List of birds of Great Britain
This list of birds of Great Britain comprises all bird species that have been recorded in a wild state in Great Britain. In general the avifauna of Britain is similar to that of the rest of Europe, although with fewer breeding species. There are 622 species of birds on the British list as of 24 January 2020, the latest addition being the white-rumped swift.[1] There are an additional three species groups on the British List - Fea's/Desertas petrel (Pterodroma feae/desertas); Black-bellied/White-bellied Storm Petrel (Fregetta tropica/grallaria) and Brown/South Polar skua (Stercorarius antarctica/maccormickii). In addition, six more species are awaiting consideration by the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee. The species order and scientific names used here follow those of the official British list, maintained by the British Ornithologists' Union (BOU).[2] Decisions relating to the British list are published by the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee (BOURC) in its annual reports in the Ibis, the journal of the BOU. These reports were formerly geographically based and included the whole of the British Isles, but records for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are now published by their own ornithological associations. Records from the Isle of Man are adjudicated by the Manx Ornithological Society.[3] The BOU uses the following categories for British bird species:
- A: species that have been recorded in an apparently natural state at least once since 1 January 1950.
- B: species that were recorded in an apparently natural state at least once between 1 January 1800 and 31 December 1949, but have not been recorded subsequently.
- C: species that, although originally introduced by man, either deliberately or accidentally, have established breeding populations derived from introduced stock, which maintain themselves without necessary recourse to further introduction.
Categories A, B and C constitute the Official British List. Birds can be listed in more than one category, for example the Canada goose has a large introduced population, but there have also been a few naturally occurring vagrants, so it meets the criteria for categories A and C. Two further categories are used for record keeping only.
- D: species that would otherwise appear in categories A or B except that there is reasonable doubt that they have ever occurred in a natural state.
- E: species that have been recorded as introductions, transportees, or escapees from captivity, and whose breeding populations (if any) are not believed to be self-sustaining.
Birds in categories D and E are not on the official British list and are not included here. A sixth category, F, is being compiled to include species recorded before 1800, including fossil species.[4]
Species listed here as "rare" are those for which a full description is required for acceptance of the record by the British Birds Rarities Committee. Other species have an indication of their breeding and wintering status in Great Britain.
Because of its mild winters, Great Britain has a considerable population of wintering species, particularly ducks, geese and swans. There are also a number of species, such as the oystercatcher, that are resident on the island of Great Britain, but migrants elsewhere. Also, because of its position, Britain receives a number of vagrants from Asia and North America. Some American gulls, ducks and waders are regular enough not to be considered rare; these include the ring-billed gull, surf scoter and pectoral sandpiper. There is one endemic bird species found in Great Britain, the Scottish crossbill.
Ducks, geese and swans
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
The swans, ducks and geese are medium to large birds that are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet and bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent. In many ducks the male is colourful while the female is dull brown. The diet consists of a variety of animals and plants. The family is well represented in Britain, especially in winter when large numbers visit from Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia. There are 174 species worldwide with 62 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Brent goose (Branta bernicla) |  | A winter visitor |
| Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Greater Canada goose (Branta canadensis) | .JPG.webp) | A & C resident introduced population, some wild vagrants |
| Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) |  | A & C winter visitor and resident introduced population |
| Cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Snow goose (Anser caerulescens) |  | A & C resident introduced population, some wild vagrants |
| Greylag goose (Anser anser) | .jpg.webp) | A & C resident wild and feral populations, winter visitor |
| Taiga bean goose (Anser fabalis) |  | A winter visitor |
| Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) |  | A winter visitor |
| Tundra bean goose (Anser serrirostris) | | A winter visitor |
| Greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) |  | A winter visitor |
| Lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Mute swan (Cygnus olor) | .JPG.webp) | A & C resident breeding species |
| Tundra swan or Bewick's swan (Cygnus columbianus) |  | A winter visitor |
| Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) |  | A winter visitor and occasional breeder |
| Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) |  | C resident introduced population |
| Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) |  | B Records since 1946 are presumed escapes from captivity |
| Common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) | _at_Sylvan_Heights.jpg.webp) | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) |  | C resident introduced population |
| Baikal teal (Sibirionetta formosa) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Garganey (Spatula querquedula) | _RWD3.jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Blue-winged teal (Spatula discors) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Gadwall (Mareca strepera) |  | A & C resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Falcated duck (Mareca falcata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian wigeon (Mareca penelope) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| American wigeon (Mareca americana) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) |  | A & C resident breeder, winter visitor and naturalised releases |
| American black duck (Anas rubripes) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Northern pintail (Anas acuta) | _I_IMG_0911.jpg.webp) | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Eurasian teal (Anas crecca) | _near_Hodal%252C_Haryana_W_IMG_6512.jpg.webp) | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Green-winged teal (Anas carolinensis) | _male.jpg.webp) | A scarce migrant |
| Red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) | _Male%252C_London_Wetland_Centre_-_Diliff.jpg.webp) | A & C scarce migrant and introduced breeder |
| Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) | _RWD1.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Redhead (Aythya americana) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Common pochard (Aythya ferina) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Greater scaup (Aythya marila) |  | A winter visitor and occasional breeder |
| Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) |  | A rare vagrant |
| King eider (Somateria spectabilis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common eider (Somateria mollissima) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca) |  | A winter visitor |
