Which Birds in the UK have Red Heads? (Guide with Pictures)

With over 260 different types of birds in the UK, it can almost be impossible to identify every single species. There are still a fair few contenders to sift through when it comes to birds with red heads or red patches on their heads.

Luckily, we've put together this article with all the birds that may help you with your identification.

The most common birds with red heads

The birds below are the most likely birds to see in the UK that have red heads, as they are generally quite common. However, it can vary slightly depending on your location.

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Close up of a Goldfinch

Adult and Juvenile Goldfinch

European goldfinch, feeding on the seeds of thistles

Perched Goldfinch calling before taking off

Typical habitats for Goldfinches include woodland, parks, gardens, scrubland and farmland

Goldfinches have a stable population in the UK

European Goldfinch perched on a branch

Length:

12cm to 14cm

Wingspan:

21cm to 25.5cm

Weight:

14g to 19g

Alexander Henderson, XC468562. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/468562.

Learn more about the European Goldfinch

Goldfinch

There is a large population of goldfinches in the UK, and they can be seen everywhere in the country - although they are more popular in Southern England. These birds will usually be around scattered bushes and trees, thistles and any rough ground.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Great Spotted Woodpecker in-flight through the forest

Great Spotted Woodpecker calling from the top of a tree stump

Great Spotted Woodpecker female feeding its young

Great Spotted Woodpecker clambering on a tree trunk

Great Spotted Woodpecker drinking from a watering hole in the forest

Great Spotted Woodpecker male at the nest with its young

Great Spotted Woodpecker resting on top of the stump of a tree

Great Spotted Woodpecker in-flight

Length:

20cm to 24cm

Wingspan:

34cm to 39cm

Weight:

68g to 93g

Learn more about the Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

These woodpeckers are usually found in woodland, parks and large gardens. They like more mature, broad trees and conifers. They are much more common in England and Wales but can be seen throughout the country.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers are rather fond of peanut feeders and bird tables too.

European Green Woodpecker

Picus viridis

European Green Woodpecker perched on a branch

European Green Woodpecker looking out of the nest in a tree

European Green Woodpecker digging in ants nest

European Green Woodpecker in flight

Close up of a European Green Woodpecker

Length:

30cm to 34cm

Wingspan:

40cm to 42cm

Weight:

180g to 220g

European Green Woodpecker Call

Mathias Götz, XC665473. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/665473.

Learn more about the European Green Woodpecker

European Green Woodpecker

These are the largest breeding woodpeckers in the UK, and you can usually see them on garden lawns and in parks. This is because they spend most of their time feeding on the ground, particularly hunting for ants.

Green Woodpeckers can generally be seen throughout the country but are absent from the far north and west and Ireland.

Lesser Redpoll

Acanthis cabaret

Male Lesser Redpoll in breeding plumage

Female Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll in nonbreeding plumage

Lesser Redpoll on a garden feeder - they are one of the smallest birds you'll see coming to feeders

Lesser Redpoll taking off for flight

Lesser Redpolls are commonly spotted in both deciduous and coniferous woodlands

Close up of a Lesser Redpoll on the ground, foraging for food

Lesser Redpoll eating nyjer seed from a bird feeder

Lesser Redpoll on the ground, looking for food

Lesser Redpoll on a perch with a seed in beak

Close up of a Lesser Redpoll

Length:

11.5cm to 12.5cm

Wingspan:

20cm to 22.5cm

Weight:

9g to 12g

Lesser Redpoll Call/Song

Marcin Dyduch, XC620926. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/620926.

Learn more about the Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

You'd assume that the common redpoll would be more common than the lesser redpoll, but the lesser is much more abundant in the UK. These tiny finches were recently split into their own species from the common redpoll. They are only slightly bigger than a blue tit and can mainly be seen in woodland and gardens.

The lesser redpoll has a breeding population across Scotland, northern and eastern England and Wales. You're a lot less likely to see these birds in other parts of England, but sightings can happen during the winter months.

Linnet

Linaria cannabina

Female Linnet in natural habitat

Linnet singing during springtime

Linnet, breeding plumage, foraging on the ground

Linnet perching on an old branch feeding on seeds

Linnet bathing

Linnet resting in natural habitat

Flock of Linnets in-flight

Length:

13.5cm

Wingspan:

21cm to 25.5cm

Weight:

15g to 22g

Learn more about the Linnet

Linnet

Once a popular caged bird, these small, slender finches are residents over most of the UK and have a well-established population. Male linnets have reddish breasts and foreheads, with females being much browner all over.

