Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)Where and when to see it in the UK
Resident · reporting peaks March to May · Ducks, Swans, and Geese · BOU category AF
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Shelduck has been recorded in 1,702 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (57%) in records to 2026. Resident in the UK. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in March to May.
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, LC)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 40% or more of visits
- High
- 15% to 40%
- Moderate
- 4% to 15%
- Low
- under 4%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 72% | 14% | Very high |
| February | 82% | 16% | Very high |
| March | 87% | 17% | Very high |
| April | 100% | 19% | Very high |
| May | 97% | 18% | Very high |
| June | 68% | 13% | High |
| July | 55% | 10% | Moderate |
| August | 47% | 9% | Low |
| September | 44% | 8% | Low |
| October | 48% | 9% | Low |
| November | 58% | 11% | Low |
| December | 59% | 11% | Very high |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in March
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| HY40 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY50 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY64 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| J02 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J06 | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J08 | Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J33 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J55 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J56 | Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J57 | Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |