Yorkshire Wildlife: Birds

20/06/2025

The Yorkshire coast and countryside is a haven for bird watchers and nature lovers, with a host of incredible bird species calling it home. From nesting seabirds to protected birds of prey, here's a guide to all the birds you might spot on your visit.

Puffins
RSPB Bempton Cliffs is a haven for hundreds of sea birds throughout the year, but most notably the beautiful puffins. These black and white charismatic birds have colourful beaks and are known as 'parrots of the sea'. They return to the cliffs each spring for nesting season, so the best time to see them is between April and mid July.

Want to see more puffins? Visit Flamborough's North Landing on the 7th or 8th June for the Yorkshire Puffin Festival 2025. Set sail on a wildlife cruise to seek out the birds along the cliffs with an expert guide.

Gannets
Gannets are the largest seabirds in Britain, known for putting on interesting aerial performances when circling their prey. You can often see these bright white birds gliding over the seas near Scarborough, Filey, Whitby and at Bempton Cliffs.

Bempton is home to one of the largest mainland gannet colonies in the UK - so if you visit outside of Puffin season, there's still lots to see here!

Birds of Prey
The National Birds of Prey centre located in Helmsley is home to the largest collection of birds of prey in the north of England. Visit to witness the incredible birds housed here with daily demonstrations from experts who can tell you all about the different species they care for.

The centre houses a huge range of eagles, vultures, falcons, raptors and many more facinating species. See and learn about the breeding program while visiting to hear from an expert, or try your hand at handling one of the huge birds yourself.