Find Birds by Location

🔍 Overview Striking and elegant, the Avocet is a rare but iconic wader in Sussex, most commonly spotted at coastal wetlands and saltmarshes. With its upturned bill and bold black-and-white…

🔍 Overview The most familiar gull in Sussex, especially around coastal towns, wetlands, and inland reservoirs. Not truly black-headed – its breeding plumage features a chocolate-brown hood. 🪶 Key Identification…

🕊️ Blackcap 🔍 Overview A sweet-singing warbler, the Blackcap is both a breeding bird and winter visitor in Sussex. Males are known for their rich, fluting song and distinctive cap….

🔍 Overview Quiet and striking, the Bullfinch is a shy woodland resident in Sussex. Often seen in pairs, it’s more often heard by its soft call than seen clearly. 🪶…

🔍 Overview A large, familiar goose introduced from North America. Now widespread across Sussex, especially near lakes, ponds, and parklands. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large (90–100 cm) Plumage: Brown…

🔍 Overview A small, agile woodland bird that often joins mixed flocks in Sussex woodlands and gardens. Less bold than the blue tit but just as active and vocal. 🪶…

🔍 Overview A medium-sized gull frequenting Sussex coasts, estuaries, and inland waters—different from the larger black-headed and herring gulls. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (42–45 cm) Plumage: Slim build,…

🔍 Overview A diving duck, the Pochard is a regular winter visitor to Sussex lakes and gravel pits. Males are handsome with a rusty head and striking grey body. 🪶…

📍 Local Expert Tip “The Common Sandpiper is a passage migrant with birds visible anywhere along the river. However, the section around the old Cement Works is a reliable section and…

📍 Local Expert Tip “The Snipe is a winter visitor from October to April with a peak in January and February. Often difficult to see but on high tides flocks of…

🔍 Overview Nicknamed the “sea swallow,” the Common Tern is a graceful summer breeder in Sussex, nesting on shingle islands and lagoons. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (31–35 cm)Plumage:…

🔍 Overview A lively warbler of Sussex hedgerows and scrub, the Whitethroat is known for its chattering song and concealed habitat preference. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small (13–14 cm)…

🔍 Overview A sleek fisher and silhouette of Sussex rivers, lakes, and coast. The Cormorant is an adaptable and widespread bird often seen drying its wings. 🪶 Key Identification Features…

🔍 Overview The largest wader regularly recorded in Sussex, the Curlew’s haunting call is a highlight of coastal reserves and estuaries. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large (50–60 cm) Plumage:…

🔍 Overview A shy and rare reedbed resident, hard to see but occasionally present in Sussex. Known for its booming call. 🪶 Key Identification Features Cryptic, streaked brown plumage Stocky…

🔍 Overview The UK’s smallest dabbling duck, the Teal is a common winter visitor to Sussex wetlands. Males are striking, females subtly patterned. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small duck…

🔍 Overview Tiny and camouflaged, the Treecreeper is a specialist of Sussex woodland—often climbing up tree trunks hunting for insects. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small (12–13 cm) Plumage: Brown…

🔍 Overview A shy and secretive summer breeder in Sussex woodlands. Common in May–July, it’s more often heard than seen, with a rich, beautiful song. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size:…

🔍 Overview Britain’s smallest bird, flitting restlessly in Sussex conifer and mixed woodlands year‑round. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Tiny (8–9 cm) Plumage: Olive‑green above, buff below Distinctive Marks: Bright orange…

🔍 Overview Bright, musical, and common, the Goldfinch is one of Sussex’s most recognisable garden and countryside finches. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small (12–13 cm)Plumage: Red face, gold wing…

🔍 Overview Elegant and ornate, the Great Crested Grebe is a classic waterbird, known for its beautiful breeding display and slender profile. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium-large (46–51 cm)Plumage:…

🔍 Overview A bold and familiar woodpecker in Sussex, frequenting woodlands, parks, and gardens throughout the year. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (23 cm) Plumage: Black and white pattern, red…

🔍 Overview Scarce spring and autumn passage migrant; more frequent in autumn; scarce in winter. A secretive, bobbing wader of wet woodland edges and inland pools, usually seen on migration….

