Birds to See in South Ayrshire in February
100 bird species on our list for South Ayrshire are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow and House Sparrow. New this month: Northern Gannet and Red-necked Grebe.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebAt 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 February
100 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 10.61% in Feb
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 10.10% in Feb
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 9.40% in Feb
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 7.03% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 6.28% in Feb
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.53% in Feb
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.93% in Feb
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 3.69% in Feb
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.68% in Feb
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 3.53% in Feb
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 3.23% in Feb
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.99% in Feb
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.95% in Feb
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 2.24% in Feb
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in Feb
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 1.79% in Feb
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in Feb
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Feb
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.33% in Feb
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Aug–May · 1.09% in Feb
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Feb
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Feb
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Feb
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in Feb
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Feb
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Feb
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisWinter visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.61% in Feb
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Feb
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.46% in Feb
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Feb
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.44% in Feb
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.39% in Feb
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Feb
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusWinter visitorCommon27–28 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.36% in Feb
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Feb
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Feb
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.33% in Feb
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Feb
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.31% in Feb
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentUncommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Feb
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.28% in Feb
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Feb
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.26% in Feb
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Feb
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.24% in Feb
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.23% in Feb
GreenfinchChloris chlorisWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Feb
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Feb
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Feb
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Feb
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Feb
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Feb
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.15% in Feb
CootFulica atraPassage migrantUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Jan–Apr · 0.14% in Feb
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Feb
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.10% in Feb
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Feb
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Feb
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.08% in Feb
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.08% in Feb
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaWinter visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.08% in Feb
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.08% in Feb
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentUncommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Feb
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.08% in Feb
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorUncommon55–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.07% in Feb
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Feb
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaWinter visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.06% in Feb
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon58–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.05% in Feb
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Stock DoveColumba oenasWinter visitorUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusWinter visitorUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.05% in Feb
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorUncommon23–29 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.04% in Feb
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorUncommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.03% in Feb
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Feb
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.03% in Feb
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorRare34–58 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.03% in Feb
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorUncommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentRare40–47 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusPassage migrantRare17–19 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Feb
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.02% in Feb
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Feb
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantRare55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.01% in Feb
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantRare24–33 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Feb
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaWinter visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.01% in Feb
Canada GooseBranta canadensisWinter visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.01% in Feb
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Feb
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Feb · 0.01% in Feb
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.01% 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