| White-winged scoter (Melanitta deglandi) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common scoter (Melanitta nigra) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Black scoter (Melanitta americana) | _(15823275243).jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) |  | A winter visitor and occasional breeder |
| Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Barrow's goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Smew (Mergellus albellus) |  | A winter visitor |
| Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) | _(1).JPG.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Goosander (Mergus merganser) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) |  | C: introduced species currently subject to an eradication programme |
Grouse
Order: Galliformes Family: Tetraonidae
Grouse are sturdy, medium-sized terrestrial birds of the Northern Hemisphere. They have feathered feet and nostrils and short, rounded wings. They feed mainly on plant material and lay their eggs in a simple scrape on the ground. They are gamebirds and large numbers were shot in the past in moorland areas. There are 20 species worldwide, four in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) |  | C resident reintroduced population |
Pheasants, partridges and quail
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
These are terrestrial species, feeding and nesting on the ground. They are variable in size but generally plump, with broad and relatively short wings. There are about 155 species worldwide with six in Britain. Four of these were introduced for hunting or ornamental purposes but one has now apparently died out.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) |  | C resident introduced population |
| Grey partridge (Perdix perdix) | .jpg.webp) | A & C resident breeder and introduced gamebird |
| Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) | -1.JPG.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) | .jpg.webp) | C resident introduced population |
| Golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) |  | C resident introduced population |
| Lady Amherst's pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae) |  | C introduced population now extinct |
Divers
Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae
Divers are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. They swim well and fly adequately but are almost helpless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body. They feed on fish and other aquatic animals. There are five species worldwide, all of which occur in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Black-throated diver (Gavia arctica) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Pacific diver (Gavia pacifica) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Great northern diver (Gavia immer) |  | A winter visitor, has bred |
| White-billed diver (Gavia adamsii) |  | A rare vagrant |
Albatrosses
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are among the largest flying birds, with long, narrow wings for gliding. The majority are found in the Southern Hemisphere with only vagrants occurring in the North Atlantic. There are 22 species worldwide with two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos) |  | A rare vagrant |
Shearwaters and petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
These are highly pelagic birds with long, narrow wings and tube-shaped nostrils. They feed at sea on fish, squid and other marine life. They come to land to breed in colonies, nesting in burrows or on cliffs. There are 95 species worldwide, 10 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) |  | A resident and migrant breeder, passage migrant |
| Capped petrel (Pterodroma hasitata) |  | B rare vagrant |
| Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Scopoli's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Great shearwater (Ardenna gravis) |  | A passage migrant |
| Sooty shearwater (Ardenna grisea) |  | A passage migrant |
| Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) |  | A passage migrant |
| Macaronesian shearwater (Puffinus baroli) |  | A rare vagrant |
Austral storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Oceanitidae
The austral storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, feeding on plankton and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. They nest in colonies on the ground, most often in burrows. There are eight species worldwide, with two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson's storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) | _webbed_feet_Oct_2011_Karnataka_Pelagic_Udupi.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant, more regularly seen well offshore |
| White-faced storm petrel (Pelagodroma marina) |  | A rare vagrant |
Northern storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
The northern storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, feeding on plankton and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. They nest in colonies on the ground, most often in burrows. There are 17 species worldwide, with three species in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| European storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Leach's storm petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhea) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Swinhoe's storm petrel (Oceanodroma monorhis) |  | A rare vagrant |
Tropicbirds
Order: Phaethontiformes Family: Phaethontidae
There are three species worldwide, with one in Britain occurring only as a vagrant.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-billed tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Gannets and boobies
Order: Suliformes Family: Sulidae
Gannets are large seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and nest in large colonies. They have a torpedo-shaped body, long, narrow, pointed wings and a fairly long tail. There are ten species worldwide with two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) |  | A breeding summer visitor and passage migrant |
| Red-footed booby (Sula sula) | _-perching_in_tree.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Cormorants
Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants are medium to large aquatic birds with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin and sharply hooked for catching fish and aquatic invertebrates. They nest in colonies by water, usually by the sea or on the banks of rivers. There are 41 extant species worldwide, three in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) |  | A resident breeding species |
| European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Frigatebirds
Order: Suliformes Family: Fregatidae
There are five species worldwide, with two species in Britain, both of which are rare.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Ascension frigatebird (Fregata aquila) |  | A rare vagrant |
Pelicans
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes. There are eight species worldwide, only one recorded in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) | _(1).jpg.webp) | A very rare migrant[5] |
Bitterns, herons and egrets
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae
Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter-necked and more secretive. They all fly with their necks retracted. The sharp bill is used to catch fish, amphibians and other animals. Many species nest in colonies, often in trees. There are 64 species worldwide and 14 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Great bittern (Botaurus stellaris) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species and winter migrant |
| American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) |  | A scarce migrant, recently bred |
| Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) |  | A scarce migrant, has bred |
| Green heron (Butorides virescens) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Chinese pond heron (Ardeola bacchus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) |  | A scarce but increasing resident, recently bred |
| Little egret (Egretta garzetta) |  | A resident breeding species and passage migrant |
| Snowy egret (Egretta thula) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Great egret (Ardea alba) |  | A resident breeding species, first bred 2012 |
| Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) |  | A resident breeding species and winter migrant |
| Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Purple heron (Ardea purpurea) |  | A scarce migrant, recently bred |
Ibises and spoonbills
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Threskiornithidae
A family of long-legged, long-necked wading birds. Ibises have long, curved bills. Spoonbils have a flattened bill, wider at the tip. There are 34 species worldwide with two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) | _at_Bharatpur_I_IMG_5384.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Common spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) |  | A scarce migrant, recently bred |
Storks
Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They fly with the neck extended. There are 20 species worldwide with two occurring in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black stork (Ciconia nigra) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White stork (Ciconia ciconia) |  | A scarce migrant, formerly bred. Birds from an introduced population bred at Knepp Wildland in 2020. |
Grebes
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large diving birds with lobed toes and pointed bills. They are seen mainly on lowland waters and coasts. They feed on aquatic animals and nest on a floating platform of vegetation. There are 22 species worldwide with six in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) |  | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena) |  | A winter visitor, has bred |
| Slavonian grebe (Podiceps auritus) | _-_(Podiceps_auritus).JPG.webp) | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) | 2.jpg.webp) | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
Buzzards, kites and allies
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae
A family of birds of prey which includes hawks, buzzards, eagles, kites and harriers. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight. There are about 240 species worldwide, 16 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus) |  | A breeding summer visitor and passage migrant |
| Black kite (Milvus migrans) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Red kite (Milvus milvus) | .jpg.webp) | A & C resident breeder and widespread introductions |
| White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) | .jpg.webp) | A & C resident breeder; reintroduction projects underway and ongoing |
| Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) |  | B rare vagrant |
| Short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) |  | A resident breeder and passage migrant |
| Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) | _Harrier.jpg.webp) | A resident breeder, winter visitor and passage migrant |
| Pallid harrier (Circus macrourus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) |  | A breeding summer visitor and passage migrant |
| Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) |  | A & C resident breeder and naturalised escapes |
| Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) |  | A resident breeder and passage migrant |
| Common buzzard (Buteo buteo) |  | A resident breeder and passage migrant |
| Rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus) |  | A winter visitor |
| Greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga) |  | B rare vagrant |
| Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) |  | A resident breeding species |
Osprey
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Pandionidae
A large fish-eating bird of prey belonging to a family of its own. It is mainly brown above and white below with long, angled wings.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
Falcons
Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae
A family of small to medium-sized, diurnal birds of prey with pointed wings. They do not build their own nests and mainly catch prey in the air. There are 65 extant species worldwide, 10 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| American kestrel (Falco sparverius) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Amur falcon (Falco amurensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Merlin (Falco columbarius) |  | A resident breeding species |
| (Eurasian) Hobby (Falco subbuteo) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Gyr falcon (Falco rusticolus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) |  | A resident breeding species |
Rails, crakes and coots
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
These birds mainly occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, marshes or rivers. Many are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. There are 156 species worldwide, 12 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Water rail (Rallus aquaticus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Spotted crake (Porzana porzana) | .jpg.webp) | A scarce breeding summer visitor |
| Sora (Porzana carolina) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Little crake (Zapornia parva) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Baillon's crake (Zapornia pusilla) |  | A rare vagrant, formerly bred |
| Corn crake (Crex crex) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) | _Wolvercote.jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Western swamphen[6] (Porphyrio porphyrio) |  | A rare vagrant, first recorded in 2016. |
| Allen's gallinule (Porphyrio alleni) |  | A rare vagrant |
| American purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Coot (Fulica atra) |  | A resident breeding species |
| American coot (Fulica americana) |  | A rare vagrant |
Cranes
Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". There are fifteen species worldwide, two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common crane (Grus grus) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species and passage migrant |
| Sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Bustards
Order: Otidiformes Family: Otididae
Large, sturdy birds of open plains with long legs and necks and strong feet. There are twenty-six species worldwide, three in Britain. They are all rarities.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Little bustard (Tetrax tetrax) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Macqueen's bustard (Chlamydotis macqueenii) |  | B rare vagrant |
| Great bustard (Otis tarda) |  | A rare vagrant and recently reintroduced breeding resident species |
Oystercatchers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy wading birds with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are eleven species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) |  | A resident breeding species |
Avocets and stilts
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae
A family of fairly large wading birds. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are ten species worldwide with two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) |  | A rare vagrant and occasional breeder |
| Pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) |  | A resident breeding species |
Thick-knees
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Burhinidae
A small family of medium to large waders with strong black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. There are ten species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
Pratincoles and coursers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae
A family of slender, long-winged wading birds. There are 15 species worldwide, four in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cream-coloured courser (Cursorius cursor) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Oriental pratincole (Glareola maldivarum) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Black-winged pratincole (Glareola nordmanni) | _at_Mkhombo_Dam%252C_Mpumalanga_(36861637734).jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Plovers and lapwings
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
Small to medium-sized wading birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. There are about 66 species worldwide, 16 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) |  | A resident breeding species and summer visitor |
| Semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) |  | A former breeder, now a rare vagrant. |
| Lesser sand plover (Charadrius mongolus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Greater sand plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Caspian plover (Charadrius asiaticus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian dotterel (Charadrius morinellus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Pacific golden plover (Pluvialis fulva) |  | A rare vagrant |
| European golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) |  | A winter visitor and passage migrant, scarce breeder |
| Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola) | .jpg.webp) | A winter visitor and passage migrant |
| Sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White-tailed lapwing (Vanellus leucurus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) |  | A resident breeding species |
Sandpipers and allies
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
A large, diverse family of wading birds. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 97 species worldwide, 54 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red knot (Calidris canutus) | .jpg.webp) | A winter visitor and passage migrant |
| Sanderling (Calidris alba) |  | A winter visitor & passage migrant |
| Semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Western sandpiper (Calidris mauri) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Little stint (Calidris minuta) | _(1).jpg.webp) | A winter visitor & passage migrant |
| Temminck's stint (Calidris temminckii) |  | A winter visitor & passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| Long-toed stint (Calidris subminuta) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Least sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Baird's sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) |  | A winter visitor & passage migrant |
| Sharp-tailed sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) |  | A winter visitor and passage migrant |
| Stilt sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima) |  | A winter visitor & passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| Dunlin (Calidris alpina) |  | A winter visitor and passage migrant, scarce breeder |
| Broad-billed sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Buff-breasted sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) |  | A passage migrant |
| Ruff (Calidris pugnax) |  | A passage migrant and scarce breeding resident |
| Jack snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) | .jpg.webp) | A winter visitor & passage migrant |
| Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) |  | A resident breeding species and summer visitor |
| Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Great snipe (Gallinago media) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Long-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) |  | A winter visitor, passage migrant and scarce summer breeding species |
| Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) |  | A winter visitor & passage migrant |
| Little curlew (Numenius minutus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis) | B (extinct) | |
| Hudsonian whimbrel (Numenius hudsonicus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Curlew (Numenius arquata) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Terek sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) |  | A resident breeding species and passage migrant |
| Spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) | -_In_Breeding_plumage_at_Bharatpur_I_IMG_5533.jpg.webp) | A winter visitor & passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| Solitary sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Grey-tailed tattler (Tringa brevipes) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Spotted redshank (Tringa erythropus) |  | A winter visitor and passage migrant |
| Greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common greenshank (Tringa nebularia) |  | A resident breeding species and passage migrant |
| Lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Marsh sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola) |  | A passage migrant & rare localised breeder in far North |
| Common redshank (Tringa totanus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) |  | A winter visitor: scarce & localised summer breeding in far North |
| Grey phalarope (Phalaropus fulicaria) |  | A scarce winter visitor |
Skuas
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
Medium to large seabirds with mainly grey or brown plumage, sharp claws and a hooked tip to the bill. They chase other seabirds to force them to drop their catches. There are seven species worldwide with four in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pomarine skua (Stercorarius pomarinus) |  | A passage migrant |
| Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) |  | A passage migrant and localised summer breeder |
| Long-tailed skua (Stercorarius longicaudus) | _26.jpg.webp) | A passage migrant |
| Great skua (Stercorarius skua) |  | A passage migrant and localised summer breeder |
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
Medium to large seabirds with grey, white and black plumage, webbed feet and strong bills. Many are opportunistic and adaptable feeders. There are 102 species worldwide, with 41 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Sabine's gull (Xema sabini) | .jpg.webp) | A scarce winter visitor |
| Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor and resident species |
| Slender-billed gull (Chroicocephalus genei) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Bonaparte's gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Little gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) |  | A winter visitor, occasional breeder |
| Ross's gull (Rhodostethia rosea) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Franklin's gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Mediterranean gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) |  | A breeding summer visitor, & resident in south. |
| Audouin's gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Pallas's gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) | _W_IMG_6665.jpg.webp) | B rare vagrant |
| Common gull (Larus canus) |  | A resident breeding species, winter visitor & passage migrant |
| Ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis) |  | A scarce winter visitor & passage migrant |
| Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) |  | A resident breeding species and passage migrant |
| European herring gull (Larus argentatus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) |  | A non-breeding late-summer visitor and passage migrant, has bred |
| Caspian gull (Larus cachinnans) | .jpg.webp) | A scarce migrant |
| American herring gull (Larus smithsonianus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Iceland gull (Larus glaucoides) |  | A scarce winter visitor |
| Slaty-backed gull (Larus schistisagus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) |  | A winter visitor, has bred |
