncommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.36% in Aug
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.34% in Aug
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.32% in Aug
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Aug
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Aug
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentUncommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Aug
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Aug
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Aug
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Aug
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.19% in Aug
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusWinter visitorUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.18% in Aug
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorUncommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.16% in Aug
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.16% in Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Aug
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.14% in Aug
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorUncommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.13% in Aug
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.13% in Aug
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentUncommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Aug
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Aug
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.09% in Aug
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.08% in Aug
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Aug
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.07% in Aug
GreenfinchChloris chlorisWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Aug
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Aug
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in Aug
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Aug
Stock DoveColumba oenasWinter visitorUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Aug
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.05% in Aug
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon58–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Aug
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Aug
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Aug
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.04% in Aug
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaPassage migrantUncommon33–39 cmRegularly Jun–Aug · 0.04% in Aug
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.04% in Aug
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Aug
Canada GooseBranta canadensisWinter visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Aug
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Aug
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Aug
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantRare40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.03% in Aug
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorUncommon55–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.03% in Aug
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Aug
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Aug
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.02% in Aug
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorUncommon23–29 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.02% in Aug
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Aug
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.02% in Aug
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Aug
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.02% in Aug
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.02% in Aug
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Aug
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantRare20–32 cmRegularly Aug–Sep · 0.01% in Aug
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.01% in Aug
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentRare45–50 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Aug
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Aug
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRecorded all year · records held back in Aug (protected)
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorRare34–58 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.01% in Aug
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.01% in Aug
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.01% in Aug
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentRare58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · records held back in Aug (protected)
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentRare16–17 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.01% in Aug
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentRare44–51 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.01% in Aug
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorUncommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Aug
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in Aug
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantRare31–35 cmRegularly Jul–Aug · 0.00% in Aug
Greater ScaupAythya marilaScarceRare39–56 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · records held back in Aug (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