Birds in Oxfordshire
Explore 174 species found in this region.
Oxfordshire is home to a remarkably diverse range of birdlife, with 172 species recorded across the county's varied habitats. From the wetlands of the Thames Valley, which attract species such as Common Shelduck, Northern Pintail and Common Sandpiper, to the ancient woodlands sheltering Eurasian Woodcock and Mandarin Duck, the county offers excellent birding opportunities year-round. Notable sightings include scarcer visitors like the Bluethroat alongside familiar garden favourites such as the Great Tit and Magpie.
Visiting in April? Look out for Arctic Tern and Bar-tailed Godwit arriving this month, and Avocet and Brambling depart for the season.
Showing 1–23 of 174 species
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaLC
A rare passage migrant, occasionally dropping in at gravel pits and reservoirs during spring and autumn migration.
Apr–Sep
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
A rare spring passage migrant, occasionally stopping at gravel pits and shallow scrapes in March.
Mar
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
A rare spring passage migrant, very occasionally recorded at reservoir edges and flooded fields, usually in April.
Apr
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
A scarce but resident owl of open farmland, occasionally glimpsed hunting at dusk along field margins and river valleys.
Year-round
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A common summer visitor from March to October, nesting in barns and outbuildings across the county's farmland. Gathers in large pre-migration roosts in autumn.
Mar–Oct
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
An uncommon resident found on gravel pits and river meadows. Some birds may be feral, but wild arrivals boost numbers in winter.
Aug–Jun
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
A rare passage visitor in late autumn, sometimes lingering around industrial buildings and urban sites. One of the county's more sought-after winter records.
Nov–Dec
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
A rare vagrant, likely of captive origin, occasionally turning up on lakes and rivers. Records are very sporadic.
May
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Black Tern
Chlidonias nigerLC
A rare passage migrant, occasionally seen dipping gracefully over Farmoor Reservoir or gravel pits in May and early autumn.
May–Sep
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally appearing on reservoirs or gravel pits in August, typically in non-breeding plumage.
Aug
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
A rare breeding wader found at wetland reserves like Otmoor, with scattered records from spring through autumn and occasional winter sightings.
Mar–Dec
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
One of the county's most familiar birds, abundant in gardens, hedgerows and woodland year-round. Its melodious song is a defining sound of Oxfordshire's dawn chorus.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
A common resident found year-round in hedgerows, gardens, and woodland. Numbers swell in winter with continental migrants visiting berry-laden shrubs.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
One of the county's most abundant garden birds, present year-round. A regular visitor to feeders and a keen user of nest boxes in gardens, hedgerows and woodland.
Year-round
Bluethroat
Luscinia svecicaLC
A rare autumn passage migrant, occasionally recorded in October at wetland sites. A scarce and prized find for Oxfordshire birders.
Oct
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter visitor from Scandinavia, sometimes joining chaffinch flocks on farmland and beneath beech trees. Numbers vary greatly between years.
Oct–Mar
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, favouring thick hedgerows and woodland edges. Its soft piping call often reveals its presence before it is seen.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
A common and conspicuous resident, frequently seen soaring over farmland, woodland edges, and motorway verges. Has increased dramatically since the 1990s.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
A common and conspicuous resident of parks, gravel pits, and the Thames corridor, often seen grazing on playing fields.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
An abundant and adaptable resident found in virtually every habitat across Oxfordshire, from city centres to remote farmland.
Year-round
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibisLC
A rare but increasingly established resident, reflecting a recent northward range expansion. Favours pastures with livestock in the wider Thames Valley.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
An uncommon but increasing resident of dense waterside scrub, more often heard than seen. Its explosive song rings out from reedbeds at sites like Otmoor and along the Thames.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common year-round resident of woodland, farmland, and gardens. Its cheerful song is one of the earliest signs of spring in Oxfordshire.
Year-round