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
119 species
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