418 species of bird recorded in Britain in 2008
04/01/2010 10:58:38
Bee eaters were recorded in Britain in 2008. Photo credit Andy Hay/rspbimages.com.
Britain's birdwatchers poised to break all records January 2010. With up to 418 species of bird spotted in Britain, 2008 is looking likely to smash records for the number of bird species seen within a single year, according to statistics compiled by three of Britain's leading bird organisations.
Many exotic species
The incredible array of birds seen during 2008, includes exotic visitors from many countries of the world. The highlights, from the recently published 2008 report printed in the journal British Birds, include: a black-browed albatross, from the southern ocean, in Argyll; a tiny blackpoll warbler, from North America, in Pembrokeshire; a glaucous-winged gull, from the North Pacific, in Cleveland; an Eleonora's falcon, from the Mediterranean, in Essex; and a black lark, from Central Asia, in Norfolk.
11 species await confirmation
Up to the present time, 407 species of bird have been confirmed for 2008, but a further 11 species are awaiting confirmation, including: a Yelkouan shearwater, from the Mediterranean; and a citril finch, from the Alps. If accepted both of these species would be new to Britain.
Shetlands and Outer Hebrides top rarity spots
The analysis of the bird records for 2008, showed England was the best country in the UK for rare birds with 76 species being recorded. Although Scotland only recorded 61 rare species, the Shetland Islands and the Outer Hebrides were the best places in the UK for rare birds, each recording 27 and 21 rare species respectively. Yorkshire was the third best place for rare birds in Britain, recording 20 species. Other places recording more than 10 rare species included: Norfolk (17); Isles of Scilly (16); Kent (15); Fair Isle (15); Orkney (12); Devon (12); and Dorset (11).
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Little egrts are now a regular breeding species in
Britain. Credit Jdie Randall/RSPBimages.com |
300 regularly occurring species
The RSPB's Grahame Madge, who has been charting the occurrences of birds in Britain this millennium, said: "Perched on the fringe of north-western Europe, Britain is an inviting location to attract birds from all points of the compass. But it's not all about exotic birds, because with a variety of landscapes, including mountains, sea cliffs, heathlands, marshes and woodlands, we also have around a stunning array of 300 regularly-occuring birds that can be seen by anyone every year."
British Birds Rarities Committee
Formed in 1959, the British Birds Rarities Committee has been assessing the records of rare birds in Britain since 1958. Records accepted by the committee are published annually in the journal British Birds and the latest report covering 2008 has just been published.
240 species at Minsmere alone
Adam Rowlands is the current committee chairman as well as the warden of Minsmere RSPB, one of the best locations for birds in Britain. He said: "While celebrating the committee's 50th anniversary, it is amazing that we should also be celebrating possibly the best year for birds ever witnessed in Britain. Here at Minsmere alone we saw 240 species of bird during 2008,
2009 sightings
Although 2009 might not beat the number of species seen in 2008, already there have been reports of sightings of around 450 species reported by the bird-information service Birdguides. However, a proportion of these sightings may be too brief to allows the observers time to record all of the features necessary for the committee to accept the record.
British Birds
Roger Riddington, the editor of British Birds, said: "Our journal has been documenting British birds since 1907. Prior to this fewer than 400 species had been recorded in Britain, so it's extraordinary that we're now recording more species than that each year. However, we believe this increase is chiefly due to the increase in skill of observers and the number of hours that are put into the enjoyment of watching birds each year in Britain."
Notable absences
Grahame Madge added: " Although 2008 may prove to be a record year for the number of birds seen in Britain, there are some, formerly regular species, which didn't put in an appearance, presumably reflecting the deterioration in their conservation status."
Missing species
2008 was a blank year for several species of global conservation concern, including roller, lesser white-fronted goose and little bustard; all species that have occurred more regularly in the past than currently.
New breeding species
Some birds now regarded as widespread were formerly scarce visitors. These include the collared dove, which was first recorded in Britain in the 1950s, and the little egret, which is now a regular breeding species.
