Birds of the Sefton Coast
Waders, wildfowl, raptors and passerines recorded on the Sefton Coast — from the Pink-footed Goose roosts at Marshside to breeding Avocets and Little Terns on the beach.
119species recorded
31Red List
61Amber List
- Pink-footed GooseAmberAnser brachyrhynchusCoastal marshFarmlandOctober–March
- AvocetAmberRecurvirostra avosettaCoastal lagoonEstuaryMarch–September
- KnotRedCalidris canutusEstuaryMudflatAugust–April
- DunlinRedCalidris alpinaMudflatCoastal lagoonYear-round, mainly August–April as wintering and passage birds
- Black-tailed GodwitRedLimosa limosaCoastal lagoonEstuaryYear-round
- CurlewRedNumenius arquataCoastal marshFarmlandYear-round
- Marsh HarrierGreenCircus aeruginosusReed bedCoastal marshMarch–October
- Hen HarrierRedCircus cyaneusOpen marshDune grasslandOctober–March
- Peregrine FalconGreenFalco peregrinusOpen coastCoastal marshYear-round, most frequently seen October–March
- MerlinRedFalco columbariusDune grasslandOpen marshSeptember–March
- Short-eared OwlAmberAsio flammeusOpen marshRough grasslandOctober–March
- Barn OwlGreenTyto albaFarmlandRough grasslandYear-round
- LapwingRedVanellus vanellusCoastal marshFarmlandYear-round
- Golden PloverAmberPluvialis apricariaFarmlandRough grasslandOctober–March
- Grey PloverAmberPluvialis squatarolaMudflatEstuaryAugust–April
- OystercatcherAmberHaematopus ostralegusBeachEstuaryYear-round
- RedshankAmberTringa totanusCoastal marshLagoon edgeYear-round
- Spotted RedshankGreenTringa erythropusCoastal lagoonMudflatMainly July–October on autumn passage
- GreenshankGreenTringa nebulariaCoastal lagoonMudflatLate June–October on autumn passage
- Little EgretGreenEgretta garzettaCoastal lagoonEstuary marginYear-round
- Great White EgretAmberArdea albaCoastal lagoonReed bedYear-round but irregular
- Grey HeronGreenArdea cinereaCoastal lagoonEstuaryYear-round
- Whooper SwanAmberCygnus cygnusCoastal marshFlooded fieldsOctober–March
- TealAmberAnas creccaCoastal lagoonShallow marshYear-round but mainly October–March
- WigeonAmberMareca penelopeCoastal lagoonCoastal grasslandOctober–March
- PintailAmberAnas acutaDeep lagoonEstuaryOctober–March
- ShovelerAmberSpatula clypeataShallow lagoonCoastal marshYear-round
- Little TernAmberSternula albifronsSandy beachDune edgeMay–August
- Sandwich TernAmberThalasseus sandvicensisOpen seaSandy beachApril–September
- Common TernAmberSterna hirundoCoastal lagoonOpen seaApril–September
- SkylarkRedAlauda arvensisDune grasslandFarmlandYear-round
- Meadow PipitAmberAnthus pratensisDune grasslandCoastal heathYear-round
- Reed BuntingAmberEmberiza schoeniclusReed bedCoastal marshYear-round
- Sedge WarblerGreenAcrocephalus scirpaceusReed bedTall marsh vegetationApril–September
- Reed WarblerGreenAcrocephalus scirpaceusPhragmites reed bedTall marsh vegetationApril–September
- SanderlingAmberCalidris albaSandy beachSurf zoneAugust–May
- Ringed PloverAmberCharadrius hiaticulaSandy beachShingleYear-round
- Bar-tailed GodwitRedLimosa lapponicaEstuaryMudflatAugust–May
- WhimbrelAmberNumenius phaeopusEstuaryCoastal marshApril–May and July–September on passage
- Greylag GooseAmberAnser anserCoastal marshFarmlandYear-round
- Barnacle GooseAmberBranta leucopsisFarmlandCoastal marshOctober–March
- ShelduckAmberTadorna tadornaEstuarySaltmarshYear-round
- MallardAmberAnas platyrhynchosFreshwater lagoonDune slack pondYear-round
