Here is a list of species that may be found in and around London although, for some of them, actually seeing them may require both field-craft and luck.
The "Status" column gives an indication of which species are present all year ("Y") or mainly in winter ("W") or summer ("S") and which are rare ("R") even when present.
The "Seen by our Group" column shows which species were seen on one of our Group's coach, local or weekend trips, as recorded on BirdTrack.
Where the common name differs from the English name, you should use the common name when consulting older books, or older birders!
Other birds may occasionally be found, especially during the spring or autumn migrations or after winter storms or in park collections, but if you want to identify a wild bird you have seen or if you want to read about what you might see then check out the 129 birds on this list first.
See the British Ornithologists' Union website for the complete "British List", and for a translation between US and UK English names.
Common Name | English Name | Status | Latin name | Seen by
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Grebe | Little Grebe | Y | Tachybaptus ruficollis | Yes |
| Great Crested Grebe | Great Crested Grebe | Y | Podiceps cristatus | Yes |
| Red-necked Grebe | Red-necked Grebe | RW | Podiceps grisegena | No |
| Slavonian Grebe | Slavonian Grebe | RW | Podiceps auritus | No |
| Black-necked Grebe | Black-necked Grebe | RW | Podiceps nigricollis | Yes |
| Cormorant | Great Cormorant | Y | Phalacrocorax carbo | Yes |
| Bittern | Great Bittern | RW | Botaurus stellaris | Yes |
| Little Egret | Little Egret | Y | Egretta garzetta | Yes |
| Heron | Grey Heron | Y | Ardea cinerea | Yes |
| Mute Swan | Mute Swan | Y | Cygnus olor | Yes |
| Greylag Goose | Greylag Goose | Y (feral) | Anser anser | Yes |
| Canada Goose | Canada Goose | Y | Branta canadensis | Yes |
| Brent Goose | Brent Goose | RW | Branta bernicla | Yes |
| Shelduck | Common Shelduck | Y | Tadorna tadorna | Yes |
| Mandarin Duck | Mandarin Duck | Y (feral) | Aix galericulata | No |
| Wigeon | Eurasian Wigeon | W | Anas penelope | Yes |
| Gadwall | Gadwall | W + RS | Anas strepera | Yes |
| Teal | Eurasian Teal | W + RS | Anas crecca | Yes |
| Mallard | Mallard | Y | Anas platyrhynchos | Yes |
| Pintail | Northern Pintail | W | Anas acuta | Yes |
| Garganey | Garganey | RW | Anas querquedula | No |
| Shoveler | Northern Shoveler | W + RS | Anas clypeata | Yes |
| Pochard | Common Pochard | W + RS | Aythya ferina | Yes |
| Tufted Duck | Tufted Duck | Y | Aythya fuligula | Yes |
| Scaup | Greater Scaup | RW | Aythya marila | No |
| Goldeneye | Common Goldeneye | RW | Bucephala clangula | Yes |
| Smew | Smew | RW | Mergellus albellus | No |
| Red-breasted Merganser | Red-breasted Merganser | RW | Mergus serrator | Yes |
| Goosander | Goosander | RW | Mergus merganser | No |
| Ruddy Duck | Ruddy Duck | W + RS | Oxyura jamaicensis | Yes |
| Sparrowhawk | Eurasian Sparrowhawk | Y | Accipiter nisus | Yes |
| Kestrel | Common Kestrel | Y | Falco tinnunculus | Yes |
| Hobby | Eurasian Hobby | RS | Falco subbuteo | Yes |
| Peregrine | Peregrine Falcon | RY | Falco peregrinus | Yes |
| Pheasant | Common Pheasant | Y | Phasianus colchicus | Yes |
| Water Rail | Water Rail | W + RS | Rallus aquaticus | Yes |
| Moorhen | Common Moorhen | Y | Gallinula chloropus | Yes |
| Coot | Common Coot | Y | Fulica atra | Yes |
| Oystercatcher | Eurasian Oystercatcher | RY | Haematopus ostralegus | Yes |
| Little Ringed Plover | Little Plover | RS | Charadrius dubius | Yes |
| Ringed Plover | Ringed Plover | Y | Charadrius hiaticula | Yes |
| Golden Plover | European Golden Plover | RW | Pluvialis apricaria | Yes |
| Lapwing | Northern Lapwing | W + RS | Vanellus vanellus | Yes |
| Dunlin | Dunlin | W | Calidris alpina | Yes |
| Ruff | Ruff | RW | Philomachus pugnax | Yes |
| Snipe | Common Snipe | W | Gallinago gallinago | Yes |
| Black-tailed Godwit | Black-tailed Godwit | RW | Limosa limosa | Yes |
| Curlew | Eurasian Curlew | RW | Numenius arquata | Yes |
| Redshank | Common Redshank | W | Tringa totanus | Yes |
| Green Sandpiper | Green Sandpiper | RW | Tringa ochropus | Yes |
| Common Sandpiper | Common Sandpiper | W | Actitis hypoleucos | Yes |
| Black-headed Gull | Black-headed Gull | W + RS | Larus ridibundus | Yes |
| Common Gull | Mew Gull | W | Larus canus | Yes |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Y | Larus fuscus | Yes |
| Herring Gull | Herring Gull | Y | Larus argentatus | Yes |
| Great Black-backed Gull | Great Black-backed Gull | W + RS | Larus marinus | Yes |
| Common Tern | Common Tern | S | Sterna hirundo | Yes |
| Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon | Rock Pigeon | Y (feral) | Columba livia | Yes |
| Stock Dove | Stock Pigeon | RY | Columba oenas | Yes |
| Wood Pigeon | Common Wood Pigeon | Y | Columba palumbus | Yes |
| Collared Dove | Eurasian Collared Dove | Y | Streptopelia decaocto | Yes |
| Ring-necked Parakeet | Rose-ringed Parakeet | Y (feral) | Psittacula krameri | Yes |
| Cuckoo | Common Cuckoo | RS | Cuculus canorus | Yes |
| Little Owl | Little Owl | RY | Athene noctua | No |
| Tawny Owl | Tawny Owl | Y | Strix aluco | No |
| Long-eared Owl | Long-eared Owl | RW | Asio otus | No |
| Short-eared Owl | Short-eared Owl | RW | Asio flammeus | Yes |
| Swift | Swift | S | Apus apus | Yes |
| Kingfisher | Common Kingfisher | Y | Alcedo atthis | |
| Green Woodpecker | Green Woodpecker | Y | Picus viridis | Yes |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Great Spotted Woodpecker | Y | Dendrocopos major | Yes |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Y | Dendrocopos minor | No |
| Skylark | Sky Lark | Y | Alauda arvensis | Yes |
| Sand Martin | Sand Martin | S | Riparia riparia | Yes |
| Swallow | Barn Swallow | S | Hirundo rustica | Yes |
| House Martin | House Martin | S | Delichon urbica | Yes |
| Meadow Pipit | Meadow Pipit | W + RS | Anthus pratensis | Yes |
| Yellow Wagtail | Yellow Wagtail | RS | Motacilla flava | Yes |
| Grey Wagtail | Grey Wagtail | Y | Motacilla cinerea | Yes |
| Pied Wagtail | White / Pied Wagtail | Y | Motacilla alba | Yes |
| Waxwing | Bohemian Waxwing | RW | Bombycilla garrulus | No |
| Wren | Winter Wren | Y | Troglodytes troglodytes | Yes |
| Dunnock / Hedge Sparrow | Hedge Accentor | Y | Prunella modularis | Yes |
| Robin | European Robin | Y | Erithacus rubecula | Yes |
| Black Redstart | Black Redstart | RY | Phoenicurus ochruros | No |
| Stonechat | Stonechat | RY | Saxicola torquata | Yes |
| Blackbird | Common Blackbird | Y | Turdus merula | Yes |
| Fieldfare | Fieldfare | W | Turdus pilaris | Yes |
| Song Thrush | Song Thrush | Y | Turdus philomelos | Yes |
| Redwing | Redwing | W | Turdus iliacus | Yes |
| Mistle Thrush | Mistle Thrush | Y | Turdus viscivorus | Yes |
| Grasshopper Warbler | Common Grasshopper Warbler | RS | Locustella naevia | Yes |
| Sedge Warbler | Sedge Warbler | S | Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | Yes |
| Reed Warbler | Eurasian Reed Warbler | S | Acrocephalus scirpaceus | Yes |
| Lesser Whitethroat | Lesser Whitethroat | RS | Sylvia curruca | Yes |
| Whitethroat | Common Whitethroat | S | Sylvia communis | Yes |
| Garden Warbler | Garden Warbler | S | Sylvia borin | Yes |
| Blackcap | Blackcap | S + RW | Sylvia atricapilla | Yes |
| Chiffchaff | Common Chiffchaff | S + RW | Phylloscopus collybita | Yes |
| Willow Warbler | Willow Warbler | S | Phylloscopus trochilus | Yes |
| Goldcrest | Goldcrest | Y | Regulus regulus | Yes |
| Firecrest | Firecrest | RY | Regulus ignicapillus | No |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Spotted Flycatcher | S | Muscicapa striata | Yes |
| Pied Flycatcher | Pied Flycatcher | RS | Ficedula hypoleuca | Yes |
| Long-tailed Tit | Long-tailed Tit | Y | Aegithalos caudatus | Yes |
| Marsh Tit | Marsh Tit | RY | Parus palustris | Yes |
| Coal Tit | Coal Tit | Y | Parus ater | Yes |
| Blue Tit | Blue Tit | Y | Parus caeruleus | Yes |
| Great Tit | Great Tit | Y | Parus major | Yes |
| Nuthatch | Wood Nuthatch | Y | Sitta europaea | Yes |
| Treecreeper | Eurasian Treecreeper | Y | Certhia familiaris | Yes |
| Jay | Eurasian Jay | Y | Garrulus glandarius | Yes |
| Magpie | Black-billed Magpie | Y | Pica pica | Yes |
| Jackdaw | Eurasian Jackdaw | Y | Corvus monedula | Yes |
| Rook | Rook | Y | Corvus frugilegus | Yes |
| Carrion Crow | Carrion Crow | Y | Corvus corone | Yes |
| Starling | Common Starling | Y | Sturnus vulgaris | Yes |
| House Sparrow | House Sparrow | Y | Passer domesticus | Yes |
| Chaffinch | Chaffinch | Y | Fringilla coelebs | Yes |
| Brambling | Brambling | RW | Fringilla montifringilla | Yes |
| Greenfinch | European Greenfinch | Y | Carduelis chloris | Yes |
| Goldfinch | European Goldfinch | Y | Carduelis carduelis | Yes |
| Siskin | Eurasian Siskin | W + RS | Carduelis spinus | Yes |
| Linnet | Common Linnet | Y | Carduelis cannabina | Yes |
| Redpoll | Mealy Redpoll | RY | Carduelis flammea | No |
| Bullfinch | Common Bullfinch | RY | Pyrrhula pyrrhula | Yes |
| Yellowhammer | Yellowhammer | RY | Emberiza citrinella | Yes |
| Reed Bunting | Reed Bunting | Y | Emberiza schoeniclus | Yes |
| Corn Bunting | Corn Bunting | RY | Miliaria calandra | No |