STONEFACTION BIRDING: February 2026

1500 : 100 Birds To See In Dundee (version 1.7)

Mallard (male)

This particular blog-post is intended to highlight around 100 or so species of birds that are relatively easy to find from within Dundee, and is largely intended for those with an interest in birds, or who are fairly inexperienced birders (for now). Once more details are added, those looking for particular species within Dundee, mat find it more useful than in its basic initial form.

You'll likely need at least a pair of binoculars to spot some of these birds, but this blog-post is intended to help in doing so with photos of the species (and later, some hopefully helpful info, with regards where/when to look for the birds, and other assorted basic info).

However, it turns out that there is a LOT of effort required to do this project justice, so it will be completed in stages. I've posted a selection of photos of the birds in a variety of plumages, and ages, as well as a few flight shots. The links at the end of the post, point to my photo albums of the species on my flickr page, which will give a wider range of plumages/ages/habitat-type shots etc.

I will add more details with regards ID, habitat, and likely locations for finding the birds a bit later.

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Other things that might be useful.

A field guide (Wildguides "Britain's Birds" or their "British Birds - A Concise Guide" or the more comprehensive Collins Bird Guide, would be those I'd recommend - though second-hand copies of bird books of variable standard can be found in charity shops etc).

Binoculars/camera/scope - anything that gives you a bit more reach can be helpful, but in general, the better the quality of the gear, the more detail you'll be able to see. Second-hand gear from the likes of Wex, or Ffordes can get you very good gear at a fraction of the price of buying new. Avoid Amazon where the 'amazing binoculars/camera/scope' for £10 is nothing of the sort. Save a tenner and stick two toilet roll tubes together for a similar performance.

Merlin app - this phone app is very good, but far from infallible. You can use it as a sort of fieldguide and browse through the species list, listen to the birds' calls and songs, check distribution maps, view a variety of photos etc. You can have Merlin only list the birds that you are likely to see locally at a particular time of year (this is not always accurate, as it is based on incomplete and sometimes erroneous data from eBird). You can answer some questions to narrow down the species that you MIGHT be seeing. You can also have Merlin identify the birds you can hear singing. However, be aware that it regularly misidentifies a number of common Dundee birds as being something much less common. It will also ignore particular calls too, which can be frustrating. Remember, just because Merlin said you had a very rare American warbler in Cairdie, doesn't mean it is correct. The more experienced you get the more obvious the errors Merlin makes will be to you. If it tells you it can hear a particular bird, try to see it to confirm the 'record'. Alternatively, you can compare the sonagram (the rolling 'picture' of the sounds) against those on the Xeno-Canto.org website which has a library of bird sounds from around the world.

+ In the captions below I have used the description "youngster" to mean an actual juvenile plumaged bird, duckling, cygnet etc, up to actual adult plumage (for species such as some gulls, Gannets etc this can take 4 years or so)

++ I have also tried to keep the captions consistent. Breeding plumage (used to be known as Summer plumage) is usually seen in Spring and Summer, though some birds might show such plumage earlier (or later). Non-breeding plumage (formerly Winter plumage) is usually seen in Autumn and Winter though with similar potential for some overlap.

+++ Male/female refers to the adult birds (though some female and 'youngster' plumage may be very similar, and I've tried to mention this where there might be some ambiguity).

++++ Birds marked with an asterisk * in the photos below are species that are a little bit harder to find than the main 100 or so species featured.

+++++ There may be errors in the captions due to the failure of the proof-reader (me). If you find any, please do let me know.

Barnacle Goose*
Lone birds can turn up in skeins of Pink-footed Geese in Autumn & Winter. The odd skein can be seen flying up the Tay around late September/early October

Barnacle Goose*

Bar-tailed Godwit (breeding plumage)
Outside the breeding season, the species can be seen at Broughty Ferry/Balmossie and with Curlews in Invergowrie Bay.