Large numbers of these birds can usually be seen along the coast from Kent all the way up to Aberdeenshire. Usually, they can be found on parks, gardens, saltmarshes, farmland hedges and rough ground.

Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Female and Male Common Pheasant

Male Common Pheasant

Common Pheasant with spread wings

Juvenile Pheasant

Length:

53cm to 89cm

Wingspan:

70cm to 90cm

Weight:

1000g to 1.7kg

Pheasant call

Nikolay Sariev, XC627528. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/627528.

Learn more about the Pheasant

Pheasant

These large, vocal gamebirds can be seen almost everywhere across the country. Male pheasants are the more colourful out of the sexes, and they have dark green heads with red face markings.

Robin

Erithacus rubecula

Close up of a European Robin

Juvenile Robin

Close up of a perched Robin

Robin with a beak full of Mayflies, ready to feed the hungry chicks in the nest

Close up of a Robin in flight

Robin Redbreasts are extremely fond of mealworms

Robin taking a drink of water

Robin standing on a branch next to a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Close up of a Robins nest with unhatched eggs inside

Familiar sight of a Robin in a garden, perched on a watering can

Robin taking a bath in a bird bath

Length:

14cm

Wingspan:

20cm to 22cm

Weight:

14g to 25g

Frank Lambert, XC414220. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/414220.

Learn more about the Robin

Robin

One of the UK's favourite birds, the robin has a distinctive red breast and can be seen all year round all over the country. Male and female robins look exactly the same, with juveniles having no red breasts; instead, it's a golden brown colour with spots.

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

House Swallow perching on top of a sawn-off branch

House Sparrow perching on a small rock

Barn Swallow perching on a branch twittering

Barn Swallow feeding on a hover fly

Barn Swallow in-flight over natural habitat

Barn Swallow perching on a cattail in the marshes

Barn Swallow collecting materials for nest building

Two Barn Swallows in conflict

Barn Swallow in-flight

Length:

17cm to 19cm

Wingspan:

32cm to 35cm

Weight:

16g to 24g

Learn more about the Barn Swallow

Swallow

These small birds have reddish throats, glossy blue backs and distinctive long tail streamers. They arrive in the UK for summer and can be seen most of the time performing superb displays in the air. When winter comes, swallows migrate south.

Less common birds with red heads in the UK

The re headed birds below are fairly rare and much less common in the UK. However, it can vary slightly depending on your location.

Common Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

Male (left) and female (right) Common Redpolls

Common Redpoll feeding on the ground

Common Redpoll calling out

Common Redpoll eating cone seeds from a fir tree

Common Redpoll during the winter

Common Redpoll perching on a branch

Common Redpoll in-flight

Common Redpoll sitting on its nest

Common Redpoll perching on a branch

Flock of Common Redpolls in-flight

Length:

12cm to 14cm

Wingspan:

20cm to 25cm

Weight:

12g to 16g

Learn more about the Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Don't let the name fool you, as the Common Redpoll isn't actually that common at all here in the UK. With an estimated UK breeding of between 1-4 birds and 300 wintering, you'll have to be extremely lucky to see one of these.

In winter, you're most likely to see these birds on the east coast.

Crane

Grus grus

Crane with spread wings

A pair of Cranes

Crane in flight

Juvenile Crane

Adult Crane with young

Cranes doing the mating dance

Length:

110cm to 120cm

Wingspan:

220cm to 245cm

Weight:

40g to 70g

Common Crane Call

Lars Edenius, XC648674. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/648674.

Learn more about the Crane

Crane

These large, pleasant birds have a small breeding population in Norfolk and a re-introduced population in Somerset. In spring and autumn, small numbers can be found passing through Britain.

Cranes are predominately grey but have dark necks, with patches of white and a red mark.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker perching on a branch during winter

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker searching for food

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker bringing food to the nest

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at a watering hole

Female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker sitting on a branch

Pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, female (left) and male (right)

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker peeking out of its nest hole

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in-flight leaving its nest hole

Length:

14cm to 16cm

Wingspan:

25cm to 27cm

Weight:

17g to 25g

Learn more about the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Unlike the great spotted and green woodpeckers, these small resident woodpeckers are a lot less common. Males are the only sex to have a vibrant red crown.

