Birds of Edinburgh
256 bird species have been recorded in Edinburgh on the eBird network — explore the 256 in the Birbs encyclopedia, and see which are being reported near you right now.
256 bird species have been recorded in Edinburgh on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 256 of them have a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia — start with the well-known birds below, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Birds to know first
Alexandrine ParakeetPsittacula eupatria
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
American WigeonMareca americana
Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arctica
Baird’s SandpiperCalidris bairdii
Bar-headed GooseAnser indicus
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica
Barn OwlTyto alba
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
Bearded ReedlingPanurus biarmicus
Black GrouseLyrurus tetrix
Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
Black KiteMilvus migrans
Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
Black TernChlidonias niger
Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollis
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa
Black-throated LoonGavia arctica
Black-throated ThrushTurdus atrogularis
Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
BluethroatLuscinia svecica
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulus
Boreal OwlAegolius funereus
BramblingFringilla montifringilla
Brant GooseBranta bernicla
The full checklist — 256 birds of Edinburgh in our library
- Alexandrine Parakeet
- Alpine Swift
- American Wigeon
- Arctic Tern
- Atlantic Puffin
- Baird’s Sandpiper
- Bar-headed Goose
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Barn Owl
- Barn Swallow
- Barnacle Goose
- Bearded Reedling
- Black Grouse
- Black Guillemot
- Black Kite
- Black Redstart
- Black Tern
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Black-headed Gull
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Black-necked Grebe
- Black-tailed Godwit
- Black-throated Loon
- Black-throated Thrush
- Blue-winged Teal
- Bluethroat
- Bohemian Waxwing
- Boreal Owl
- Brambling
- Brant Goose
- Brown Booby
- Canada Goose
- Carrion Crow
- Caspian Gull
- Caspian Tern
- Cetti’s Warbler
- Coal Tit
- Common Blackbird
- Common Buzzard
- Common Chiffchaff
- Common Cuckoo
- Common Eider
- Common Goldeneye
- Common Grasshopper Warbler
- Common Greenshank
- Common Gull
- Common Kestrel
- Common Kingfisher
- Common Linnet
- Common Loon
- Common Merganser
- Common Moorhen
- Common Murre
- Common Pheasant
- Common Pochard
- Common Quail
- Common Redshank
- Common Redstart
- Common Reed Bunting
- Common Reed Warbler
- Common Ringed Plover
- Common Sandpiper
- Common Scoter
- Common Shelduck
- Common Snipe
- Common Starling
- Common Swift
- Common Tern
- Common Whitethroat
- Common Wood Pigeon
- Corn Bunting
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Dunlin
- Dunnock
- Eurasian Bittern
- Eurasian Blackcap
- Eurasian Blue Tit
- Eurasian Bullfinch
- Eurasian Chaffinch
- Eurasian Collared Dove
- Eurasian Coot
- Eurasian Curlew
- Eurasian Dotterel
- Eurasian Goshawk
- Eurasian Hobby
- Eurasian Jay
- Eurasian Magpie
- Eurasian Nuthatch
- Eurasian Oystercatcher
- Eurasian Siskin
- Eurasian Skylark
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Eurasian Spoonbill
- Eurasian Teal
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- Eurasian Treecreeper
- Eurasian Whimbrel
- Eurasian Wigeon
- Eurasian Woodcock
- Eurasian Wren
- Eurasian Wryneck
- European Golden Plover
- European Goldfinch
- European Green Woodpecker
- European Greenfinch
- European Herring Gull
- European Honey Buzzard
- European Pied Flycatcher
- European Red-rumped Swallow
- European Robin
- European Rock Pipit
- European Shag
- European Stonechat
- European Storm Petrel
- Ferruginous Duck
- Fieldfare
- Forster’s Tern
- Gadwall
- Garden Warbler
- Garganey
- Glaucous Gull
- Goldcrest
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Great Cormorant
- Great Crested Grebe
- Great Egret
- Great Grey Shrike
- Great Shearwater
- Great Skua
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Great Tit
- Greater Scaup
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Green Sandpiper
- Grey Heron
- Grey Partridge
- Grey Plover
- Grey Wagtail
- Greylag Goose
- Hawfinch
- Hen Harrier
- Hooded Crow
- Horned Grebe
- House Sparrow
- Iceland Gull
- Icterine Warbler
- Indian Peafowl
- Jack Snipe
- King Eider
- Lanner Falcon
- Leach’s Storm Petrel
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Lesser Scaup
- Lesser Whitethroat
- Little Auk
- Little Egret
- Little Grebe
- Little Gull
- Little Owl
- Little Ringed Plover
- Little Stint
- Little Tern
- Long-eared Owl
- Long-tailed Duck
- Long-tailed Jaeger
- Long-tailed Tit
- Mallard
- Mandarin Duck
- Manx Shearwater
- Meadow Pipit
- Mediterranean Gull
- Merlin
- Mistle Thrush
- Mute Swan
- Northern Fulmar
- Northern Gannet
- Northern Lapwing
- Northern Pintail
- Northern Raven
- Northern Shoveler
- Northern Wheatear
- Osprey
- Parasitic Jaeger
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Peregrine Falcon
- Pink-footed Goose
- Pomarine Jaeger
- Purple Sandpiper
- Razorbill
- Red Crossbill
- Red Grouse
- Red Kite
- Red Knot
- Red Phalarope
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Red-legged Partridge
- Red-necked Grebe
- Red-throated Loon
- Redpoll
- Redwing
- Ring Ouzel
- Ring-billed Gull
- Ring-necked Duck
- Rock Dove
- Rook
- Rose-ringed Parakeet
- Roseate Tern
- Rosy Starling
- Ruddy Duck
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Ruff
- Sabine’s Gull
- Sand Martin
- Sanderling
- Sandwich Tern
- Scopoli’s Shearwater
- Sedge Warbler
- Short-eared Owl
- Smew
- Snow Bunting
- Snow Goose
- Song Thrush
- Sooty Shearwater
- Spotted Crake
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Spotted Redshank
- Stock Dove
- Surf Scoter
- Taiga Bean Goose
- Tawny Owl
- Thick-billed Murre
- Tree Pipit
- Tufted Duck
- Tundra Bean Goose
- Tundra Swan
- Twite
- Velvet Scoter
- Water Rail
- Western House Martin
- Western Jackdaw
- Western Marsh Harrier
- Western Yellow Wagtail
- Whinchat
- White Stork
- White Wagtail
- White-rumped Sandpiper
- White-throated Dipper
- White-winged Scoter
- Whooper Swan
- Willow Warbler
- Wood Sandpiper
- Wood Warbler
- Yellow-billed Loon
- Yellow-browed Warbler
- Yellow-legged Gull
- Yellowhammer
More places to explore
Species lists and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Tap any bird for its full profile, photos, sounds and ID notes.
Frequently asked questions
How many bird species are in Edinburgh?
256 species have been recorded in Edinburgh on eBird; 256 of them have a full profile on Birbs.
Where can I see birds in Edinburgh right now?
Use the Birds Near You tool to see species reported near you in the last few days, or browse the full checklist on this page.