| Great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) |  | A resident breeding species and passage migrant |
| Aleutian tern (Onychoprion aleutica) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Sooty tern (Onychoprion fuscata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Bridled tern (Onychoprion anaethetus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Little tern (Sternula albifrons) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Gull-billed tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) |  | A rare vagrant, has bred |
| Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybridus) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Black tern (Chlidonias niger) |  | A passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| White-winged tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Cabot's tern (Thalasseus acuflavida) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Elegant tern (Thalasseus elegans) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Royal tern (Thalasseus maximus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Forster's tern (Sterna forsteri) | _RWD1.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Common tern (Sterna hirundo) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) |  | A scarce breeding summer visitor |
| Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
Auks
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae
A family of seabirds which are superficially similar to penguins, with their black-and-white colours, upright posture and some of their habits, but which are able to fly. There are about 24 worldwide, 10 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common guillemot (Uria aalge) |  | A breeding summer visitor and resident species |
| Brunnich's guillemot (Uria lomvia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Razorbill (Alca torda) |  | A breeding summer visitor and resident species |
| Great auk (Pinguinus impennis) | _specimen%252C_Kelvingrove%252C_Glasgow_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1108249.jpg.webp) | B (extinct) |
| Black guillemot (Cepphus grylle) |  | A resident localised breeding species |
| Long-billed murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Ancient murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Little auk (Alle alle) |  | A rare winter visitor |
| Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Sandgrouse
Order: Pterocliformes Family: Pteroclidae
Sturdy, medium-sized birds with a small head and long, pointed wings. There are sixteen species worldwide. One has occurred as a vagrant in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pallas's sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant, has bred |
Pigeons and doves
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. There are 344 species worldwide, seven in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rock pigeon or feral pigeon (Columba livia) | _in_Kolkata_I_IMG_9762.jpg.webp) | A & C Resident, most birds are of feral origin |
| Stock dove (Columba oenas) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Oriental turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) |  | A rare vagrant |
Parrots
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittaculidae
Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. They are found mainly in areas with warm climates. There are 402 species in the world, with one introduced species in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) | -_During_Foreplay_at_Hodal_I_Picture_0034.jpg.webp) | C resident introduced population |
Cuckoos
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
Birds of variable size with slender bodies and long tails. Some species are known for laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. There are 149 species worldwide, four in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Barn owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae
Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are twenty species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Barn owl (Tyto alba) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
Typical owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae
Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disc. There are nearly 220 species worldwide, eight in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Scops owl (Otus scops) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) |  | A rare vagrant, has bred Shetland Islands |
| Northern hawk-owl (Surnia ulula) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Little owl (Athene noctua) | (1).jpg.webp) | C resident introduced population |
| Tawny owl (Strix aluco) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Long-eared owl (Asio otus) |  | A scarce resident breeding species |
| Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) |  | A resident breeding species or winter visitor |
| Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Nightjars
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves. There are 98 species worldwide, four in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Red-necked nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Egyptian nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) |  | A rare vagrant |
Swifts
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae
The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. There are 113 species worldwide, eight in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Needle-tailed swift (Hirundapus caudacutus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common swift (Apus apus) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Pallid swift (Apus pallidus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Pacific swift (Apus pacificus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Alpine swift (Apus melba) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Little swift (Apus affinis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White-rumped swift (Apus caffer) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails. There are 114 species worldwide, two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) |  | A rare vagrant |
Bee-eaters
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Meropidae
A group of near-passerine birds characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail-feathers. There are 27 species worldwide, two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) |  | A scarce summer visitor - occasional breeder |
Rollers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Coraciidae
A small family of colourful, medium-sized birds with a crow-like shape that feed mainly on insects. There are thirteen species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| European roller (Coracias garrulus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Hoopoe
Order: Bucerotiformes Family: Upupidae
A small family with a long curved bills, crests and black-and-white striped wings and tails. There are three species worldwide, with one found in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) |  | A scarce summer visitor, occasional breeder |
Woodpeckers
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are 236 species worldwide, five in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla) |  | A rare passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| European green woodpecker (Picus viridis) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor) |  | A resident breeding species |
Tyrant flycatchers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae
A large family from the Americas. There are 437 species, with four rare vagrants recorded in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Alder flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Old World orioles
Order: Passeriformes Family: Oriolidae