Bar-tailed Godwit (non-breeding plumage)

Blackbird (female)
All year round, parks and gardens mostly.

Blackbird (youngster)

Blackbird (partially leucistic male)

Blackbird (male)

Blackcap (female/youngster)
From early April, in parks and gardens. In Autumn, can often be seen in Elder bushes feeding on berries. Some birds do overwinter and can be seen coming to feeders.

Blackcap (male)

Black-headed Gull (breeding plumage)
Swannie Ponds, Clatto Reservoir, Invergowrie Bay outwith the breeding season.

Black-headed Gull (youngster)

Black-headed Gull (breeding plumage)

Black-headed Gull (youngster)

Black-headed Gull (non-breeding)

Black-tailed Godwit
Invergowrie Bay outwith the breeding season.

Black-tailed Godwit (breeding plumage)

Black-tailed Godwit (non-breeding plumage)

Black-tailed Godwit (moulting into breeding plumage)

Black-tailed Godwit (non-breeding plumage) [Bar-tailed Godwit nbp, top left]

Blue Tit (youngster)
Parks and gardens, all year round, mostly in trees and bushes, or visiting feeders.

Blue Tit

Bullfinch (female)
All year round, though easiest to see in winter months. Listen for short whistling call (https://xeno-canto.org/965743 ). Generally in pairs/small flocks.

Bullfinch (youngster)

Bullfinch (male)

Buzzard
Most large parks around Dundee, and surrounding countryside have resident Buzzards. Balgay Hill, Ninewells Arboretum, Dundee Law, Caird park etc, all year round. Often seen circling up in groups, or being harassed by gulls, crows etc.

Buzzard (mobbed by Carrion Crow)

Buzzard

Buzzard (variation)

Canada Goose
A skein of geese in the summer months, flying low, is most likely to be Canada Geese. Can turn up anywhere. Sometimes seen flying up/down the Tay. A few birds turn up in Invergowrie Bay at times.

Canada Goose

Carrion Crow
All year round, everywhere, especially parks and gardens.

Carrion Crow (youngster)

Carrion Crow

Chaffinch (male)
Parks and gardens, year round. Often seen feeding on ground below feeders.

Chaffinch (female)

Chiffchaff
Mostly a summer visitor, though one of the first arrivals in Spring (from around early March). Best identified by 'song' - https://xeno-canto.org/1088341

Chiffchaff

Coal Tit
Parks and gardens, all year round. Comes to feeders, often seen in conifers.

Collared Dove
Urban areas, with big gardens with mature trees, as well as parks.

Common Gull (breeding plumage)
Swannie Ponds, Clatto Reservoir, Invergowrie Bay, Lochee Park etc. Not as common as name suggests, often outnumbered by Black-headed Gulls/Herring Gulls.

Common Gull (non-breeding plumage)

Common Gull (youngster)

Common Sandpiper*
Invergowrie Bay in Spring and Autumn as birds move through to/from breeding grounds. Sometimes lone migrant birds seen along shoreline between Stannergate and Balmossie.

Common Sandpiper*

Common Tern (breeding plumage)*
Most likely to be seen in the Tay, in late summer/early Autumn, though generally in small numbers. Terns sometimes seen roosting at high tide at the lifeboat station in Broughty Ferry.

Common Tern (breeding plumage)*

Common Tern (youngster)*

Coot
Year round, Clatto Reservoir and Swannie Ponds.

Coot (youngster)

Coot (& Moorhen)

Coot (youngster)

Coot (family)

Coot (territorial dispute)

Cormorant
City Quay in winter, the Tay throughout the year, often fishing close in to shore, or stood with wings outstretched (as above).

Cormorant

Crossbill (male)
Templeton Woods, the Law, Caird Park and migrating through in September/October. Easiest to find when you recognise the call - https://xeno-canto.org/695429

Crossbill (female & male)

Crossbill (youngster)

Crossbill (male)

Curlew
Along the shoreline between Stannergate and Balmossie, Invergowrie Bay. Also sometimes seen feeding on football pitches etc in winter.

