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United Kingdom United Kingdom Ramsar wetland

Severn Estuary

106 bird species recorded; the most in April.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec78at the peak
Species recorded in each month · tap a month

David Roberts Wales · CC BY-SA 4.0

This month here

59 species in January.

The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.

Northern Pintail
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorJ.M.Garg · CC BY-SA 3.0
Eurasian Wigeon
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorПочта России · Public domain
Meadow Pipit
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensisWinter visitorAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
Redwing
RedwingTurdus iliacusWinter visitorAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
Carrion Crow
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentAlexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
Eurasian CurlewNT
Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataResidentAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
Common Shelduck
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentAiwok · CC BY-SA 3.0
European Herring Gull
European Herring GullLarus argentatusResidentKulac · CC BY-SA 3.0
White Wagtail
White WagtailMotacilla albaResidentAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
Western Jackdaw
Western JackdawColoeus monedulaResidentDarkone · CC BY-SA 2.5
Skylark
SkylarkAlauda arvensisSummer visitorEl Golli Mohamed · CC BY-SA 4.0
DunlinNT
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentMdf , edited by Fir0002 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Redshank
RedshankTringa totanusResidentZeynel Cebeci · CC BY-SA 4.0
Black-headed Gull
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusResidentDiliff · CC BY-SA 3.0
Common Starling
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentmarsupium photography · CC BY-SA 2.0
Mallard
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentTetiana.iefimenko · CC BY 4.0
Little Egret
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentBirdman1 · CC BY 2.5
Eurasian Wren
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentAlexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
Eurasian OystercatcherNT
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentMPF · CC BY-SA 3.0
Common Kestrel
Common KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentAndreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5
Common Wood Pigeon
Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbusResidentTristan Ferne from UK · CC BY 2.0
Eurasian Blackbird
Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentKahvilokki · CC BY-SA 4.0
European Robin
European RobinErithacus rubeculaResidentCharles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Great Cormorant
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentJJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Resident all year
  • Summer visitor comes to breed
  • Winter visitor comes for the winter
  • Passage migrant in spring and autumn

In numbers

106 species, counted.

53out of 100

Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).

  • 106Speciesrecorded more than once
  • 42Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
  • 2ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
  • 1,618Recordsopen records within 6 km
  • 6Raptors
  • 1Owls
  • 18Waders
  • 8Gulls & seabirds
  • 14Ducks & geese
  • 5Herons, ibises & grebes
  • 45Songbirds
  • 9Other birds

From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.

The checklist

All 106 species.

By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.

Raptors6 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
  • Common BuzzardButeo buteo
  • Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
  • Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
  • Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
  • European HobbyFalco subbuteo
Owls1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Little OwlAthene noctua
Waders18 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
  • Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
  • RedshankTringa totanus
  • Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
  • Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
  • Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
  • Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
  • Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
  • Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
  • Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
  • Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
  • Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
  • Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
  • Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
  • Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
  • European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
  • SanderlingCalidris alba
  • RuffCalidris pugnax
Gulls & seabirds8 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
  • Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
  • European Herring GullLarus argentatus
  • Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
  • Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
  • Common GullLarus canus
  • Black TernChlidonias niger
  • Common TernSterna hirundo
Ducks & geese14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Canada GooseBranta canadensis
  • Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
  • MallardAnas platyrhynchos
  • Northern PintailAnas acuta
  • Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
  • Mute SwanCygnus olor
  • Eurasian TealAnas crecca
  • Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
  • Greylag GooseAnser anser
  • Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
  • Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
  • Greater ScaupAythya marila
  • Brent GooseBranta bernicla
  • Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
Herons, ibises & grebes5 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Little EgretEgretta garzetta
  • Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
  • Grey HeronArdea cinerea
  • Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
  • Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Songbirds45 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Carrion CrowCorvus corone
  • Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
  • Eurasian MagpiePica pica
  • White WagtailMotacilla alba
  • Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
  • Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
  • European RobinErithacus rubecula
  • House SparrowPasser domesticus
  • SkylarkAlauda arvensis
  • Western JackdawColoeus monedula
  • Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
  • Barn swallowHirundo rustica
  • European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
  • Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
  • Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
  • Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
  • European GreenfinchChloris chloris
  • Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
  • RedwingTurdus iliacus
  • DunnockPrunella modularis
  • Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
  • Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
  • Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
  • Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
  • Great titParus major
  • Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
  • FieldfareTurdus pilaris
  • Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
  • Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
  • Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
  • BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
  • GoldcrestRegulus regulus
  • Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
  • European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
  • Northern RavenCorvus corax
  • Sand MartinRiparia riparia
  • European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
  • WhitethroatSylvia communis
  • Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
  • Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
  • BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
  • Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
  • Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
  • Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
  • Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
Other birds9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
  • Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
  • Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
  • European SwiftApus apus
  • Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
  • CootFulica atra
  • Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
  • Stock DoveColumba oenas
  • Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major

Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.