The orioles are medium-sized passerines, mostly with bright and showy plumage, the females often have duller plumage than the males The beak is long, slightly curved and hooked. Orioles are arboreal and tend to feed in the canopy. There are 36 species worldwide, one of which has been recorded in Great Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus) |  | A scarce breeding summer visitor |
Shrikes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae
Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. There are 33 species worldwide, nine in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Brown shrike (Lanius cristatus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) |  | A scarce passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| Daurian shrike (Lanius isabellinus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Turkestan shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Long-tailed shrike (Lanius schach) | _in_Delhi_W2_Pix_051.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Lesser grey shrike (Lanius minor) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor) | .jpg.webp) | A scarce winter visitor |
| Woodchat shrike (Lanius senator) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Masked shrike (Lanius nubicus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Vireos
Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. There are 58 species worldwide. Three have occurred as vagrants in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow-throated vireo (Vireo flavifrons) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Philadelphia vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Crows and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae
The crows and their relatives are fairly large birds with strong bills and are usually intelligent and adaptable. There are over 120 species worldwide with nine in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Spotted nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Rook (Corvus frugilegus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Carrion crow (Corvus corone) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Common raven (Corvus corax) | %252C_Yosemite_NP%252C_CA%252C_US_-_Diliff.jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
Kinglets
Order: Passeriformes Family: Regulidae
A family of very small birds. There are seven species worldwide with two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Common firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus) |  | A scarce resident breeding species and passage migrant |
Penduline tits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Remizidae
Small birds with finely pointed bills that build purse-like nests hanging from a branch. There are 11 species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Penduline tit (Remiz pendulinus) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Tits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae
Tits are mainly small, stocky, woodland species with short stout bills. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. There are 65 species worldwide, six in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Great tit (Parus major) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Coal tit (Periparus ater) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Willow tit (Poecile montana) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Marsh tit (Poecile palustris) |  | A resident breeding species |
Bearded tit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Panuridae
A single species formerly placed in the Old World babbler family.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bearded tit (Panurus biarmicus) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
Larks
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. There are 98 species worldwide, 10 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Calandra lark (Melanocorypha calandra) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Bimaculated lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Black lark (Melanocorypha yeltoniensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Greater short-toed lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Lesser short-toed lark (Alaudala rufescens) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Crested lark (Galerida cristata) | _at_Sultanpur_I_Picture_118.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Woodlark (Lullula arborea) | .jpg.webp) | A scarce resident breeding species and summer migrant |
| Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis) |  | A resident breeding species |
| White-winged lark (Alauda leucoptera) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Shore lark (Eremophila alpestris) |  | A scarce winter visitor and passage migrant, occasional breeder |
Swallows and martins
Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. There are around 90 species worldwide, eight in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sand martin (Riparia riparia) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Purple martin (Progne subis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian crag martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Common house martin (Delichon urbicum) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Red-rumped swallow (Cecropis daurica) |  | A scarce migrant |
| American cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) |  | A rare vagrant |
Bush warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cettiidae
A recently split family formerly placed in the Sylviidae family. There are 32 species worldwide, with one found in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cetti's warbler (Cettia cetti) |  | A resident breeding species |
Long-tailed tits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Aegithalidae
Small, long-tailed birds that typically live in flocks for much of the year. There are 13 species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) |  | A resident breeding species |
Leaf warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Phylloscopidae
A recently split family of small insectivorous birds, formerly included within the Sylviidae. There are 81 species, with 16 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern crowned warbler (Phylloscopus coronatus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Green warbler (Phylloscopus nitidus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Greenish warbler (Phylloscopus trochiloides) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Pale-legged leaf warbler (Phylloscopus tenellipes) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Arctic warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Pallas's warbler (Phylloscopus proregulus) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Yellow-browed warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) | .jpg.webp) | A scarce migrant |
| Hume's warbler (Phylloscopus humei) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Radde's warbler (Phylloscopus schwarzi) | .jpg.webp) | A scarce migrant |
| Dusky warbler (Phylloscopus fuscatus) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Western Bonelli's warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Eastern Bonelli's warbler (Phylloscopus orientalis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Iberian chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
Typical warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sylviidae
A group of small insectivorous birds. There are 34 species worldwide, with 16 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) |  | A resident breeding species & summer visitor |
| Garden warbler (Sylvia borin) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Barred warbler (Curruca nisoria) |  | A passage migrant |