Curlew

Dipper
Dighty Burn, especially faster flowing areas. Year round. Can often be heard calling, before zooming past low above the water - https://xeno-canto.org/700206

Dipper

Dipper (youngster)

Dipper

Dunlin (breeding plumage)
Small numbers at Balmossie sometimes with Ringed Plovers. Larger numbers outwith breeding season in Invergowrie Bay.

Dunlin (non-breeding plumage)

Dunlin (mixed plumages - post breeding season)

Dunlin (non-breeding plumage)

Dunlin (youngster)

Dunlin (post breeding moult) [Sanderling, 3rd, 4th, 6th from left]

Dunlin (breeding plumage)

Dunnock
Year round, parks and gardens, though often unobtrusive as it feeds on the ground. Quite a loud song, often heard in Spring - https://xeno-canto.org/1086314

Dunnock

Eider (male in eclipse plumage)
Very common sea-duck on the Tay, large numbers in winter, easiest to see around high tide between Broughty Castle and Balmossie, though sometimes alos further upriver.

Eider (female)

Eider (male)

Eider (youngster)

Eider (male)

Feral Pigeon (variation)
Much maligned but can be seen almost everywhere, including the city centre.

Feral Pigeon (variation)

Fieldfare
Winter visitor, sometimes seen with Redwings and Mistle Thrushes, perched in trees or feeding on the ground. Parks and gardens, with Eastern Cemetery often good for the species between October and January.

Fieldfare

Fulmar
A few birds show up in the Tay but have a completely different flight style to gulls (with which they share a vague resemblance). Almost always seen in flight. Broughty Castle in summer can be a good place to spy passing singletons.

Gannet (youngster)
Late summer can turn up the odd Gannet in the Tay, often as far upriver as the Stannergate. Large flocks often visible off Tentsmuir Point in July/August.

Gannet (youngster)

Gannet (adult)

Gannet

Goldcrest
Year round in parks and gardens, most often in conifers. Almost constantly on the move, with a very high pitched call/song - https://xeno-canto.org/717676

Goldcrest

Goldcrest (male, with orange showing)

Goldcrest

Goldeneye (female & male)
Balmossie and Clatto Reservoir in the winter months are best to see this species, which is often quite wary.

Goldeneye (female)

Goldeneye (male & female - displaying)

Goldfinch (youngster)
Year round, parks and gardens in particular but can turn up almost anywhere.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch (mixed ages)

Goosander (male)
Swannie Ponds, Clatto Reservoir in winter, the odd pair on the Dighty Burn.

Goosander (male)

Goosander (youngster)

Goosander (female)

Goosander (male)

Great Black-backed Gull
A few birds usually in the gull roost at Balmossie, outwith the breeding season. Can be seen at times further upriver.

Great Black-backed Gull (youngster)

Lesser Black-backed Gull & Great Black-backed Gull (adults)

Great Black-backed Gull (moulting into adult plumage)

Great Crested Grebe (breeding plumage)
Outwith the winter months, Clatto Reservoir is the most reliable spot for these birds, where a single pair usually breeds.

Great Crested Grebe (breeding plumage)

Great Crested Grebe (youngster)

Great Crested Grebe (breeding plumage)

Great Crested Grebe (adult with youngsters)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (female)
Parks and larger gardens with trees. Distinctive calls - https://xeno-canto.org/1025975 and undulating flight style.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (male)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (youngster)

Great Tit
Parks and gardens all year round. Has a variety of calls, and comes to feeders where it will bully Blue Tits and Coal Tits.

Great Tit

Great Tit (youngster)

Greenfinch (female)
All year round, parks and gardens, especially the western end of the city. Large roost near Swannie Ponds in winter.