The following 407 species have been confirmed as occurring in Britain in the wild during 2008:
Mute Swan; Bewick's Swan; Whooper Swan; Bean Goose; Pink-footed Goose; White-fronted Goose; Greylag Goose; Snow Goose; Canada Goose; Barnacle Goose; Brent Goose; Red-breasted Goose; Egyptian Goose; Shelduck; Mandarin Duck; Wigeon; American Wigeon; Gadwall; Teal; Green-winged Teal; Mallard; Black Duck; Pintail; Garganey; Blue-winged Teal; Shoveler; Red-crested Pochard; Pochard; Ring-necked Duck; Ferruginous Duck; Tufted Duck; Scaup; Lesser Scaup; Eider; King Eider; Long-tailed Duck; Common Scoter; Surf Scoter; Velvet Scoter; Goldeneye; Smew; Hooded Merganser; Red-breasted Merganser; Goosander; Ruddy Duck; Red Grouse; Ptarmigan; Black Grouse; Capercaillie; Red-legged Partridge; Grey Partridge; Quail; Pheasant; Golden Pheasant; Lady Amherst's Pheasant; Red-throated Diver; Black-throated Diver; Pacific Diver; Great Northern Diver; White-billed Diver; Little Grebe; Great Crested Grebe; Red-necked Grebe; Slavonian Grebe; Black-necked Grebe; Black-browed Albatross; Fulmar; Cory's Shearwater; Great Shearwater; Sooty Shearwater; Manx Shearwater; Balearic Shearwater; Wilson's Petrel; Storm Petrel; Leach's Petrel; Gannet; Cormorant; Shag; Bittern; American Bittern; Little Bittern; Night-heron; Green Heron; Squacco Heron; Cattle Egret; Little Egret; Great White Egret; Grey Heron; Purple Heron; Black Stork; White Stork; Glossy Ibis; Spoonbill; Honey-buzzard; Black Kite; Red Kite; White-tailed Eagle; Marsh Harrier; Hen Harrier; Montagu's Harrier; Goshawk; Sparrowhawk; Buzzard; Rough-legged Buzzard; Golden Eagle; Osprey; Kestrel; Red-footed Falcon; Merlin; Hobby; Eleonora's Falcon; Gyr Falcon; Peregrine; Water Rail; Spotted Crake; Little Crake; Corncrake; Moorhen; Purple Gallinule; Coot; Crane; Oystercatcher; Black-winged Stilt; Avocet; Stone-curlew; Collared Pratincole; Little Ringed Plover; Ringed Plover; Killdeer; Kentish Plover; Greater Sand Plover; Caspian Plover; Dotterel; American Golden Plover; Pacific Golden Plover; Golden Plover; Grey Plover; Sociable Plover; Lapwing; Knot; Sanderling; Semipalmated Sandpiper; Little Stint; Temminck's Stint; White-rumped Sandpiper; Baird's Sandpiper; Pectoral Sandpiper; Curlew Sandpiper; Stilt Sandpiper; Purple Sandpiper; Dunlin; Broad-billed Sandpiper; Buff-breasted Sandpiper; Ruff; Jack Snipe; Snipe; Great Snipe; Long-billed Dowitcher; Woodcock; Black-tailed Godwit; Bar-tailed Godwit; Whimbrel; Curlew; Upland Sandpiper; Terek Sandpiper; Common Sandpiper; Spotted Sandpiper; Green Sandpiper; Spotted Redshank; Greenshank; Lesser Yellowlegs; Marsh Sandpiper; Wood Sandpiper; Redshank; Turnstone; Wilson's Phalarope; Red-necked Phalarope; Grey Phalarope; Pomarine Skua; Arctic Skua; Long-tailed Skua; Great Skua; Ivory Gull; Sabine's Gull; Kittiwake; Bonaparte's Gull; Black-headed Gull; Little Gull; Ross's Gull; Franklin's Gull; Mediterranean Gull; Audouin's Gull; Common Gull; Ring-billed Gull; Lesser Black-backed Gull; Herring Gull; Yellow-legged Gull; Caspian Gull; American Herring Gull; Iceland Gull; Glaucous-winged Gull; Glaucous Gull; Great Black-backed Gull; Little Tern; Gull-billed Tern; Caspian Tern; Whiskered Tern; Black Tern; White-winged Black Tern; Sandwich Tern; Common Tern; Roseate Tern; Arctic Tern; Guillemot; Razorbill; | Black Guillemot; Little