These woodpeckers are generally much quieter with their tapping and will nest and feed higher up.

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Little Grebe swimming with young

Little Grebe family

Little Grebe swimming

Little Grebe with chick calling for food

Little Grebe swimming near the edge of a river

Little Grebe gliding along on the water

Little Grebe flapping its wings

Little Grebe parent at nest with hungry chicks

Little Grebe swimming in lake

Little Grebe taking off from water

Length:

25cm to 29cm

Wingspan:

40cm to 45cm

Weight:

100g to 140g

Learn more about the Little Grebe

Little Grebe

In the summer months, the little grebe has bright reddish cheeks and throat. They are small and rather plump looking and can sometimes appear to have a fluffy rear end.

These birds can be seen in most parts of the UK, but not usually in upland areas.

Pochard

Aythya ferina

Female Pochard

Flock of Pochards

Male Pochard landing on water

Male Pochard

Length:

46cm

Wingspan:

77cm

Weight:

930g

Learn more about the Pochard

Pochard

During the spring and winter months, it's quite straightforward to distinguish male pochards. Their heads are a reddish-brown colour, with dark breasts and light bodies. Female pochards are often mistaken with other species, as they are mostly brown with grey bodies and pale cheeks.

However, when pochards grow new feathers, males and females do look extremely similar.

Red-Necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Red-necked Grebe taking off from the water

Pair of Red-necked Grebes sounding out an alarm call

Red-necked Grebe with caught prey

Family of Red-necked Grebes swimming on a lake

Red-necked Grebe swimming on a lake

Pair of Red-necked Grebes during the breeding season

Red-necked Grebe at the nest

Red-necked Grebe in-flight

Length:

40cm to 46cm

Wingspan:

77cm to 85cm

Weight:

700g to 900g

Learn more about the Red-Necked Grebe

Red-Necked Grebe

Red Grebes are rare in the UK, with less than 20 of these birds spending the summer here. During winter, the number of these birds increases slightly, but usually not by many.

In summer, these birds have red necks and chests.

Red-Crested Pochard

Netta rufina

Red-Crested Pochard male (left) and female (right)

Red-Crested Pochard in the reservoir flapping his wings

Red-crested Pochard calling

Red-crested Pochard feeding on underwater vegetation

Female Red-crested Pochard in natural habitat

Red-crested Pochard standing in grassland habitat

Female Red-crested Pochard resting on the water

Pair of Red-Crested Pochards

Red-Crested Pochard in-flight

Length:

53cm to 57cm

Wingspan:

85cm to 90cm

Weight:

900g to 1.4kg

Learn more about the Red-Crested Pochard

Red-Crested Pochard

Males have orange-brown heads, with pale flanks and red beaks. Females have pale cheeks and are brown all over.

Spain has a substantial population of red-crested pochards, but closer to the UK, France, Netherlands and Germany all have small but good populations of these birds.

This is where sometimes the occasional bird will come over to the UK. All of the breeding birds in the UK are said to come from escaped birds.

Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

Bohemian Waxwing perching on a branch

Bohemian Waxwing feeding on over ripe fruit

Bohemian Waxwing calling from the top of a tree

Bohemian Waxwing feeding on berries during the winter

Bohemian Waxwing in natural habitat

Bohemian Waxwing resting on a rock

Bohemian Waxwings perching on a branch of a crab apple tree

Pair of Bohemian Waxwings

Bohemian Waxwings resting on top of a tree stump

Bohemian Waxwing in-flight

Length:

19cm to 23cm

Wingspan:

33cm

Weight:

45g to 70g

Learn more about the Bohemian Waxwing

Waxwing

Waxwings are winter visitors to the UK and are slightly smaller than starlings in size. They don't breed in the UK but can be seen in large numbers during some winters.

They have a very distinctive crest, with reddish-brown bodies and black throats. They have a yellow tip on their tails, white and yellow on the wings and small black masks around their eyes.

What is the most common bird with a red head?

The most common bird you'll see in the UK with a red head, will probably be either a Robin or Goldfinch. This is because out of the red-headed birds they are by far the most popular and are much more likely to visit your garden than most of the others.