Greenfinch (male)

Grey Heron (youngster)
Dighty Burn, Invergowrie Bay, along the Tay. Year round.

Grey Heron

Grey Heron (roosting group)

Grey Heron

Grey Partridge*
Fields to the north of Fintry - most obvious in winter, though odd pairs elsewhere.

Grey Partridge (female)*

Grey Partridge (female?)*

Grey Wagtail (non-breeding plumage)
Increasingly in urban areas (including city centre), especially in winter, but Clatto Reservoir, Dighty Burn, Swannie Ponds etc can also be reliable.

Grey Wagtail (male in breeding plumage)

Grey Wagtail (non-breeding plumage)

Greylag Goose
Invergowrie Bay in January/February, as well as the odd overflying skein (less common than both Pink-footed in winter, and Canadas in summer).

Greylag Goose (adult with youngsters)

Greylag Goose

Guillemot
Late summer (and sometimes a few birds in winter) in the Tay, mostly off Broughty Ferry, with the odd bird turning up in City Quay or further upriver.

Guillemot (adults in breeding plumage - 4th from left is a 'bridled' variation)

Guillemot (youngster)

Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins (in breeding plumage - except extreme right bird)

Guillemot (non-breeding plumage)

Guillemot (moulting from breeding plumage)

Herring Gull (breeding plumage)
The ubiquitous "seagull". Can and does turn up everywhere, all year round. Nests on roofs around the city and can be very protective of nest sites.

Herring Gull (breeding plumage)

Herring Gull (youngster)

Herring Gull (non-breeding plumage)

Herring Gull (youngster)

House Martin
Not as common as it once was, with nests under eaves of houses often illegally destroyed by homeowners etc. Easiest to see feeding low over water/fields in colder/wetter summer weather, or sometimes over tree tops. There are a few places around the city where nests are still tolerated, including Clepington Primary School.

House Martin

House Martin (youngster)

House Martin

House Sparrow (youngsters with adult male - right)
Not as common as they once were, but often noisy groups in hedges in gardens around the city, all year round.

House Sparrow (youngster)

House Sparrow (female and male behind)

House Sparrow (male)

Jackdaw
Nests in chimney pots, so small dark 'crows' hanging around on chimneys will almost always be Jackdaws. Distimctive 'chack' calls that give the birds its name.

Jackdaw

Jackdaw (youngster)

Jay
Parks with oak trees, all year round, mostly quite shy but can be noisy (harsh calls with the odd bit of mimicry, including Buzzard). Balgay Hill, Ninewells Arboretum, Caird Park etc.

Jay

Kestrel (male)
Open grassy or scrubby areas around the city. Numbers of Kestrels had declined but appear to be rising again. There has been a young male frequenting the Law in recent years.

Kestrel (male)

Kestrel (probable female)

Kestrel (youngster)

Kestrel (female)

Kingfisher (male)
Dighty Burn in breeding season, City Quay and Caird Park in winter. Riverside Nature Park at mouth of Invergowrie Burn in Atumn.

Kingfisher

KIngfisher (female)

Kingfisher (male)

Kittiwake (youngster)
The odd bird turns up in the Tay, mostly around Balmossie/Broughty Ferry.

Kittiwake (breeding plumage)

Kittiwake (non-breeding plumage)

Knot (probable youngster)*
Outwith the breeding season, Balmossie (with Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwits) and increasingly variable numbers Invergowrie Bay (usually with Redshanks).

Knot (post breeding variation - youngster far right)*

Knot (non-breeding plumage)*

Knot (youngster)*

Lesser Black-backed Gull (darker individual - breeding plumage)
Summer visitor, though birds are arriving earlier and staying longer. Dundee harbour, Loons Road area, Clatto Reservoir.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (breeding plumage)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (youngster)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult)

Linnet
Linnet habitat is being destroyed at a frightening pace around the city. Broughty Ferry near the Barnhill Rock Garden has a flock in winter. Farmland near Clatto and Fintry have some birds.

