Birds to See in Swansea in December
86 bird species on our list for Swansea are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are European Herring Gull, European Robin, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon. New this month: Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Tufted Duck and Merlin and 9 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Swansea’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 86 birds in December
86 birds
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentCommon55–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.47% in Dec
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.47% in Dec
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 3.41% in Dec
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 2.96% in Dec
WoodpigeonColumba palumbusResidentCommon40–42 cmRecorded all year · 2.96% in Dec
JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentCommon34–39 cmRecorded all year · 2.73% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 2.62% in Dec
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleusResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 2.62% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.28% in Dec
MagpiePica picaResidentCommon44–46 cmRecorded all year · 2.28% in Dec
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoResidentCommon51–57 cmRecorded all year · 1.88% in Dec
Great TitParus majorResidentCommonRecorded all year · 1.88% in Dec
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Dec
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusWinter visitorCommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 1.76% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaWinter visitorCommon55–65 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 1.71% in Dec
DunnockPrunella modularisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.65% in Dec
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.65% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 1.54% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorCommon50–60 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 1.42% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Dec
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentCommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Dec
Red KiteMilvus milvusResidentCommon60–66 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Dec
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 1.20% in Dec
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaWinter visitorCommon58–67 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 1.20% in Dec
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon22–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in Dec
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in Dec
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisResidentCommon14–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in Dec
RookCorvus frugilegusResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in Dec
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentCommon20–23 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 1.20% in Dec
Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRegularly Nov–Jun · 1.14% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 1.08% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in Dec
StonechatSaxicola rubicolaResidentCommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in Dec
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentCommon15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 1.02% in Dec
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Dec
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.02% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.97% in Dec
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentCommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Dec
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Dec
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Dec
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.80% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Dec
Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaWinter visitorCommon26–29 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.80% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaWinter visitorCommon80–104 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.80% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.80% in Dec
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorusResidentCommon27–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.63% in Dec
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusPassage migrantCommon41–52 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.63% in Dec
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaWinter visitorCommon40–44 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.57% in Dec
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorCommon27–30 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.57% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Dec
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusWinter visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.57% in Dec
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoPassage migrantCommon25–27 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.51% in Dec
European Green WoodpeckerPicus viridisResidentCommon30–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorCommon75–90 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.51% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon53–89 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.46% in Dec
LinnetLinaria cannabinaSummer visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusPassage migrantUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.46% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorCommon140–160 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.46% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Dec–Oct · 0.46% in Dec
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorUncommon50–71 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.40% in Dec
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.40% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Dec
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.40% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorCommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.40% in Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.40% in Dec
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.40% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.34% in Dec
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.34% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Dec
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusWinter visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.34% in Dec
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaResidentUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.28% in Dec
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusPassage migrantUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.28% in Dec
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorUncommon40–47 cmRegularly Dec–Jul · 0.28% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserPassage migrantUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.23% in Dec
Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodiaResidentUncommon80–90 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.23% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Dec · 0.23% in Dec
Rock PipitAnthus petrosusSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.23% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaPassage migrantUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.17% 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