UK Bird Migration: What Is Moving Now, Month by Month
Summer visitors from Africa, winter visitors from the Arctic, and passage birds that only stop to refuel. The British migration year in one page.
Updated 6 October 2026
What birds are migrating now
Find the current season, then open the monthly guide for detail.
- Spring (March to May): summer visitors arrive in waves, Sand Martin and Wheatear first, Swift and Spotted Flycatcher last. Winter thrushes, geese and swans leave. Guides: March, April, May.
- Summer (June and July): the quietest spell, but adult Cuckoos are already leaving and the first waders are back from the Arctic by July. Guides: June, July.
- Autumn (August to November): the big one. Waders and warblers go first, Swallows and martins through September, then thrushes, finches, geese and swans pour in during October and November. Guides: August, September, October, November.
- Winter (December to February): mostly settled. Hard frost or snow on the continent pushes more wildfowl and thrushes west. Guides: December, January, February.
The migration year, month by month
| Month | Arriving | Leaving | Passing through |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Cold-weather wildfowl from the continent | Very little | Very little |
| Feb | Waders return to inland breeding sites | Geese begin moving north | Gull passage begins |
| Mar | Sand Martin, Wheatear, Chiffchaff, Little Ringed Plover, Sandwich Tern, Osprey | Bewick's Swan, many winter thrushes | Meadow Pipit |
| Apr | Swallow, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, House Martin, Whitethroat, Cuckoo, Nightingale | Redwing, Fieldfare, Pink-footed Goose, Whooper Swan | Ring Ouzel, Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail |
| May | Swift, Hobby, Spotted Flycatcher, Turtle Dove, Nightjar | Last Arctic waders and Brent Geese | Sanderling, Turnstone, Black Tern, skuas |
| Jun | Last few summer visitors | Adult Cuckoos from late June | First returning Green Sandpipers |
| Jul | Adult waders back on estuaries | Cuckoos, first Swifts | Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank |
| Aug | Knot, Grey Plover and other wintering waders | Swift, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler | Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Whinchat, shearwaters |
| Sep | Pink-footed Goose, Wigeon, Teal | Swallow, House Martin, Whitethroat, Hobby, Osprey | Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Little Stint, skuas |
| Oct | Redwing, Fieldfare, Brambling, Whooper Swan, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Woodcock | Last Swallows, House Martins and Wheatears | Ring Ouzel, Skylark, finches, Yellow-browed Warbler |
| Nov | Bewick's Swan, more Woodcock and wildfowl, Waxwing in irruption years | Stragglers only | Woodpigeon flocks, Little Auk after northerlies |
| Dec | More wildfowl in cold snaps | Very little | Very little |
Summer visitors and when they arrive
| Species | Typical arrival | Mostly gone by |
|---|---|---|
| Sand Martin | Early to mid March | September |
| Wheatear | Mid March | October |
| Chiffchaff (vs Willow Warbler) | March (a few winter) | October |
| Osprey | Late March | September |
| Swallow | Late March to April | October |
| Willow Warbler | Early April | September |
| House Martin | April | October |
| Cuckoo | Mid to late April | Adults July, young September |
| Reed Warbler | Late April | September |
| Swift | Late April to early May | Mid August |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Mid May | September |
Winter visitors and when they arrive
| Species | Typical arrival | From |
|---|---|---|
| Pink-footed Goose | Mid September | Iceland and Greenland |
| Wigeon and Teal | September onwards | Iceland, Scandinavia, Russia |
| Redwing | Late September, peak October | Iceland and Scandinavia |
| Brent Goose | Late September to October | Arctic Russia, Svalbard, Canada |
| Barnacle Goose | Early October | Svalbard and Greenland |
| Fieldfare and Brambling | October | Scandinavia |
| Whooper Swan | October | Iceland |
| Short-eared Owl | October | Northern Europe (adds to UK breeders) |
| Bewick's Swan | Late October to November | Arctic Russia |
| Waxwing | October to December, irruption years | Scandinavia and Russia |
More on the winter arrivals in our winter wildfowl guide.
Visible migration (vismig)
Many birds migrate by day, low enough to count. Watching them is called visible migration, or vismig. You need no special site to start.
- When: the first three hours after dawn, March to May and September to November. October is the peak.
- Where: anywhere with a wide view. Coastal headlands, hill ridges, river valleys and reservoir dams concentrate birds.
- What: Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Chaffinch, Siskin, Linnet, wagtails, thrushes and, in late autumn, Woodpigeons in thousands.
- How: learn the flight calls. Most birds go over as dots, and the call names them. Our sound ID guide explains how to practise.
Counts from UK watchpoints are published daily on Trektellen.
Best migration watchpoints
- Bird observatories: Spurn and Flamborough (Yorkshire), Portland (Dorset), Dungeness and Sandwich Bay (Kent), Bardsey (Gwynedd), Fair Isle (Shetland) and the Isle of May (Fife). All log migrants through the season.
- Islands and headlands: the Isles of Scilly, South Stack and the Norfolk coast around Titchwell Marsh.
- Estuaries and scrapes: wader passage peaks in May and again from July to September. Try Minsmere or Leighton Moss.
- Inland waters: terns, Hobbies and Ospreys follow reservoirs such as Rutland Water.
See also the Yorkshire guide for Spurn access.
How weather drives falls
Migrants set off in clear, calm weather with a tailwind. Trouble starts when they meet rain, fog or a headwind on the way. They drop into the first cover they reach, and a coast can fill with birds overnight. Birders call this a fall.
- Autumn, east coast: high pressure over Scandinavia, easterly winds across the North Sea and rain or mist on the British side. This brings Goldcrests, thrushes, Redstarts and scarce Siberian birds.
- Spring, south coast: warm southerly winds with overnight rain ground Wheatears, warblers and the odd overshoot on headlands.
- Atlantic gales: westerlies in September and October push seabirds inshore and carry American waders across. See our seabirds guide and rare birds guide.
- Northerlies in November: Little Auks and sea ducks move down the North Sea.
UK bird migration: common questions
What birds are migrating now in the UK?
It depends on the season. March to May brings summer visitors such as Swallows, warblers and Swifts. August to November is autumn passage: waders and warblers leave first, then Redwings, Fieldfares, geese and swans arrive from October. Our monthly guides list the birds for the current month.
Which British birds migrate?
Many of our breeding species leave for the winter, including Swallow, Swift, Cuckoo, House Martin and most warblers. Others arrive for the winter, such as Redwing, Fieldfare, Brambling and most wild geese and swans. Even Robins and Blackbirds are joined by migrants from the continent.
When do Swallows arrive in and leave the UK?
The first Swallows reach southern England in late March and most arrive during April. They leave through September, with the last birds usually seen in October.
Where do UK migratory birds go in winter?
Most summer visitors winter in Africa south of the Sahara. Swallows travel as far as South Africa. Some, such as Chiffchaff and Blackcap, stop around the Mediterranean, and a few stay in Britain.
What is the best month to watch bird migration in the UK?
October for sheer numbers and variety, with thrushes, finches, geese and rarities all moving. May is the best spring month, when the last summer visitors arrive and Arctic waders pass through in breeding plumage.
Track your migration year
Each species page shows when to look and the latest community sightings. Log your first Swallow and your last.
Open the Birdedex →