| Lesser whitethroat (Curruca curruca) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Western Orphean warbler (Curucca hortensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eastern Orphean warbler (Curucca crassirostris) | -cropped.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Asian desert warbler (Curruca nana) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Rüppell's warbler (Curruca ruppeli) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Sardinian warbler (Curruca melanocephala) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Western subalpine warbler (Curruca iberiae) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Moltoni's subalpine warbler (Curruca subalpina) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Eastern subalpine warbler (Curruca cantillans) | A rare vagrant | |
| Spectacled warbler (Curruca conspicillata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Whitethroat (Curruca communis) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Marmora's warbler (Curruca sarda) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Dartford warbler (Curruca undata) | _by_J._Dietrich.jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
Grasshopper warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Locustellidae
A recently split family, previously part of the family Sylviidae. There are 68 species, with five found in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pallas's grasshopper warbler (Helopsaltes certhiola) | _I_IMG_2750.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Lanceolated warbler (Locustella lanceolata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| River warbler (Locustella fluviatilis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Grasshopper warbler (Locustella naevia) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Savi's warbler (Locustella luscinioides) |  | A rare breeding summer visitor |
Reed warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acrocephalidae
A small, insectivorous and vocal group of species, formerly included within the family Sylviidae. There are 56 extant species, with 14 found in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Thick-billed warbler (Arundinax aedon) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Booted warbler (Iduna caligata) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Sykes's warbler (Iduna rama) | _on_Vilaiti_Siris_(Samanea_saman)_in_Kolkata_W_IMG_4659.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Eastern olivaceous warbler (Iduna pallida) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Olive-tree warbler (Hippolais olivetorum) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Icterine warbler (Hippolais icterina) |  | A scarce migrant, occasional breeder |
| Melodious warbler (Hippolais polyglotta) |  | A scarce migrant, occasional breeder |
| Aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) | -2.jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Paddyfield warbler (Acrocephalus agricola) | _in_Kolkata_Im_IMG_0496.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Blyth's reed warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Marsh warbler (Acrocephalus palustris) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) |  | A rare vagrant, has bred |
Cisticolas
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cisticolidae
A group of insectivorous species, previously included within the family Sylviidae. There are 163 species worldwide, with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Zitting cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) | _I-_Kolkata_IMG_5046.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Waxwings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of passerine birds characterised by soft, silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. There are three species worldwide, two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) |  | A winter visitor in highly varied numbers. |
Wallcreeper
Order: Passeriformes Family: Tichodromadidae
One species, in its own family, a rare visitor to Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) |  | A rare vagrant |
Nuthatches
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae
Nuthatches are small woodland birds with the unusual ability to climb down trees head-first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. There are 28 species worldwide, two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea) |  | A resident breeding species |
Treecreepers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Certhiidae
Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin, pointed, down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. There are 10 species worldwide, two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla) |  | A rare vagrant |
Wrens
Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae
Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and thin down-turned bills. There are around 80 species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) |  | A resident breeding species |
Mockingbirds and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae
Medium-sized passerine birds with long tails. Some are notable for their ability to mimic sounds such as other birds' songs. There are 35 species worldwide. Three have occurred as vagrants in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) |  | A rare vagrant (one record) |
| Grey catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) |  | A rare vagrant (two records) |
Starlings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct and most are very gregarious. There are about 114 species worldwide with two in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) |  | A resident breeding species and winter visitor |
| Rosy starling (Pastor roseus) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
Dippers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae
Dark, dumpy, aquatic birds which are able to forage for food on the beds of rivers. There are five species worldwide with one in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) |  | A resident breeding species |
Thrushes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
The thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are 172 species worldwide, 20 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White's thrush (Zoothera dauma) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Varied thrush (Ixoreus naevius) |  | A very rare vagrant (one record) |
| Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Grey-cheeked thrush (Catharus minimus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Veery (Catharus fuscescens) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Siberian thrush (Geokichla sibirica) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Blackbird (Turdus merula) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Eyebrowed thrush (Turdus obscurus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Dusky thrush (Turdus eunomus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Naumann's thrush (Turdus naumanni) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Black-throated thrush (Turdus atrogularis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-throated thrush (Turdus ruficollis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) |  | A winter visitor, rare breeder |
| Song thrush (Turdus philomelos) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Redwing (Turdus iliacus) |  | A winter visitor, rare breeder |
| Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| American robin (Turdus migratorius) |  | A rare vagrant |
Old World flycatchers and chats
Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae. Subfamily: Muscicapinae