- GadwallAmberMareca streperaCoastal lagoonFreshwater marshYear-round; breeding birds spring–summer, winter numbers higher
- Tufted DuckGreenAythya fuligulaFreshwater lagoonReservoirYear-round but most numerous October–March
- PochardRedAythya ferinaDeep freshwater lagoonReservoirOctober–March
- GoldeneyeAmberBucephala clangulaOffshore seaDeep coastal waterOctober–March
- Red-breasted MerganserAmberMergus serratorEstuaryCoastal seaOctober–April
- GoosanderGreenMergus merganserFreshwater lakeRiverOctober–March
- Long-tailed DuckAmberClangula hyemalisOpen seaOffshore coastal waterNovember–March
- Common ScoterRedMelanitta nigraOpen seaOffshore coastal waterYear-round offshore, peaking August–April
- EiderRedSomateria mollissimaOpen seaRocky coastYear-round offshore; most visible October–April
- Mute SwanAmberCygnus olorFreshwater lagoonCoastal lakeYear-round
- Bewick's SwanRedCygnus bewickiiFarmlandWet grasslandNovember–February
- Brent GooseAmberBranta berniclaEstuarySaltmarshOctober–April
- Canada GooseGreenBranta canadensisFreshwater lagoonPark lakeYear-round
- TurnstoneRedArenaria interpresRocky shoreStrandlineYear-round on the coast; non-breeding birds present all summer
- SnipeAmberGallinago gallinagoWet dune slackMarsh edgeYear-round; winter numbers much higher than summer
- Jack SnipeAmberLymnocryptes minimusWet dune slackBog edgeOctober–March
- WoodcockRedScolopax rusticolaConiferous woodlandMixed woodlandOctober–March (winter visitor); occasional breeding in the pinewoods
- RuffRedCalidris pugnaxWet grasslandCoastal scrapeMarch–May and August–October on passage; occasional winter birds
- Curlew SandpiperAmberCalidris ferrugineaCoastal scrapeTidal mudflatAugust–September on passage
- Little StintAmberCalidris minutaCoastal scrapeTidal mudflatAugust–October on autumn passage
- Purple SandpiperAmberCalidris maritimaRocky shoreRock jettyOctober–April
- Common SandpiperAmberActitis hypoleucosPool edgeRiver marginApril–September on passage and breeding
- Green SandpiperAmberTringa ochropusFreshwater ditchPool edgeJuly–October on autumn passage; occasional winter birds
- GannetAmberMorus bassanusOpen seaOffshore coastal waterYear-round offshore; most visible July–November during post-breeding dispersal
- Red-throated DiverAmberGavia stellataOpen seaOffshore coastal waterOctober–April
- Great Northern DiverAmberGavia immerOpen seaOffshore coastal waterOctober–April
- FulmarAmberFulmarus glacialisOpen seaOffshore coastal waterYear-round offshore; most visible March–October when adults attend breeding ledges on nearby cliffs
- Manx ShearwaterAmberPuffinus puffinusOpen seaOffshoreApril–September
- KittiwakeRedRissa tridactylaOpen seaOffshoreYear-round offshore; passage concentrations in autumn
- RazorbillAmberAlca tordaOpen seaOffshore coastal waterOctober–April
- GuillemotAmberUria aalgeOpen seaOffshore coastal waterOctober–April
- Arctic SkuaRedStercorarius parasiticusOpen seaOffshore coastal waterJuly–October on autumn passage
- Great SkuaAmberStercorarius skuaOpen seaOffshoreJuly–November on autumn passage
- Black-headed GullAmberChroicocephalus ridibundusCoastal lagoonEstuaryYear-round
- Common GullAmberLarus canusFarmlandCoastal lagoonYear-round; most numerous in winter
- Herring GullRedLarus argentatusBeachEstuaryYear-round
- Lesser Black-backed GullAmberLarus fuscusBeachEstuaryYear-round; most numerous March–October
