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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Wales

Our list for Wales has 242 bird species recorded regularly there: 107 residents, 44 summer visitors, 43 winter visitors, 36 passage migrants and 11 scarce visitors

The list comes from 843,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Species on our list
242
In October
180
Common
95
Busiest month
May
See all 22 counties

What's special about Wales

vs United Kingdom

The birds recorded far more often here than across United Kingdom, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones Wales is worth visiting for.

  1. Red-billed ChoughRed-billed Chough21×Summer visitor · 0.60% of records here, 0.03% across United Kingdom
  2. Wood WarblerWood Warbler5.5×Summer visitor · 0.06% of records here, 0.01% across United Kingdom
  3. Manx ShearwaterManx Shearwater4.8×Summer visitor · 0.25% of records here, 0.05% across United Kingdom
  4. Atlantic PuffinAtlantic Puffin4.2×Summer visitor · 0.21% of records here, 0.05% across United Kingdom
  5. DipperDipper3.7×Resident · 0.19% of records here, 0.05% across United Kingdom
  6. European Storm-petrelEuropean Storm-petrel3.7×Summer visitor · 0.03% of records here, 0.01% across United Kingdom
  7. European Pied FlycatcherEuropean Pied Flycatcher3.5×Summer visitor · 0.11% of records here, 0.03% across United Kingdom
  8. RazorbillRazorbill3.1×Summer visitor · 0.36% of records here, 0.12% across United Kingdom

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. European RobinEuropean Robin3.75%
  2. Carrion CrowCarrion Crow3.56%
  3. JackdawJackdaw2.98%
  4. MagpieMagpie2.88%
  5. European Herring GullEuropean Herring Gull2.74%
  6. WoodpigeonWoodpigeon2.56%

Arriving now

  1. RedwingRedwingWinter visitorSep 0.02% → Oct 0.85%
  2. FieldfareFieldfareWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.24%
  3. BramblingBramblingWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.10%
  4. GoldeneyeGoldeneyeWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.07%
  5. Snow BuntingSnow BuntingPassage migrantSep 0.00% → Oct 0.04%
  6. Black RedstartBlack RedstartWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.04%

Share of all bird records in Wales in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for Wales

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in Wales

Records by month
Bird records in Wales by month, 2019–2024
January58,498
February48,534
March64,528
April101,794
May107,094
June86,051
July79,433
August66,494
September68,265
October63,857
November51,314
December46,924

May has the most records (107,000). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 37
All 37 families in Wales

How common

Places in Wales

All 242 birds, A to Z

Show all 242 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Wales known for?

Compared with the rest of United Kingdom, Wales stands out for Red-billed Chough, Wood Warbler, Manx Shearwater and Atlantic Puffin. Each is recorded at least 4.1 times as often here as across United Kingdom, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for Wales?

242 species, each recorded regularly in Wales (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 107 residents, 44 summer visitors, 43 winter visitors, 36 passage migrants and 11 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Wales, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Wales in October?

180 species on our list for Wales are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are European Robin, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie and European Herring Gull.

What are the most common birds in Wales?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Wales are European Robin, Blackbird, European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Blue Tit.

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

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