France’s landscapes—from Mediterranean coasts and Atlantic marshes to Alpine woodlands and urban parks—support a wide mix of resident and migratory birds. A little background on habitats and timing makes spotting species much easier whether you’re planning a day trip or tracking seasonal movements.
There are 50 Birds of France, ranging from Barn Swallow to Willow Warbler. For each species, the table lists Scientific name,Status (season/residency),Where found (regions) so you can check taxonomy, seasonal presence and regional distribution at a glance; you’ll find below.
Is this list comprehensive for birds seen in France?
The list covers 50 commonly recorded species across different habitats and seasons, focusing on regular residents and migrants rather than every rare vagrant or local subspecies; for rarities and the most up-to-date records consult regional birding groups or national checklists.
How should I use the Scientific name, Status and Where found columns when birding?
Use the scientific name to avoid confusion from regional common names, the status column to know when a species is likely present (breeding, passage, winter visitor), and the where column to target regions and habitats—combine these with a field guide or app for identification and timing.
Birds of France
| Common name | Scientific name | Status (season/residency) | Where found (regions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | Resident (all year) | Wetlands nationwide |
| Greylag Goose | Anser anser | Resident and migrant (Oct-Mar) | Wetlands nationwide |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Resident (all year) | Wetlands nationwide |
| Common Eider | Somateria mollissima | Winter visitor (Oct-Mar) | Atlantic coast, Channel islands |
| Northern Gannet | Morus bassanus | Migratory/winter (Sept-Apr) | Offshore, Brittany, Atlantic islands |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | Resident (all year) | Coasts, large rivers nationwide |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea | Resident (all year) | Wetlands nationwide |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | Breeder and resident (Mar-Sep) | Camargue, Mediterranean, Atlantic coasts |
| Eurasian Spoonbill | Platalea leucorodia | Breeder/migrant (Mar-Sep) | Camargue, west coast, lagoons |
| Greater Flamingo | Phoenicopterus roseus | Breeder and migrant (Mar-Aug) | Camargue, Mediterranean lagoons |
| Eurasian Hoopoe | Upupa epops | Passage breeder (Mar-Sep) | Southern France, vineyards, orchards |
| Common Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis | Resident (all year) | Rivers, canals nationwide |
| Eurasian Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | Resident (all year) | Open countryside nationwide |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Resident and migrant (all year) | Cliffs, cities nationwide |
| Common Buzzard | Buteo buteo | Resident (all year) | Wooded lowlands, mountains nationwide |
| Red Kite | Milvus milvus | Breeder and resident (all year) | Brittany, central France, forests |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans | Migrant and breeder (Apr-Oct) | Southern France, coastal regions |
| Griffon Vulture | Gyps fulvus | Resident breeder (all year) | Pyrenees, Provence, Alps |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | Resident (year-round) | Alps, Pyrenees, high mountains |
| Common Crane | Grus grus | Winter visitor and breeder (Oct-Apr, Apr-Aug) | Camargue, eastern marshes |
| Common Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | Resident (all year) | Farmland, woods nationwide |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus | Breeder and winter visitor (Apr-Sep, Oct-Mar) | Coasts, estuaries |
| Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula | Breeder and migrant (Apr-Sep) | Sandy coasts, estuaries |
| Little Ringed Plover | Charadrius dubius | Breeder (Apr-Sep) | Gravel pits, riverbanks nationwide |
| Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata | Passage breeder and winter visitor (Mar-Nov) | Coasts, wetlands |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | Migrant (Apr-May, Aug-Oct) | Coasts, wetlands during migration |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | Migrant breeder (Apr-Sep) | Rivers, coasts, lakes nationwide |