When to go

The most species in April.

Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.

  1. Jan597°/3°94 mm
  2. Feb97°/2°74 mm
  3. Mar709°/3°70 mm
  4. Apr7812°/5°56 mm
  5. May6016°/8°67 mm
  6. Jun5418°/11°72 mm
  7. Jul4920°/13°80 mm
  8. Aug6020°/13°84 mm
  9. Sep5418°/11°63 mm
  10. Oct2014°/9°100 mm
  11. Nov4510°/6°103 mm
  12. Dec528°/4°104 mm
  • Bar: species recorded that month.
  • Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
  • Rain: monthly total.

The place

Severn Estuary.

Estuary and Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wales

Severn Estuary is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in United Kingdom.

106 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 1,618 open records.

The most recorded are the Mediterranean Gull, the Canada Goose and the Dunlin.

26 species come for the summer, 15 for the winter and 1 only pass through.

2 are threatened worldwide, including Grey Plover and Common Pochard.

The most species are recorded in April.

Ogmore Rock Pools
David Roberts Wales · CC BY-SA 4.0

Get there and watch

  • Ty Coch Camping & Caravanningcampsite · 7.6 km · 9 within 10 km
  • Swallow Point Holiday Parkplace to stay · 9.1 km · 10 within 10 km
  • Marshfieldnearest town · 9.6 km in a straight line
  • Bristol Airport (BRS)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 21 km in a straight lineCar hire at BRS airport (Bristol)Discover Cars · sponsored link

Plan the visit

A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.

Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.

From above

The place and its surroundings.

The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.

Severn Estuary seen from above (Sentinel-2)
Seen from above: Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 (EOX, CC BY 4.0), 6 × 6 km, north up. Points © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Around, in OpenStreetMap

  • 9campsites within 10 kmTy Coch Camping & Caravanning, Dowlais Farm, Country View Holiday Park and 6 more
  • 10places to stay within 10 kmSwallow Point Holiday Park, Walton Park Hotel, Cavell House and 7 more
  • bird hides within 6 km
  • observation towers within 6 km
  • marked trails within 4 km
  • visitor centres within 6 km
  • viewpoints within 5 km
  • car parks within 3 km
  • restaurants and cafés within 3 km

Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.

In our other atlases

Around Severn Estuary.

The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.

Peakyas69 mountains within 25 km
Mynydd Machen362 m · 18 kmTwmbarlwm419 m · 20 kmMynydd y Lan381 m · 21 kmMynydd y Grug375 m · 21 kmWentwood309 m · 22 kmGarth Hill307 m · 23 kmMynydd Twyn-glas472 m · 24 kmBlack Down325 m · 24 km
Coastya2 beaches within 10 km
Salthouse Bay · 9.2 kmLittleharp Bay · 9.3 km
Lakeyas1 lakes within 15 km
Lisvane Reservoir0.3 km² · 14 km
Cavernyas2 caves within 20 km
Banwell Caves · 17 kmGoldsland · 20 km

Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.

Photographs

The place, as people saw it.

2017-02 David Cox - An extensive view of the Severn Valley with figures picknicking on the Wyndcliffe
David Cox · Public domain
Blue Severn Estuary
WelshDave · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cargo ship on the horizon of the Severn Estuary - February 2026
Captain Galaxy · CC BY 4.0

Other places nearby.

Severn Estuary

United Kingdom

  • 53Birdyas Score
  • 106Species
  • 42Migrants
  • 2Threatened

Somerset Levels

United Kingdom · 39 km

  • 84Birdyas Score
  • 220Species
  • 106Migrants
  • 9Threatened

See the guide

Exe Estuary

United Kingdom · 97 km

  • 89Birdyas Score
  • 301Species
  • 131Migrants
  • 17Threatened

See the guide

Crymlyn Bog

United Kingdom · 65 km

  • 65Birdyas Score
  • 167Species
  • 55Migrants
  • 5Threatened

See the guide

Where these figures come from

Name and typeWikidata (Q12068771) · CC0
Birds1,618 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
See these recordsgbif.org
SpeciesGBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons
AltitudeCopernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA
Temperature and rainNASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2)
What is around© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL
ImagesEOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons
Sister atlasesPeakyas, Islandyas, Coastya, Lakeyas, Cavernyas

Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.

The family

Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?

Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.