🔍 Overview A colourful, ground-feeding woodpecker, frequently seen on lawns in Sussex, known locally as the “yaffle.” 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large (31 cm) Plumage: Green body, red crown, black…

📍 Local Expert Tip “The Greenshank is generally a passage migrant in small numbers along the edge of the Estuary. However since 2019 a bird has wintered being faithful to the…

🔍 Overview A familiar, statuesque wader, the Grey Heron patrols Sussex waters year-round. Often seen standing motionless, waiting to strike. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large (90–100 cm)Plumage: Grey body, white…

🔍 Overview A vibrant, long-tailed wagtail often found near fast-moving water, especially in upland Sussex streams and winter gardens. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small (18–20 cm)Plumage: Grey back, bright yellow…

🔍 Overview The ancestor of domestic geese, the Greylag Goose is common in Sussex pastures, lakes, and coastal marshes, often in large flocks. (Native population in UK is Amber listed…

🔍 Overview A large and familiar gull, breeding on Sussex coast and present year-round on coastal and inland water bodies. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large (55–66 cm) Plumage: Light grey…

🔍 Overview A tiny, elusive wader best known for its bobbing motion and preference for wet, boggy ground. Winter visitor to Sussex. 🪶 Key Identification Features Smaller and more compact…

🔍 Overview A flash of electric blue by Sussex waters — the Kingfisher is small but striking, and the emblem of healthy rivers. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Tiny (16–17 cm)Plumage:…

🔍 Overview A powerful gull with dark slate-grey back, the Lesser Black-backed Gull winters along Sussex coast and inland waters. Scarce breeder. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Large gull (55–60 cm)Plumage:…

🔍 Overview Now a familiar sight across Sussex wetlands. First bred in the UK in the 1990s and has spread rapidly. 🪶 Key Identification Features All white plumage Long black…

🔍 Overview Also known as “Dabchick,” the Little Grebe is a small, round diving bird commonly found on Sussex ponds and lakes. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Tiny (25–29 cm)Plumage: Chestnut…

🔍 Overview An introduced species from Asia, now thriving in parts of Sussex. Arguably the most ornamental duck in Britain. 🪶 Key Identification Features Male: Bright orange sail-like feathers, ornate…

🔍 Overview A quiet, elusive resident of mature Sussex woodlands. Easily confused with the Willow Tit, though rarer locally. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small (11.5 cm) Plumage: Pale underparts,…

🔍 Overview Common in Sussex wetlands, the Moorhen is a dark, duck-sized waterbird with a red bill and a quirky personality. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (30–35 cm)Plumage: Dark brown-black…

🔍 Overview A majestic symbol of British waterways, the Mute Swan is common across Sussex’s lakes, rivers, and estuaries. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Very large (140–160 cm wingspan)Plumage: All whiteDistinctive…

🔍 Overview An acrobatic woodland resident that creeps down tree trunks headfirst. Widespread in Sussex’s mature broadleaf woodlands. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium-small (14 cm) Plumage: Blue-grey upperparts, buff…

🔍 Overview Often overlooked, the Reed Bunting is a hardy year-round resident of Sussex wetlands, with striking plumage in spring. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Sparrow-sized (13–15 cm)Plumage: Males have black…

🔍 Overview A secretive, common  summer visitor to Sussex reedbeds, the Reed Warbler is best located by its repetitive, rhythmic song during breeding season. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small…

🔍 Overview A distinctive dabbling duck with a comically large bill, found widely in Sussex in winter and during passage. 🪶 Key Identification Features Large spatula-shaped bill Male: green head,…

🔍 OverviewA colourful finch often seen in Sussex during winter, especially in alder and conifer stands. Some breed locally, mostly in wooded uplands.  Fairly common breeder. 🪶 Key Identification Features…

🔍 Overview A swift, agile predator of small birds, the Sparrowhawk is a regular visitor to Sussex gardens, especially near bird feeders. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Small raptor (males…

🔍 OverviewA smart and common diving duck found year-round on Sussex lakes and reservoirs. Easily identified by its black-and-white plumage and diving behaviour. 🪶 Key Identification Features Size: Medium (42–48…

🔍 Overview A secretive marsh bird heard more often than seen, found in reedbeds and wetland edges. 🪶 Key Identification Features Grey face and underparts Brown back with black streaking…