Birds to See in Cardiff in December
89 bird species on our list for Cardiff are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blackbird, European Robin and Blue Tit. New this month: Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Pheasant and Greater Scaup and 3 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Cardiff’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 89 birds in December
89 birds
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 4.38% in Dec
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 4.25% in Dec
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 4.21% in Dec
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.84% in Dec
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 3.55% in Dec
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.52% in Dec
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 2.99% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.92% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.81% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.65% in Dec
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in Dec
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.53% in Dec
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.52% in Dec
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.31% in Dec
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.18% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.12% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 2.08% in Dec
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.04% in Dec
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.87% in Dec
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Dec
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 1.72% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.72% in Dec
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisWinter visitorCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.71% in Dec
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.64% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in Dec
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Dec
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Dec
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Dec
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Dec
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Dec
PochardAythya ferinaWinter visitorCommon42–49 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 1.07% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in Dec
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Dec
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorCommon55–65 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.68% in Dec
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.66% in Dec
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosResidentCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.57% in Dec
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.54% in Dec
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.49% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Dec
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.41% in Dec
European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisSummer visitorCommon30–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.37% in Dec
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.35% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusResidentCommon28–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.31% in Dec
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaResidentCommon13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.30% in Dec
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.30% in Dec
Water RailRallus aquaticusWinter visitorUncommon23–28 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.27% in Dec
Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellisPassage migrantUncommon52–68 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.27% in Dec
Cetti's WarblerCettia cettiWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.26% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.24% in Dec
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaPassage migrantUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.23% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.23% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentUncommon75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Dec
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusWinter visitorUncommon40–45 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.19% in Dec
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorCommon14–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.19% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.18% in Dec
Stock DoveColumba oenasResidentUncommon32–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.18% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorUncommon50–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
DipperCinclus cinclusResidentUncommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.14% in Dec
Tawny OwlStrix alucoWinter visitorUncommon37–43 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.14% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopePassage migrantUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Jan · 0.12% in Dec
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaSummer visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.11% in Dec
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinusResidentCommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusWinter visitorUncommon32–39 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.11% in Dec
RookCorvus frugilegusWinter visitorUncommon45–47 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.11% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
FieldfareTurdus pilarisPassage migrantUncommon22–27 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.08% in Dec
LinnetLinaria cannabinaPassage migrantUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Aug · 0.08% in Dec
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusResidentUncommon28–31 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.08% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.08% in Dec
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusWinter visitorUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorUncommon53–89 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.07% in Dec
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimusWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.07% in Dec
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