Linnet (youngster)

Linnet (non-breeding plumage - male)

Linnet (breeding plumage male)

Little Egret
Invergowrie Bay and Broughty Ferry/Balmossie beach are currently the most reliable sites for this species, with numbers increasing towards double figures at both ends of the city. Lone birds have been seen elsewhere in city.

Little Egret

Little Grebe (breeding plumage)
Ardler Pond, Trottick Ponds in breeding season. Lochan at Riverside Nature Park in Spring/Autumn (possibly breeding?), City Quay/Broughty Ferry/Stannergate in winter.

Little Grebe (youngster)

Little Grebe (breeding plumage)

Little Grebe (non-breeding plumage)

Long-tailed Tit (youngster)
Year-round, parks and gardens. Often large family groups in late summer/autumn. Distinctive calls - (https://xeno-canto.org/42187 ) often highlights presence of a flock.

Long-tailed Tit

Magpie
Mostly parks and gardens but also fairly widespread in more urban area, often in noisy small groups.

Magpie

Mallard (male)
Swannie Ponds, Clatto Reservoir, Trottick Ponds, Dighty Burn.

Mallard (female with youngsters)

Mallard (female)

Mallard (male moulting from eclipse plumage)

Mallard (male)

Meadow Pipit
Riverside Nature Park in summer, vocal migrant overflying the city in Spring and Autumn, dunes at Broughty Ferry in winter.

Meadow Pipit

Mistle Thrush
Eastern Cemetery in Autumn/early winter. Parks and larger gardens.

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush (youngster)

Moorhen
Swannie Ponds, Trottick Ponds, Caird Park ponds, Clatto Reservoir, Riverside Nature Park lochan.

Moorhen (adult with youngster)

Moorhen (youngster)

Mute Swan
Swannie Ponds, Clatto Reservoir, Trottick Ponds, Balmossie.

Mute Swan (youngster)

Nuthatch
Relatively new addition to Dundee's birdlife. Balgay Hill the main stronghold but spreading out across city - mostly parks etc with mature trees. Ninewells Arboretum, Templeton Woods. Will visit feeders too. Can be quite vocal - https://xeno-canto.org/1077472.

Nuthatch

Nuthatch (youngster)

Nuthatch (male)

Osprey (probable male)
From late March till mid-September, Invergowrie Bay and Balmossie are best place to see the species. Often hovering above water, or diving for fish talons extended. Often pursued by gulls etc when successful with catching a fish.

Osprey

Osprey (probable female)

Osprey (probable male)

Oystercatcher (breeding plumage)
Stannergate to Balmossie, grassy open areas such as football pitches, will nest on flat pebbled roofs, and odd places like car parks etc. Can be very noisy, even in middle of the night.

Oystercatcher (youngster)

Oystercatcher (non-breeding plumage)

Oystercatcher (youngster?/non-breeding plumage)

Peregrine
Can sometimes be seen perched on high points around city - Cox's Stack, St Paul's Cathedral, some of the remaining multis etc, or hunting pigeons and other birds almost anywhere. Not common, but also not too difficult to see.

Peregrine

Peregrine (youngster)

Pheasant (female/youngster?)
Often in fields around the outskirts of the city but also Riverside Nature Park and in some of the wilder areas along the Dighty Burn.

Pheasant (male - variation)

Pheasant (youngster)

Pheasant (female)

Pheasant (male)

Pheasant (youngster/female)

Pheasant (male - dark variation)

Pied Wagtail (female)
Quite a common sight scurrying around catching small flies, even in the City Centre. Quite easy to see year round at Broughty Ferry, around the beach and Castle, but can turn up almost anywhere

Pied Wagtail (youngster)

Pied Wagtail (male)

Pied Wagtail (female)

Pied Wagtail (male)

Pied Wagtail (youngster)

Pink-footed Goose
The commonest goose species in the local area. Birds arrive for winter from mid/late September, roosting in the Tay around Invergowrie Bay and flying out in skeins from before sunrise, sometimes later. Feed in fields around the outskirts, before returning to the Tay as sun gets lower in sky, or after dark.