- Great Black-backed GullGreenLarus marinusBeachEstuaryYear-round; most numerous October–March
- Arctic TernAmberSterna paradisaeaOpen seaCoastal lagoonMay–September on passage; possible summer resident in small numbers
- Black TernAmberChlidonias nigerFreshwater lagoonCoastal marshMay and August–September on passage
- KestrelRedFalco tinnunculusOpen dune grasslandFarmlandYear-round
- SparrowhawkAmberAccipiter nisusConiferous woodlandMixed woodland edgeYear-round
- Common BuzzardGreenButeo buteoDune scrubFarmlandYear-round; increasingly common
- OspreyGreenPandion haliaetusLarge open waterEstuaryApril–May and August–September on passage
- HobbyGreenFalco subbuteoOpen dune grasslandWetland edgeMay–October
- Long-eared OwlGreenAsio otusDense dune scrubElder thicketOctober–March in winter roosts; scarce possible breeder
- Tawny OwlAmberStrix alucoConiferous woodlandMixed woodlandYear-round
- BitternAmberBotaurus stellarisReed bedMarsh ditchOctober–March as a winter visitor; regular in cold winters
- SpoonbillAmberPlatalea leucorodiaCoastal lagoonEstuaryApril–October
- CormorantGreenPhalacrocorax carboEstuaryCoastal lagoonYear-round
- Little GrebeGreenTachybaptus ruficollisFreshwater lagoonDitchYear-round
- Great Crested GrebeGreenPodiceps cristatusLarge freshwater lakeCoastal lagoonYear-round
- Water RailAmberRallus aquaticusReed bedDense marsh vegetationYear-round; winter numbers higher with continental birds
- Sand MartinAmberRiparia ripariaSandy cliffSandy bank for nestingMarch–September
- SwallowAmberHirundo rusticaFarmlandCoastal grasslandApril–October
- House MartinRedDelichon urbicumUrban areasSuburban buildingsApril–October
- StonechatGreenSaxicola rubicolaDune heathHeather heathYear-round
- WheatearAmberOenanthe oenantheOpen dune grasslandBeachMarch–October on passage and brief breeding
- WhinchatRedSaxicola rubetraDune scrub edgeBrackenApril–October on passage and possible breeding
- TwiteRedLinaria flavirostrisSaltmarshCoastal rough grasslandOctober–April
- LinnetRedLinaria cannabinaDune scrubGorse heathYear-round
- Rock PipitGreenAnthus petrosusRocky shoreStrandlineYear-round on the coast
- FieldfareRedTurdus pilarisFarmlandHedgerow with berriesOctober–March
- RedwingRedTurdus iliacusFarmlandHedgerowOctober–March
- SiskinGreenSpinus spinusConiferous woodlandAlder woodlandOctober–April
- Lesser RedpollRedAcanthis cabaretBirch woodlandAlder woodlandOctober–April
- CrossbillGreenLoxia curvirostraScots Pine woodlandConiferous plantationIrruptive — present in variable numbers
- Grasshopper WarblerRedLocustella naeviaDense dune scrubRank grasslandApril–September
- Common WhitethroatGreenCurruca communisGorse scrubBrambleApril–September
- BlackcapGreenSylvia atricapillaWoodland edgeDense dune scrub with ElderYear-round — summer breeders leave and winter visitors arrive; the two populations overlap
- ChiffchaffGreenPhylloscopus collybitaWoodland edgeDense dune scrubMarch–October (summer); occasional winter birds year-round
- Willow WarblerAmberPhylloscopus trochilusDune scrubBirch and willow scrubApril–September
- Common StarlingRedSturnus vulgarisFarmlandUrban areasYear-round
- Tree SparrowRedPasser montanusFarmland with old hedgerow treesField marginsYear-round
- Yellow WagtailRedMotacilla flavaGrazed marshFarmlandApril–September
- Grey WagtailAmberMotacilla cinereaPool edgeFast-flowing streamYear-round; most visible October–March when birds move to coastal areas