Birds to See in South Ayrshire in January
106 bird species on our list for South Ayrshire are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow and Common Starling. New this month: Blackcap, Coot, Long-tailed Duck and Tufted Duck and 5 more.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanArriving
At their peak
Black-headed GullBusiest month of the year · Jun–Mar
Eurasian WigeonBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Northern LapwingBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Eurasian TealBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Ruddy TurnstoneBusiest month of the year · All year
Northern PintailBusiest month of the year · Dec–Feb
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 January
106 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 9.60% in Jan
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 9.02% in Jan
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 8.12% in Jan
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 6.97% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.47% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 5.26% in Jan
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 4.75% in Jan- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 3.77% in Jan
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.65% in Jan
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 3.64% in Jan
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 3.20% in Jan
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.83% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.61% in Jan
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 1.94% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Jan
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.41% in Jan
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.41% in Jan
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Jan
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Jan
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.23% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Jan
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.05% in Jan
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Jan
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.88% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Jan- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.62% in Jan
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.62% in Jan- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.60% in Jan
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Jan
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Jan- Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.54% in Jan
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Jan
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.52% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.51% in Jan
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisWinter visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.51% in Jan
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Jan
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.45% in Jan
GreenfinchChloris chlorisWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Jan
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusWinter visitorCommon27–28 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.42% in Jan- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Jan
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Jan
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Jan
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Jan
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentUncommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Jan
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Jan
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.26% in Jan
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.22% in Jan- Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.20% in Jan
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.19% in Jan
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jan
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaWinter visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.19% in Jan
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.18% in Jan
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Jan
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.16% in Jan
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Jan
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.13% in Jan
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentUncommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon58–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorUncommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Jan
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Jan
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
CootFulica atraPassage migrantUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Jan–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusWinter visitorUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.09% in Jan
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorUncommon23–29 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Jan
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Jan
Stock DoveColumba oenasWinter visitorUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Jan
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.06% in Jan
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Jan
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorUncommon55–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaWinter visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.05% in Jan
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.05% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisWinter visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.04% in Jan
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Jan
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentRare40–47 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.04% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Jan
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaWinter visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.03% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisPassage migrantRare37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.03% in Jan
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantRare55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.03% in Jan
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusPassage migrantRare17–19 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorRare34–58 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.02% in Jan
TwiteLinaria flavirostrisWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.02% in Jan
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentRare58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.02% in Jan
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentRare16–17 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentRare17–20 cmRegularly Jan–Jun · 0.02% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerResidentRare66–91 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.01% in Jan
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaPassage migrantRare33–38 cmRegularly Jan · 0.01% in Jan
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantRare24–33 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
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