Pink-footed Goose

Pink-footed Goose (skeins leaving roost site)

Razorbill (non-breeding plumage)
Broughty Ferry to Balmossie, especially in Spring and late Summer/early Autumn. Less common than Guillemot but often seen bobbing around out where currents meet on the Tay.

Razorbill (breeding plumage)

Razorbill (youngster)

Red Kite*
Not yet a common sight, but increasing. Can turn up anywhere but most likely to be encountered around the edges of the city, over farmland etc.

Red Kite*

Red-breasted Merganser (male)
Mostly encountered in Autumn/Winter. The Tay from Balmossie to Invergowrie Bay, sometimes single birds, other times larger flocks of 5-25+. City Quay also gets a few birds in wilder winter weather.

Red-breasted Merganser (youngster)

Red-breasted Merganser (female)

Redshank (breeding plumage)
Outwith breeding season, Balmossie (by Dighty outflow - with Turnstones at high tide), roost at high tide at Lifeboat station & can be seen around Douglas Terrace outflow pipe and in small numbers between Stannergate and Balmossie, Invergowrie Bay.

Redshank (youngster)

Redshank (non-breeding plumage)

Redshank (moulting into breeding plumage)

Red-throated Diver (breeding plumage)
The commonest Diver species in the Tay. Probably easiest early in the day from around November between Broughty Castle and Lifeboat station - though can turn up anywhere on the Tay. Quite wary and often distant. Can be confused with Cormorant at a distance.

Red-throated Diver (youngster)

Red Throated Diver (breeding plumage)

Red-throated Diver (youngster)

Red-throated Diver (moulting into breeding plumage)

Redwing
Winter visitor - Eastern Cemetery, Baxter Park, Riverside Nature Park,especially from late September/early October with other thrush species feeding on berries. High pitched 'tseeep' - https://xeno-canto.org/890024 calls can often be heard in the dark as the birds fly over.

Redwing

Reed Bunting (female)
Along the Dighty Burn, Riverside Nature Park etc.Year round but can be elusive.

Reed Bunting (male - non-breeding plumage)

Reed Bunting (male - breeding plumage)

Ringed Plover (youngster)
Outwith breeding season, small flocks between Balmossie and beach opposite Broughty local nature reserve, often with Dunlin (or less commonly these days, Sanderling). Sometimes shows up in Invergowrie Bay. Have nested in small areas of derelict ground around the city.

Ringed Plover (breeding plumage) [& 4 Dunlin]

Ringed Plover (breeding plumage)

Robin (adult)
Parks and gardens, all year round - though less obvious in summer.

Robin (youngster)

Rock Pipit
Broughty Castle area is main stronghold but can show up in City Quay and along waterfront between bridges. Resident all year round, but seems to roam a little more outwith breeding season.

Rock Pipit

Rook
Not as common as Carrion Crows but there are a few obvious rookeries (collection of nests in mature trees) around the city - Gardyne College, Ninewells Arboretum, Technology Park etc where birds can be easy to see in breeding season. Often a few birds at Balmossie with Jackdaws. Also in fields around city outskirts often with Jackdaws.

Rook (at rookery)

Sand Martin
Least common of the 3 Swallow/Martin species, but earliest to arrive. Clatto Reservoir in colder/wetter summer weather can see the birds hawking for insects low over the water, or around the tree-tops. The fields to east of West Pitkerro Industrial Estate and along towards Linlathen Iron Bridge can also see the species catching flies in summer.