| Common Redshank | Tringa totanus | Breeder and winter visitor (Apr-Aug, Oct-Mar) | Wetlands, coasts |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | Winter visitor and migrant (Aug-Mar) | Sandy beaches, coasts |
| Eurasian Magpie | Pica pica | Resident (all year) | Towns, farmland nationwide |
| Eurasian Jay | Garrulus glandarius | Resident (all year) | Woodlands nationwide |
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | Resident (all year) | Mountains, cliffs, remote areas |
| Carrion Crow | Corvus corone | Resident (all year) | Urban and rural areas nationwide |
| Eurasian Nuthatch | Sitta europaea | Resident (all year) | Mature woodlands, parks nationwide |
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Resident and migrant (all year) | Urban, farmland nationwide |
| Common Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs | Resident and migrant (all year) | Woodlands, gardens nationwide |
| European Robin | Erithacus rubecula | Resident (all year) | Gardens, woodlands nationwide |
| Black Redstart | Phoenicurus ochruros | Resident and migrant (all year) | Towns, rocky slopes, mountains |
| Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | Migrant breeder (Apr-Sep) | Open rocky ground, coasts, mountains |
| Eurasian Skylark | Alauda arvensis | Resident and migrant (all year) | Farmland, grasslands nationwide |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Migrant breeder (Apr-Sep) | Farms, towns nationwide |
| House Martin | Delichon urbicum | Migrant breeder (Apr-Sep) | Towns, villages nationwide |
| Sand Martin (Bank Swallow) | Riparia riparia | Migrant breeder (Apr-Sep) | Rivers, sandbanks, cliffs |
| Common Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita | Migrant and breeder (Mar-Nov) | Woodlands, gardens nationwide |
| Eurasian Blackcap | Sylvia atricapilla | Migrant and breeder (Mar-Oct) | Woodlands, gardens nationwide |
| Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus | Migrant breeder (Apr-Sep) | Woodlands, open country nationwide |
| Sardinian Warbler | Sylvia melanocephala | Resident breeder (all year) | Mediterranean coast, Corsica, southern France |
| Corsican Nuthatch | Sitta whiteheadi | Endemic resident breeder (all year) | Corsica, mountain pine forests |
| European Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis | Resident (all year) | Gardens, farmland nationwide |
| Common Whitethroat | Sylvia communis | Migrant breeder (Apr-Sep) | Scrub, hedgerows nationwide |
Images and Descriptions
Mute Swan
Large white swan with an orange bill and black knob, gliding on lakes and marshes. Feeds on aquatic plants and nests in reedbeds. Best seen on lowland lakes and estuaries year-round; impressive in family groups and winter flocks.
Greylag Goose
Chunky grey-brown goose with pink bill, grazing farmland and wetlands. Forms large migratory flocks in winter and nests in reedbeds. Look for them in winter on lakes and marshes and breeding pairs in remote wetlands.
Mallard
Familiar dabbling duck: glossy green-headed males and mottled females. Feeds on vegetation and invertebrates; nests near water. Common in parks, ponds and rivers all year; easy to see in towns and countryside.
Common Eider
Large sea duck with bulky shape; males black-and-white, females brown. Dives for shellfish offshore. Best seen in winter from rocky Atlantic headlands, ferry crossings and island coasts, often in flocks.
Northern Gannet
Large white seabird with black wing tips and long pointed bill, spectacular plunge-diver for fish. Seen offshore and from coastal headlands, especially Brittany and Atlantic islands during migration and winter.
Great Cormorant
Black waterbird with long neck and hooked bill, often seen drying wings on rocks. Dives for fish in rivers and coastal waters. Common on rivers, estuaries and coasts; visible year-round.
Grey Heron
Tall grey wader with long neck and dagger bill, stands motionless stalking fish. Frequent on rivers, lakes and marshes; nests in colonies in tall trees. Easy to spot year-round at freshwater sites.
Little Egret
Slender white heron with black legs and yellow feet; active hunter in shallow water. Uses wetlands and saltpans; nests in colonies. Common in Camargue and southern marshes, best in breeding season.
