Birds

The RSPB bird guide is probably the best and most comprehensive on-line identification and information guide to British birds. It includes an interactive bird identifier and a bird A-Z. Species accounts include drawings and sound recordings. For a wider range of bird sound recordings, from contact calls to songs, visit the Xeno-canto website, where recordings are uploaded by site users. Be aware that both these websites include species which are not found in the North Pennines.

Birds in the North Pennines AONB

Our website includes an introduction to the upland birds found in the North Pennines AONB, splitting birds into groups based on where they can be found, ranging from grassland birds to birds of the high moors. We also have a number of North Pennines birdwalks which can be accessed via the explore map.

Occasionally rare birds can arrive in the North Pennines. For up-to-date information on the birds recently seen in County Durham, visit the Durham Bird Club daily sightings page. Recent sightings in Cumbria can be found on the Cumbria Bird Club website, as well as a full list of Cumbrian bird species. Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre (CBDC) have an atlas and maps for both passerines and non-passerines found in Cumbria.