Birds in United Kingdom
Explore 275 species found in this region.
The United Kingdom is home to an impressive diversity of 258 bird species, thriving across a rich mosaic of habitats from rugged Scottish highlands and coastal estuaries to ancient woodlands and rolling farmland. Notable residents include the charismatic Great Tit and Magpie in gardens and hedgerows, the elegant Eurasian Woodcock in dense woodland, and the striking Mandarin Duck along sheltered waterways. Coastal and upland areas host remarkable species such as the Dotterel on mountain plateaux and the Common Shelduck along tidal mudflats, making the UK a rewarding destination for birdwatchers year-round.
Visiting in April? Look out for Arctic Tern and Bar-headed Goose arriving this month, and Bluethroat and Cackling Goose depart for the season.
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Get Your Free DigestShowing 254–275 of 275 species
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
A conservation success story, now commonly seen quartering over reedbeds and marshes, especially in East Anglia where it has spread steadily.
Year-round
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
A summer breeder on upland moors and coastal grasslands. One of the earliest spring migrants, often seen perched on rocks and walls.
Mar–Nov
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
An uncommon resident with a tiny breeding population in Shetland. Most frequently seen as a passage migrant along coasts in spring and autumn.
Year-round
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
A declining summer visitor favouring upland hay meadows and bracken-covered hillsides. Identified by its bold white eyestripe and orange breast.
Apr–Oct
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollisVU
A rare Nearctic passage wader, most often seen at coastal pools and estuaries from late summer into autumn. Easily overlooked among Dunlin flocks.
Jul–Feb
White-tailed Sea-eagle
Haliaeetus albicillaLC
Successfully reintroduced to Scotland and now spreading to England. This massive raptor hunts over sea lochs, coasts and large lakes.
Year-round
White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterusLC
A rare passage visitor, mainly in spring and late summer. Most records come from south-eastern wetlands and coastal marshes.
Apr–Sep
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
A common summer visitor to hedgerows and scrubby habitats. Its scratchy, energetic song is a hallmark of the British countryside from April.
Apr–Oct
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Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
An uncommon winter visitor from Iceland, gathering on traditional sites such as the Ouse Washes and Scottish lochs. A few pairs breed in northern Scotland.
Year-round
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
An uncommon and rapidly declining resident of damp woodland and scrubby hedgerows, mainly in England and Wales. A Red List species of high conservation concern.
Year-round
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
One of the most abundant summer migrants, filling woodlands, hedgerows and scrub with its sweet descending song from April onwards.
Mar–Nov
Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolorLC
A rare autumn vagrant from the Americas, turning up at coastal pools and marshes from September to November. Most sightings occur in south-west England and Ireland.
Sep–Nov
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareolaLC
A rare breeding bird in the Scottish Highlands, more often seen as a passage migrant at freshwater marshes and pool edges in spring and autumn.
Apr–Oct
Wood Warbler
Phylloscopus sibilatrixLC
An uncommon summer breeder in mature oak and beech woodlands, mainly in Wales and western Britain. Has declined significantly in recent decades.
Apr–Sep
Woodchat Shrike
Lanius senatorNT
A rare passage migrant from southern Europe, occasionally appearing on the south and east coasts in spring and early autumn.
Apr–Sep
Woodlark
Lullula arboreaLC
An uncommon year-round resident of lowland heaths and forest edges in southern England. Its melodious song can be heard from late winter onwards.
Year-round
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
One of the UK's most abundant birds, found year-round in gardens, parks, woodlands, and farmland. Its numbers have increased significantly in recent decades.
Year-round
Wryneck
Jynx torquillaLC
A rare autumn passage migrant, most often found along the east and south coasts. This ant-eating woodpecker relative breeds on the continent.
Aug–Oct
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
A declining summer visitor to lowland wet meadows and arable fields, mainly in central and southern England. Departs for Africa by October.
Mar–Oct
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
An uncommon autumn visitor from Siberia, increasingly recorded along the east coast. Most appear in October, often in coastal scrub and sycamore trees.
Sep–Jan
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
An uncommon year-round visitor, most often seen at southern reservoirs and landfill sites, with numbers peaking in late summer and autumn.
Year-round
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
A common resident of farmland hedgerows and field margins. Has declined significantly due to agricultural intensification but remains widespread.
Year-round