Birds in Kent
Explore 236 species found in this region.
Kent, known as the 'Garden of England', is home to an impressive 227 recorded bird species, reflecting the county's rich diversity of habitats from coastal marshes and estuarine mudflats to ancient woodlands and rolling farmland. The North Kent Marshes and the White Cliffs of Dover are among the most celebrated birding locations in southern England, attracting both resident and migratory species throughout the year. Notable species include the elegant Northern Lapwing on farmland, the striking Mandarin Duck along wooded waterways, and waders such as the Common Sandpiper along the county's extensive coastline.
Visiting in April? Look out for Arctic Jaeger and Arctic Tern arriving this month, and Common Loon and Common Merganser depart for the season.
Showing 1–23 of 236 species
American Golden-Plover
Pluvialis dominicaLC
A rare transatlantic vagrant passing through Kent in September. Most records come from coastal marshes and wetland reserves.
Sep
Arctic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticusLC
An uncommon seabird seen offshore during spring and autumn passage, often harrying terns and gulls along the Kent coast.
Apr–Nov
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
A rare winter visitor to Kent's coastal waters and estuaries, present from October to May. Best looked for off Dungeness or in the Thames Estuary.
Oct–May
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaLC
A rare breeder in Kent, mainly seen on coastal passage from April to November. Best spotted from seawatching points like Dungeness.
Apr–Nov
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
An elegant wader found year-round on coastal lagoons and marshes, notably at Elmley and Oare Marshes on the Swale.
Year-round
Balearic Shearwater
Puffinus mauretanicusCR
A rare but increasingly reported passage visitor offshore in late summer. This globally Critically Endangered shearwater passes through in August and September.
Aug–Sep
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
An uncommon year-round presence on Kent's estuarine mudflats, with numbers peaking in winter. Favours the Thames, Medway and Swale estuaries.
Year-round
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
A rare year-round resident, ghosting silently over farmland and rough grassland at dusk. Nest boxes have aided its presence across Kent.
Year-round
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Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A common summer visitor breeding in barns and outbuildings across rural Kent. Arrives from March and lingers into November before its long migration south.
Mar–Nov
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
A rare resident, with records likely involving feral birds or occasional wild vagrants mixing with Brent Goose flocks on coastal marshes in winter.
Nov–May
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of Kent's extensive reedbeds, particularly at Stodmarsh and the Dungeness RSPB reserve. Often detected by its distinctive pinging call.
Year-round
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
A rare year-round resident, favouring coastal cliffs, industrial sites, and urban buildings across Kent. Dover's white cliffs are a well-known stronghold.
Year-round
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
A rare escapee from wildfowl collections, occasionally seen on lakes and rivers in late spring. Not a naturally occurring species in Kent.
May–Jun
Black Tern
Chlidonias nigerLC
A rare passage migrant, seen dipping over lakes and reservoirs in spring and late summer. Dungeness and Stodmarsh are favoured stopover sites.
May–Sep
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
Scarce non-breeding visitor to reservoirs and coastal lagoons, most reliably seen in autumn and winter months.
Aug–Apr
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Present year-round on Kent's coastal marshes and estuaries, with the Swale and Medway hosting important flocks. Numbers peak in winter.
Year-round
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
A common and familiar year-round resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland throughout Kent. Continental migrants bolster numbers during autumn and winter.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
Common in Kent's woodlands and gardens year-round, boosted in winter by continental migrants. A rich, fluty song heard from dense cover.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
One of Kent's most familiar garden birds, this common resident visits feeders year-round and nests readily in garden nest boxes.
Year-round
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulusLC
A rare and irruptive winter visitor, occasionally reaching Kent in December during invasion years, drawn to berry-laden trees.
Dec
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphiaLC
An uncommon Nearctic gull occasionally recorded along the coast in summer, a notable find among flocks of Black-headed Gulls.
Jun–Aug
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter visitor from Scandinavia, occasionally joining chaffinch flocks in beech woodland and farmland from autumn to spring.
Sep–Apr
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
Winters on Kent's estuaries and coastal marshes, with flocks favouring the Swale and Thames estuary mudflats. Absent during summer months.
Sep–May