Sand Martin (youngster)

Sand Martin

Sandwich Tern (& Arctic Tern) (breeding plumage)
The main Tern species likely to be seen in Dundee. Invergowrie Bay (towards Invergowrie side) and the warehouse roofs west of airport are probably best, but birds can also be seen fishing between Balmossie and Stannergate, usually from mid-June until early September (though some birds do pass through in Spring). Can be decent numbers around Lifeboat Station in late Summer/early Autumn. Very vocal.

Sandwich Tern (breeding plumage)

Sandwich Tern (youngster)

Sandwich Tern (breeding plumage)

Sandwich Tern (non-breeding plumage adult & youngster behind)

Sedge Warbler
Summer visitor. Riverside Nature Park and some of the scrubbier areas along the Dighty Burn, and near Clatto Reservoir from late April until around late August. Can be quite skulky but also showy and very vocal at other times.

Sedge Warbler (youngster)

Sedge Warbler

Shag (youngster)
Mostly outwith breeding season. Less common than Cormorant and less likely to be seen further upriver than Stannergate - though City Quay and even Invergowrie Bay have had the odd bird.

Shag (youngster)

Shag (breeding plumage)

Shag (breeding adult)

Shelduck (male)
Invergowrie Bay is the main stronghold for the species, though sightings can be fairly sporadic, throughout much of the year. They do nest in old rabbit burrows and the ducklings are very distinctive (as are the adults). The birds frequent the beaches over by Tayport/Tentsmuir so can sometimes be seen in flight over the Tay, or at Balmossie sometimes.

Shelduck (female - with youngsters)

Shelduck (female with male behind)

Siskin (male)
Easiest to see outwith the breeding season, and some years see decent sized (very vocal) flocks of the birds visiting feeders. Parks and gardens.

Siskin (female)

Skylark (youngster)
Fields around the outskirts of the city, Riverside Nature Park, Dundee Airport all have some breeding birds but unnecessary disturbance from dogs/walkers, badly timed grass cutting etc are making it even harder for the species. Can often be heard singing from high up in the air (just a tiny speck sometimes) before dropping back down to the longer grass.

Skylark

Song Thrush (youngster)
Parks and gardens, all year round. Song is a series of repeated short phrases (often in groups of three) and can be heard as early as Christmas.

Song Thrush

Sparrowhawk (male)
Easiest to see in flight - either circling up with a flap, flap, glide style, or sneakily hunting low using buildings, bushes etc to mask its approach before snatching an unsuspecting bird. Dundee Law, urban areas, parks and gardens. Youngsters can be very vocal and active in late summer.

Sparrowhawk (female)

Sparrowhawk (male)

Sparrowhawk (female)

Sparrowhawk (typical stealth attack)

Sparrowhawk (male)

Starling (post-breeding flock)
All year round mostly in gardens and parks, but also feeding on beach at Balmossie. Young birds are all brown and often confuse less experienced birders, until they start to acquire more adult-like plumage. In breeding plumage males have a pale blue base to the yellow bill and females have pale pink. Very noisy, especially in groups, and highly capable mimics.

Starling (adult feeding youngster)

Starling (breeding plumage male)

Starling (youngster)

Starling (non-breeding plumage)

Stock Dove
Easy to overlook, like a smaller, more wary, Woodpigeon without white on neck. Balgay Hill, Ninewells Arboretum, Baxter Park, Broughty Ferry local nature reserve.

Stock Dove

Stock Dove (youngster)

Swallow (breeding plumage)
Summer visitor. Likely to appear 'hawking for insects' in same places as House Martins and Sand Martins, though there are a few nests appearing in more urban parts of the city. Around farm buildings in summer, or perched on wires a little later. City Quay and Dundee Airport can both be surprisingly good for seeing the species.

Swallow (breeding plumage)

Swallow (youngster)

Swallow (breeding plumage)

Swallow (youngsters & nest)

Swift
All dark (bar pale 'chin'), crescent winged 'screaming' bird. Nests in holes in older buildings, with areas with tenements being favoured. Arrive early in May, leave early in August. Groups often seen chasing each other around, 'screaming' between buildings. Will also hawk for insects low over water with Martins and Swallows.