Eurasian Spoonbill
Elegant white bird with long spoon-shaped bill, sweeps shallow water for small fish. Breeds on islands and reedbeds. Look in Camargue and coastal lagoons during spring and summer breeding season.
Greater Flamingo
Big pink wading bird with curved bill, filters briny waters for crustaceans. Often seen in large flocks feeding and preening. Spectacular in Camargue shallow lagoons, especially during spring and summer.
Eurasian Hoopoe
Distinctive cinnamon bird with black-and-white crest, probes soil for insects with long bill. Prefers open warm habitats and old orchards. Best seen in southern France spring and summer, often perched on walls.
Common Kingfisher
Tiny electric-blue bird with orange underparts, fast fishing dives from low perches. Prefers clear, slow rivers and canals. Look for flashes of colour along streams and ponds year-round, best in calm light.
Eurasian Kestrel
Small falcon that hovers over fields searching for voles and insects. Males have rufous back and grey head. Common in farmland and roadside poles year-round, often visible hovering above fields.
Peregrine Falcon
Powerful falcon with slate-grey back and barred underparts, renowned for high-speed hunting stoops. Nests on cliffs and tall buildings. See along coasts, cliffs and urban skyscrapers; remarkable aerial displays.
Common Buzzard
Stocky broad-winged raptor with variable brown plumage, soars on thermals hunting small mammals. Ubiquitous across rural France. Easy to spot circling over fields and woodland edges year-round.
Red Kite
Elegant raptor with forked tail and reddish plumage, often hovering over countryside for carrion. Reintroduced and recovering; noticeable over western and central France near woodland and farmland.
Black Kite
Sleek dark kite with forked tail, often scavenging at landfills and over wetlands. More common in south and coastal areas during summer; migrates through in large numbers.
Griffon Vulture
Large pale vulture with broad wings that soars in thermals, feeding on carrion. Colonies on cliffs in southern mountains. Best seen in gorges and high country in Provence and Pyrenees.
Golden Eagle
Majestic large raptor with dark plumage and golden nape, hunts mammals over upland areas. Prefers remote mountainous terrain. Look in high Alpine and Pyrenean zones where pairs defend large territories.
Common Crane
Tall grey bird with red forehead patch and trumpeting calls, gathers in wetlands during migration and winter. Increasingly breeds in wetlands; spectacular to watch in Camargue flocks at dusk.
Common Pheasant
Colorful gamebird: males with iridescent plumage and long tail, females mottled brown. Ground-dwelling and secretive but common in hedgerows and fields; often seen at dawn and dusk.
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Black-and-white shorebird with strong orange bill for prising shells, noisy and territorial on beaches. Breeds on coasts and forages along estuaries; easy to spot at low tide.
Ringed Plover
Small plover with black breast band and orange legs, runs and pauses on sandflats feeding on invertebrates. Look for it on tidal beaches and estuaries in spring and summer.
Little Ringed Plover
Small pale plover with distinctive black eye-ring, favors bare gravel and river shingle. Ground-nesting and lively; best seen on inland riverbanks, gravel pits and reservoir edges in breeding season.
Eurasian Curlew
Large wader with long downcurved bill and bubbling call, probes mud for invertebrates. Declining but still regular on coasts and saltmarshes during migration and winter.
Whimbrel
Medium curlew with striped head and curved bill, passes through French coasts in spring and autumn. Often seen in flocks on mudflats and wet grassland during migration windows.
Common Sandpiper
Small brown-and-white wader with teetering walk along shores, flicks tail when feeding. Breeds near freshwater and appears along coasts during migration; common on rivers and lakes.
Common Redshank
Medium red-legged wader with alert posture and ringing call, probes mud and shallow water. Widespread on marshes and estuaries; visible in breeding season and abundant in winter.
Sanderling
Tiny pale sandpiper that runs with waves, probing wet sand for crustaceans. Extremely active on shores; best seen on exposed sandy beaches during migration and winter.
