Birds to See in South Ayrshire in May
97 bird species on our list for South Ayrshire are recorded regularly in May
Of these, the most often recorded are Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Rook, European Herring Gull and Blackbird. New this month: House Martin, Common Swift, Little Grebe and Sanderling and 3 more.
On the move in May
GBIF · MayArriving
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 97 birds in May
97 birds
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 8.88% in May
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 8.87% in May
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 8.84% in May
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 8.40% in May
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 7.82% in May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 7.19% in May
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 5.41% in May
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 5.28% in May
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.15% in May
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 3.89% in May
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.58% in May
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.41% in May
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in May
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.06% in May
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in May
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorCommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.83% in May
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 1.62% in May
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 1.56% in May
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in May
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.86% in May
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 0.81% in May
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.66% in May
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in May
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in May
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in May
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisWinter visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.47% in May
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in May
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in May
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorUncommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.37% in May
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in May
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in May
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in May
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.30% in May
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in May
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.22% in May
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.22% in May
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in May
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in May
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.18% in May
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in May
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in May
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorUncommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.14% in May
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in May
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in May
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.11% in May
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in May
GreenfinchChloris chlorisWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in May
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentUncommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in May
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in May
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in May
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentUncommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in May
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in May
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in May
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jul · 0.07% in May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.07% in May
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorUncommon23–29 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.06% in May
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in May
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.05% in May
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaWinter visitorUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.05% in May
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.05% in May
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naeviaPassage migrantRare12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.05% in May
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.04% in May
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorUncommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in May
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in May
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.03% in May
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon58–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in May
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in May
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Jun · 0.02% in May
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in May
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in May
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in May
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in May
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.02% in May
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.02% in May
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorRare34–58 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · records held back in May (protected)
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaWinter visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.02% in May
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.01% in May
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorUncommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
Canada GooseBranta canadensisWinter visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.01% in May
Hooded CrowCorvus cornixResidentRare44–51 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.01% in May
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in May
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRecorded all year · records held back in May (protected)
Stock DoveColumba oenasWinter visitorUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in May
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in May
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly May · 0.01% in May
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentRare58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · records held back in May (protected)
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentRare17–20 cmRegularly Jan–Jun · 0.01% in May
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraScarceRare12–14 cmRegularly May · 0.01% in May
Common LoonGavia immerResidentRare66–91 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.00% in May
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentRare45–50 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.00% in May
Greater ScaupAythya marilaScarceRare39–56 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · records held back in May (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