Wildlife to see in the United Kingdom in December
6 spectacles at their peak in the United Kingdom in December, and 2 more still going on. Wild animals only: no zoos, no wildlife parks, no hunting. Open United Kingdom in December in the interactive calendar for listening times on the day you pick.
At their peak in December
Pink-footed goose dawn flightsTens of thousands of geese lifting off the mudflats at first light in a wall of 'wink-wink' calls, wave after wave overhead.
Rook & jackdaw winter roostTens of thousands of corvids arriving in waves, calling in a rising roar, then a sudden collective drop into the wood.
Whooper swans & barnacle geeseBugling whoopers and yapping barnacle flocks like a huge crowd; the whole Svalbard barnacle population is on one estuary.
Common cranes buglingTrumpeting bugles carrying over 2 km, unison calls from pairs, and the low rolling contact calls of a roosting group in the reeds.
Grey seal puppingEerie wailing 'singing' of cows, bawling pups and bull snarls, with the surf.
Starling murmurationsThe whoosh of tens of thousands of wings turning together, then a huge chattering as they settle into the reeds or under a pier; the dawn explosion out of the roost is even louder.
Also going on in December
Snettisham wader spectacularTens of thousands of knot flying in smoky clouds with a roaring wing-rush, then a low twittering murmur as they pack onto the roost banks.
Tawny owl territorial callingHoots and 'ke-wick' duets and disputes as young birds try to settle territories; sometimes three or four birds answering.
More: United Kingdom all year · December along the whole flyway