Birds to See in South Ayrshire in October
96 bird species on our list for South Ayrshire are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Jackdaw, Rook, European Herring Gull, European Robin and Carrion Crow. New this month: Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush and 5 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
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 96 birds in October
96 birds
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 9.76% in Oct
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 9.29% in Oct
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 7.48% in Oct
European RobinErithacus rubeculaWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 7.38% in Oct
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 7.03% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.76% in Oct
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.36% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.42% in Oct
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.04% in Oct
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.85% in Oct
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisWinter visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 2.83% in Oct
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.80% in Oct
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.74% in Oct
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.57% in Oct
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.41% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Oct
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 2.11% in Oct
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 1.70% in Oct
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Oct
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Oct
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Oct
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Oct
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 0.94% in Oct
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorCommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.92% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Oct
LinnetLinaria cannabinaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Oct
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Oct
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusWinter visitorCommon27–28 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.69% in Oct
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.66% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Oct
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Oct
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Oct
FieldfareTurdus pilarisWinter visitorCommon22–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.51% in Oct
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Oct
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.47% in Oct
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Oct
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Oct
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentCommon65–80 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Oct
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Oct
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosWinter visitorCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.33% in Oct
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorUncommon23–29 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.28% in Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Oct
GreenfinchChloris chlorisWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Oct
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaWinter visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.22% in Oct
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Oct
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Oct
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.20% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Oct
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Oct
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorUncommon87–100 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.16% in Oct
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalusWinter visitorUncommon37–40 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.15% in Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.13% in Oct
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.12% in Oct
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentUncommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Oct
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.10% in Oct
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorUncommon55–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.10% in Oct
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentUncommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.08% in Oct
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Oct
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.07% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.07% in Oct
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentUncommon58–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorUncommon53–89 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Oct
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.05% in Oct
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.05% in Oct
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.04% in Oct
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusWinter visitorUncommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaWinter visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.04% in Oct
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentUncommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentUncommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorUncommon26–29 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.04% in Oct
Canada GooseBranta canadensisWinter visitorRare76–110 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.04% in Oct
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantRare55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.03% in Oct
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
GreenshankTringa nebulariaPassage migrantUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.02% in Oct
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisPassage migrantRare58–70 cmRegularly Oct–Nov · 0.02% in Oct
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorUncommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Oct
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Oct
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorUncommon30–38 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
WheatearOenanthe oenanthePassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaResidentRare58–77 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in Oct
Stock DoveColumba oenasWinter visitorUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
FulmarFulmarus glacialisResidentRare45–50 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
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