Eurasian Magpie
Bold black-and-white corvid with long tail and curious behaviour, omnivorous and opportunistic. Common in towns, parks and farmland; often seen collecting shiny objects and scavenging.
Eurasian Jay
Pinkish-brown corvid with striking blue wing patches, caches acorns and imitates calls. Prefers mature woods and forest edges; conspicuous in both rural and suburban woodlands.
Common Raven
Large all-black corvid with heavy bill and croaking voice, highly intelligent and aerial. Favors rugged, remote terrain and cliffs. Seen in mountains, large forests and coastal cliffs.
Carrion Crow
All-black, adaptable crow that scavenges widely and is common in towns and countryside. Bold and social, often seen in fields, rubbish tips and streets year-round.
Eurasian Nuthatch
Small compact bird with blue-grey back and buff underparts, climbs tree trunks headfirst and wedges nuts into bark. Best seen in mature deciduous woods and large parks.
Common Starling
Glossy black bird with speckles in winter, forms spectacular murmurations. Omnivorous and often nests in buildings. Widespread in towns and countryside; dramatic flocks at dusk in autumn-winter.
Common Chaffinch
Pinkish-breasted finch with blue-grey cap and cheerful song. Common in woods, hedgerows and gardens; males sing from exposed perches in spring and can be seen year-round.
European Robin
Small, tame songbird with orange-red breast, bold in gardens and woods. Forages among leaf litter for insects; sings year-round and is especially noticeable in winter gardens.
Black Redstart
Small dark red-tailed bird often found on walls and rocky outcrops in towns and high places. Males show charcoal plumage and are common in urban areas, spring through winter.
Northern Wheatear
Compact passerine with pale underparts and distinctive tail pattern, breeds on open ground and coastal shingle. Seen in spring and autumn migration and on upland and coastal breeding sites.
Eurasian Skylark
Ground-dwelling songster with streaked plumage and remarkable hovering song flight. Prefers open fields and meadows; best heard above farmland in spring and summer.
Barn Swallow
Sleek blue-backed swallow with forked tail, nests under eaves and feeds on flying insects. Arrives in spring, widespread across towns and countryside during breeding season, elegant in flight.
House Martin
White-bellied, blue-backed swallow that builds mud nests under eaves. Arrives in spring to breed in colonies in towns and villages; feeds on airborne insects above rooftops.
Sand Martin (Bank Swallow)
Small brown-and-white swallow that nests in colonies in sandbank burrows. Seen returning each spring to river cliffs and gravel pits; agile aerial insectivore during summer.
Common Chiffchaff
Tiny greenish warbler with a simple “chiff-chaff” song. Active in undergrowth and gardens, often flitting through foliage for insects. Commoner in spring and autumn migration but present in many areas year-round.
Eurasian Blackcap
Plump warbler with grey head; males have black cap, females brown. Melodic song and bold in gardens. Arrives in spring to breed in shrubby woods and suburban gardens.
Willow Warbler
Delicate greenish warbler with a descending song, favors open woodland and scrub. Arrives in spring to breed; best heard singing from treetops and bushes in spring and early summer.
Sardinian Warbler
Small grey warbler with black cap in males and red eye-ring; lives in dense Mediterranean garrigue and scrub. Common on coasts and Corsica; vocal and often visible in shrubland.
Corsican Nuthatch
Small blue-grey nuthatch endemic to Corsica, with pale underparts and strong bill. Specialist of mature Corsican pine forests; furtive but audible, a must-see in Corsican mountain woods.
European Goldfinch
Bright small finch with red face and black-and-gold wings, feeds on thistle seeds. Sociable in flocks and often visits feeders. Widespread in gardens, hedgerows and farmland year-round.
Common Whitethroat
Grey-backed warbler with white throat and rufous wings, energetic and skulking in dense scrub. Breeds in hedgerows and young woodland; best found during breeding season among thick vegetation.
