Birds to See in South Ayrshire in December
98 bird species on our list for South Ayrshire are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow and European Robin. New this month: Northern Pintail, Common Shelduck, Arctic Loon and Common Loon and 1 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
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 98 birds in December
98 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 9.19% in Dec
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 8.99% in Dec
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 7.87% in Dec
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 6.75% in Dec
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 5.91% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.93% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.57% in Dec
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 4.39% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 3.28% in Dec
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in Dec
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.88% in Dec
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.34% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 2.16% in Dec
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in Dec
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Dec
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Dec
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Dec
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Dec
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Dec
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Dec
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Dec
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 0.94% in Dec
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisWinter visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.82% in Dec
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.82% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.76% in Dec
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Dec
GreenfinchChloris chlorisWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Dec
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.60% in Dec
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusWinter visitorCommon27–28 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.58% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Dec
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.55% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Dec
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Dec
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.38% in Dec
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.36% in Dec
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.35% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Dec
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaWinter visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.21% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.21% in Dec
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentUncommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.18% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.17% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.16% in Dec
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Dec
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaWinter visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.14% in Dec
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.14% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.13% in Dec
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusWinter visitorUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.12% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorUncommon55–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.12% in Dec
Stock DoveColumba oenasWinter visitorUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Dec
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.10% in Dec
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorUncommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.09% in Dec
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.08% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.08% in Dec
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.07% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentUncommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon58–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.05% in Dec
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorUncommon23–29 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.04% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorRare34–58 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.03% in Dec
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisWinter visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.02% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaWinter visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.02% in Dec
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentRare16–17 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerResidentRare66–91 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.01% in Dec
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentRare58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaResidentRare46–56 cmRegularly Dec · 0.01% in Dec
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