Swift

Tawny Owl
Parks and large gardens around the city, but more likely to be heard (hooting or 'ke-wick!' calls, but also a variety of other calls) than seen. Will generally be very site faithful once they find a territory. As with all owls, if you happen to know where they are, do keep the location to yourself as some photographers will repeatedly visit known sites, causing unnecessary disturbance to the birds. Pre-sunrise/around dusk in December/January can be best time to run into one.

Tawny Owl

Tawny Owl (youngster)

Teal (male moulting to/from(?) eclipse)
Riverside Nature Park/Invergowrie Bay is easiest place to see Teal (outwith breeding season), though Clatto Reservoir does get some at times. Can be quite wary. Small groups can turn up out on the Tay, though generally quite distant.

Teal (male in breeding plumage)

Teal (female)

Teal (adult female left, male right)

Teal (breeding plumage male & female)

Treecreeper (youngster)
Easy to overlook, but shouldn't be too difficult in parks and large gardens as they creep up the trunks of trees. Caird Park, Balgay Hill, Clatto Reservoir etc can all be good, but anywhere with a few trees can see the species show up, all year round.

Treecreeper

Treecreeper (youngsters)

Treecreeper

Tufted Duck (male breeding plumage)
Swannie Ponds, Trottick Ponds and Clatto Reservoir (mostly outwith breeding season, though have bred within the city). Groups of the species can attract similar-looking, but different species such as Scaup or Ring-necked Duck.

Tufted Duck (female)

Tufted Duck (male in breeding plumage)

Turnstone (non-breeding plumage)
Another well camouflaged species, favouring pebble beaches or piles of seaweed, but not averse to wandering around on the paths at Broughty Ferry. Some birds do turn up in Invergowrie Bay with Redshanks. Lifeboat jetty and Balmossie outflow pipe roosts (with Redshank) are very reliable outwith breeding season.

Turnstone (breeding plumage)

Turnstone (non-breeding plumage)

Waxwing (adult)
Very vocal - https://xeno-canto.org/342797, and very exotic looking Winter visitor from Scandinavia. Some years there can be almost none of the species around and other years (irruption years) there can be hundreds. Perch in tops of large trees (like Starlings) before flying down to eat berries. Can be very tame when feeding. Tend to turn up in late October and although there are a few known 'hotspots' for the species they really can turn up practically anywhere. Also pass through in late March/April heading back north.

Waxwing (typical non-feeding flock)

Waxwing

Waxwing (youngster)

Whitethroat
Summer visitor favouring scrubby, overgrown areas. Can be skulky, but often quite vocal, other times very showy. Riverside Nature Park can be particularly good for this bird with pairs dotted around whole park.

Whitethroat

Whitethroat (youngster)

Whitethroat (female)

Whooper Swan (adult)
Winter visitor most likely to be seen on the Tay, or in flight (calling loudly - unlike Mutes). Arrive in Autumn, pass through again in March - often seen early in the morning.

Whooper Swan (youngster)

Wigeon (male breeding plumage)
Balmossie and Clatto Reservoir are this species' preferred locations in Dundee, though Riverside Nature Park/Invergowrie Bay and even Swannie Ponds do get the odd one or two (outwith breeding season).

Wigeon (female and male in breeding plumage)

Wigeon (female and male moulting from eclipse plumage)

Willow Warbler (youngster)
Arrives a few weeks after the very similar Chiffchaff, around early April and is easiest to identify by its song. https://xeno-canto.org/1080002 Other differences between the two warbler species tend to be more subtle and both do share similar habitat in parks, as well as scrubby and/or relatively open areas.

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler (youngster)

Woodpigeon
Fairly common all around the city, all year round. Parks and gardens etc. Some can be quite tame (especially where food is available) especially at Balgay Hill, Baxter Park etc.