United Kingdom Birding Tours

Birding Ecotours offers both spring and fall (autumn) United Kingdom birding tours which target both resident specials and unusual migratory species. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known simply as the United Kingdom (UK), consists of the northeastern section of the island of Ireland, known as Northern Ireland (the remainder of that island is called the Republic of Ireland and does not form part of the UK), and the island of Great Britain (which includes England, Wales, and Scotland), which is the largest island in Europe and the ninth-largest island in the world. The United Kingdom therefore contains four constituent countries: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Our United Kingdom birding tours currently take place in England and Scotland (outlined below). Many reminders of the long and ancient historical past of these nations (e.g. Roman and further back) can be seen to this day in the form of impressive castles, churches, cathedrals, and whole towns and cities that date back several hundreds or thousands of years. These historical reminders of the past will be seen and enjoyed as we search for a wide range of avian targets during our United Kingdom birdwatching tours.

The UK is situated off the northwest coast of Europe (and the Western Palearctic biogeographical region, or ecozone) and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south (broadly speaking). Most of the UK has a temperate climate, generally cool with much year-round rainfall, though some areas (such as the very high mountains in Scotland and the westernmost areas) do have different climates (e.g. subpolar oceanic, continental subarctic, and tundra climates). The UK experiences four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

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With the prevailing wind coming from the southwest, the western side of the UK is wetter than the eastern side. Atlantic currents, warmed by the Gulf Stream, bring mild winters particularly to the west, however, the north and east of the UK can experience cold winters when weather systems open airflow from eastern Europe and Siberia. Arctic blasts from the north and Mediterranean blasts from the south can occur in winter and spring, and during the autumn period mild hurricanes can hit (usually the tail end of hurricanes that have come across the Atlantic Ocean). All these factors lead to the UK being a great place to see birds from different areas of the world, all through the year.

Following International Ornithological Congress (IOC) taxonomy (version 10.2 in October 2020) the UK has a bird list of 653 species; however, a vast number of these are vagrant birds. About 250 species of birds occur frequently, and United Kingdom birding tours during the spring and winter periods can connect with a good percentage of these. There is currently one widely recognized endemic bird in the UK, the Scottish Crossbill, although some authorities do consider the subspecies of Willow Ptarmigan, known as Red Grouse, to be another endemic. The climate and geography of the islands plays a huge part in where these bird species occur. For example, winter sees the arrival of hundreds of thousands of ducks and geese from their northern breeding grounds, while spring sees the hedgerows and gardens filled with bird song with the arrival of migrant birds. The UK is also known for its fantastic nature reserves and these are often where most species are seen during a wildlife holiday. Reserves such as Rutland Water, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, RSPB Bempton Cliffs and WWT Caerlaverock all offer visiting birders the chance to witness sensational wildlife spectacles, such as the bird of prey roost at Titchwell in winter.

An increasing number of people are interested in natural history and specifically in bird watching as evidenced by the fact that the UK’s number one birdwatching charity, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), has over one million members. Many towns, cities, and regions also have their own bird clubs or societies, with social birding a big hobby, whether it is people giving nature a home within their garden or traveling around the country. Technological advances have furthered the work carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), and eBird is increasingly widespread, furthering the value of citizen-science birdwatching. Twitching is an extremely popular hobby within the realm of birdwatching, as is bird photography. “Bird news” is a very important way of birders finding out about rare birds, and websites such as BirdGuides, Rare Bird Alert, and Surfbirds provide regular updates on rare birds and have all helped with the flow of bird-sighting news and undoubtedly increased the number of people interested in birds and birding.

We have two exciting small-group bird watching tours in the UK, both tours will provide excellent views of some exciting common birds for a first-time visitor to Europe, such as European RobinEurasian BullfinchEurasian Blue TitEuropean GreenfinchEuropean GoldfinchEurasian NuthatchYellowhammer, and Northern Lapwing. Each UK birding tour will then focus on some of the seasonal specialties:

United Kingdom: England in Winter

Occurring in the peak mid-winter period, this exciting United Kingdom birding tour will focus on finding a wide-range of resident and over-wintering birds, such as Whooper SwanPink-footed GooseTaiga Bean GooseSmewVelvet ScoterEurasian BitternRed KiteWestern Marsh HarrierCaspian GullIceland GullPurple SandpiperEuropean Golden PloverWillow Ptarmigan (Red Grouse), Black GrouseCommon KingfisherFieldfareRedwingBearded Reedling (Tit), Lapland Longspur (Bunting), TwiteBramblingHawfinch, and Bohemian Waxwing. Follow the link above to see the detailed itinerary.

United Kingdom: Ultimate Spring Tour

This comprehensive United Kingdom birding tour will focus on the summer visitors to the UK, as well as a range of Scottish specialties. It could also connect with some of the species present in winter (outlined above). Some of the tour highlights should include European Honey BuzzardMontagu’s HarrierEurasian HobbyGarganeyEuropean Turtle DoveRuffBlack-tailed GodwitSpotted RedshankCorn CrakeCommon QuailEuropean NightjarEurasian Stone-curlewDartford WarblerCommon CraneScottish CrossbillParrot Crossbill, Rock PtarmiganRed-throated Loon (Diver), Golden EagleWhite-tailed EagleEurasian DotterelEuropean Crested Tit, and Snow Bunting. Follow the link above to see the detailed itinerary.

Download United Kingdom Itineraries

UK: 1-day Norfolk Autumn Birding Tour - Birding the Northwest Norfolk Coast

UK: 1-day Norfolk Spring and Summer Birding Tour - Birding the Yare Valley

UK: 1-day Norfolk Spring and Summer Birding Tours - Birding the Norfolk Coast

UK: 1-day Norfolk Winter Birding Tour - Birding the Norfolk Broads

UK: 1-day Norfolk Winter Birding Tour - Birding The Norfolk Coast

UK: 1-day Norfolk Winter Birding Tour - Birding The Yare Valley

UK: 1-day Suffolk Birding Tours

United Kingdom Birding Tour: England and Scotland in Spring May 2025/2026

United Kingdom Birding Tour: England Fall Migration Special October 2024/2025/2026

United Kingdom Gallery

Testimonials from our United Kingdom birding tours

England in Spring is the fifth tour I've done with BE, and this one was up to your usual standards. With our guide, we saw all the hotspots, and his expertise with the birds and habitats was impeccable. The lodgings were fascinating, as was the driving time, seeing the beautiful character of the English countryside. This is a wonderful tour of the UK during spring migration

William - On England

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