Auk; Puffin; Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon; Stock Dove; Woodpigeon; Collared Dove; Turtle Dove; Ring-necked Parakeet; Cuckoo; Barn Owl; Snowy Owl; Little Owl; Tawny Owl; Long-eared Owl; Short-eared Owl; Nightjar; Common Nighthawk; Swift; Pallid Swift; Pacific Swift; Alpine Swift; Little Swift; Kingfisher; Bee-eater; Hoopoe; Wryneck; Green Woodpecker; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Lesser Spotted Woodpecker; Calandra Lark; Black Lark; Short-toed Lark; Woodlark; Skylark; Shore Lark; Sand Martin; Crag Martin; Swallow; House Martin; Red-rumped Swallow; Richard's Pipit; Tawny Pipit; Olive-backed Pipit; Tree Pipit; Pechora Pipit; Meadow Pipit; Red-throated Pipit; Rock Pipit; Water Pipit; Buff-bellied Pipit; Yellow Wagtail; Citrine Wagtail; Grey Wagtail; Pied Wagtail; Waxwing; Dipper; Wren; Dunnock; Robin; Thrush Nightingale; Nightingale; Bluethroat; Red-flanked Bluetail; Black Redstart; Redstart; Whinchat; Stonechat; Wheatear; Pied Wheatear; Desert Wheatear; White's Thrush; Siberian Thrush; Grey-cheeked Thrush; Ring Ouzel; Blackbird; Fieldfare; Song Thrush; Redwing; Mistle Thrush; Cetti's Warbler; Fan-tailed Warbler; Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler; Lanceolated Warbler; Grasshopper Warbler; River Warbler; Savi's Warbler; Aquatic Warbler; Sedge Warbler; Paddyfield Warbler; Blyth's Reed Warbler; Marsh Warbler; Reed Warbler; Great Reed Warbler; Eastern Olivaceous Warbler; Booted Warbler; Sykes's Warbler; Icterine Warbler; Melodious Warbler; Blackcap; Garden Warbler; Barred Warbler; Lesser Whitethroat; Whitethroat; Spectacled Warbler; Dartford Warbler; Subalpine Warbler; Sardinian Warbler; Greenish Warbler; Arctic Warbler; Pallas's Warbler; Yellow-browed Warbler; Hume's Warbler; Radde's Warbler; Dusky Warbler; Western Bonelli's Warbler; Wood Warbler; Chiffchaff; Willow Warbler; Goldcrest; Firecrest; Asian Brown Flycatcher; Spotted Flycatcher; Red-breasted Flycatcher; Pied Flycatcher; Bearded Tit; Long-tailed Tit; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Crested Tit; Coal Tit; Willow Tit; Marsh Tit; Nuthatch; Treecreeper; Penduline Tit; Golden Oriole; Brown Shrike; Red-backed Shrike; Lesser Grey Shrike; Great Grey Shrike; Southern Grey Shrike; Woodchat Shrike; Jay; Magpie; Chough; Jackdaw; Rook; Carrion Crow; Hooded Crow; Raven; Starling; Rose-coloured Starling; House Sparrow; Tree Sparrow; Red-eyed Vireo; Chaffinch; Brambling; Serin; Greenfinch; Goldfinch; Siskin; Linnet; Twite; Lesser Redpoll; Mealy Redpoll; Arctic Redpoll; Two-barred Crossbill; Common Crossbill; Scottish Crossbill; Parrot Crossbill; Trumpeter Finch; Common Rosefinch; Bullfinch; Hawfinch; Blackpoll Warbler; White-crowned Sparrow; White-throated Sparrow; Dark-eyed Junco; Lapland Bunting; Snow Bunting; Yellowhammer; Cirl Bunting; Ortolan Bunting; Cretzschmar's Bunting; Rustic Bunting; Little Bunting; Yellow-breasted Bunting; Reed Bunting; Black-headed Bunting; Corn Bunting; and Bobolink; Ross's Goose; Yelkouan Shearwater; Macaronesian Shearwater; Little Blue Heron; Amur Falcon; Wilson's Snipe; Alder Flycatcher; Black-throated Thrush; Collared Flycatcher; Citril Finch and Pine Bunting were all claimed to have occurred during 2008, but these sightings are still in the process of verification. |
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