Birds in Wales
Explore 203 species found in this region.
Wales is home to an impressive diversity of birdlife, with 199 recorded species found across its rugged coastlines, estuaries, upland moors, and ancient woodlands. From wintering wildfowl such as the Pink-footed Goose and Northern Pintail on coastal wetlands to woodland favourites like the Great Tit and Eurasian Woodcock, the country offers exceptional birding opportunities year-round. Wales's varied habitats also support notable waders including the Northern Lapwing and Common Sandpiper, alongside more unexpected residents such as the Mandarin Duck.
Visiting in April? Look out for Atlantic Puffin and Barnacle Goose arriving this month, and Black Redstart and Brambling depart for the season.
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Get Your Free DigestShowing 139–161 of 203 species
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
An uncommon resident on Welsh lakes and marshes year-round, using its distinctive spatula-shaped bill to filter-feed in shallow waters.
Year-round
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
A rare but celebrated breeder, with reintroduction efforts boosting numbers. Present from April to September at upland lakes and reservoirs.
Apr–Sep
Pacific Loon
Gavia pacificaLC
An extremely rare vagrant from North America, occasionally recorded off the Welsh coast in midwinter among commoner diver species.
Dec–Jan
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon but iconic resident, nesting on Welsh sea cliffs and quarries. Increasingly seen around urban areas and cathedral towers.
Year-round
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor arriving from Iceland and Greenland, occasionally seen on estuaries and farmland from October to February.
Oct–Feb
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
An uncommon year-round resident on Welsh lakes and reservoirs, though declining nationally. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals.
Year-round
Pomarine Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinusLC
A rare passage skua seen briefly in September from Welsh headlands such as Strumble Head during strong westerly winds.
Sep
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
A scarce winter visitor to rocky Welsh shorelines and harbour walls, arriving in November and lingering into early spring.
Nov–Apr
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Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
Breeds on sea cliffs at colonies like Skomer and South Stack, present year-round. Winters dispersed at sea off the Welsh coast.
Year-round
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare and nomadic resident of conifer plantations, with numbers fluctuating year to year. Mid-Wales forests offer the best chances of encountering this distinctive finch.
Oct–Aug
Red Grouse
Lagopus lagopus scoticaLC
A rare and declining species on Welsh upland heather moorlands, recorded in spring. Welsh populations are at the southern edge of their range.
Feb–May
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
A Welsh conservation success story, now an uncommon but widespread resident. Mid Wales remains its stronghold in the UK.
Year-round
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Winters on Welsh estuaries such as the Dee and Burry Inlet, with numbers peaking in autumn and spring passage. Absent only in midsummer.
Aug–May
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxLC
An iconic Welsh bird, found year-round on coastal cliffs and upland pastures. Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion hold key breeding populations.
Year-round
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
An uncommon resident favouring Welsh estuaries and coastal waters year-round. Breeds along sheltered coastlines and sometimes on inland rivers.
Year-round
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
A rare breeding visitor to parts of Wales in spring and early summer. Far less established here than in lowland England.
Mar–Jun
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
An uncommon non-breeding visitor to coastal waters from autumn through spring. Often seen in Cardigan Bay and off Anglesey.
Sep–Apr
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
An uncommon resident of Welsh estuaries and saltmarshes. Its loud, repetitive alarm call is a familiar sound on the coast, especially during breeding season.
Year-round
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
A winter visitor from Scandinavia, arriving from October and foraging in hedgerows and fields across Wales until early spring.
Oct–Apr
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of reedbeds, marshes, and damp farmland. Often seen at wetland reserves such as those along the Dee Estuary and Gwent Levels.
Year-round
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
A scarce passage migrant through Welsh uplands in spring. Once bred on mountain crags but is now rarely encountered.
Apr–May
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon resident of sandy and shingly Welsh beaches. Breeds on the coast and numbers increase in winter with arriving migrants.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Uncommon in pure wild form, found along Welsh sea cliffs. Feral populations are widespread in towns and cities across the region.
Year-round