The flycatchers and chats are small, mainly insectivorous birds. The flycatchers fly out from a perch to catch insects in the air. There are 324 species worldwide, 31 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rufous bush robin (Cercotrichas galactotes) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Asian brown flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica) | _at_Periyar_National_Park.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| European robin (Erithacus rubecula) | .JPG.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Siberian blue robin (Larvivora cyanea) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Rufous-tailed robin (Larvivora sibilans) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Siberian rubythroat (Calliope calliope) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White-throated robin (Irania gutturalis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-flanked bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) | -2.jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) |  | A scarce migrant, occasional breeder |
| Taiga flycatcher (Ficedula albicilla) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-breasted flycatcher (Ficedula parva) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) |  | A scarce breeding resident, passage migrant & winter visitor |
| Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) |  | A breeding summer visitor |
| Moussier's redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Rock thrush (Monticola saxatilis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) |  | A breeding summer visitor & passage migrant |
| Siberian stonechat (Saxicola maurus) | -_Male_at_Bharatpur_I_IMG_5768.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) |  | A breeding summer visitor & passage migrant |
| Isabelline wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina) | _male%252C_non-breeding.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Desert wheatear (Oenanthe deserti) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Pied wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Western black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) | _female%252C_Jordan.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Eastern black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe melanoleuca) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White-crowned black wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga) |  | A rare vagrant |
Accentors
Order: Passeriformes Family: Prunellidae
A small family of drab, unobtrusive, insectivorous birds with thin, pointed bills. There are thirteen species worldwide with three recorded in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Dunnock (Prunella modularis) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Alpine accentor (Prunella collaris) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Siberian accentor (Prunella montanella) | _-_%D0%A1%D0%B8%D0%B1%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9%D0%BD_%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%80%D1%83%D1%83%D0%BB%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%B9_(16435139700).jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant with multiple records in 2016 |
Sparrows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae
Sparrows tend to be small, plump, brownish or greyish birds with short tails and short, powerful beaks. They are seed-eaters and they also consume small insects. There are 43 species worldwide, four in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| House sparrow (Passer domesticus) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Rock sparrow (Petronia petronia) |  | A rare vagrant |
Wagtails and pipits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They are slender, ground-feeding insectivores of open country. There are about 66 species worldwide, 16 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Western yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) | .jpg.webp) | Seven races including:
|
| Eastern yellow wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola) | -_Breeding_Male_of_calcarata_race_at_Bharatpur_I_IMG_5752.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) |  | A resident breeding species |
| White wagtail (Motacilla alba) |  | A resident breeding species with two additional visiting races
|
| Richard's pipit (Anthus richardi) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Blyth's pipit (Anthus godlewskii) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Olive-backed pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Tree pipit (Anthus trivialis) | .jpg.webp) | A breeding summer visitor |
| Pechora pipit (Anthus gustavi) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Red-throated pipit (Anthus cervinus) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Rock pipit (Anthus petrosus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Water pipit (Anthus spinoletta) |  | A winter visitor |
| Buff-bellied pipit (Anthus rubescens) |  | A rare vagrant |
Finches
Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
Seed-eating passerine birds that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. There are 228 species worldwide, 22 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) |  | A winter visitor, occasional breeder |
| European serin (Serinus serinus) | _002.jpg.webp) | A scarce passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| European greenfinch (Chloris chloris) | _m.jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Citril finch (Carduelis citrinella) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Eurasian linnet (Linaria cannabina) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Twite (Linaria flavirostris) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) |  | A resident breeding species and winter visitor |
| Lesser redpoll (Acanthis cabaret) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Mealy redpoll (Acanthis flammea) |  | A winter visitor and passage migrant, occasional breeder |
| Arctic redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Two-barred crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) | .jpg.webp) | A resident breeding species |
| Scottish crossbill (Loxia scotica) | _-_geograph.org.uk_-_419190.jpg.webp) | A resident endemic breeding species |
| Parrot crossbill (Loxia pytyopsittacus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Trumpeter finch (Bucanetes githagineus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common rosefinch (Erythrina erythrinus) |  | A scarce migrant, occasional breeder |
| Pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) |  | A scarce resident breeding species |
| Evening grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertinua) |  | A rare vagrant |
Longspurs
Order: Passeriformes Family: Calcariidae
A small family of migratory seed eating birds. There are six species worldwide, with two found in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) |  | A winter visitor & scarce breeder |
| Lapland bunting (Calcarius lapponicus) | .jpg.webp) | A winter visitor, occasional breeder |
Cardinals and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae
Four species have been found in Great Britain, all as rare vagrants.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Summer tanager (Piranga rubra) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) |  | A rare vagrant |
Buntings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae.
A large group of seed-eating passerine birds with a distinctively shaped bill. There are 44 species worldwide and 17 in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black-faced bunting (Emberiza spodocephala) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Pine bunting (Emberiza leucocephalos) | _-_%D0%A6%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%88%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B0%D1%82_%D1%85%D3%A9%D0%BC%D1%80%D3%A9%D0%B3_(15617685422).jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Rock bunting (Emberiza cia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Cretzschmar's bunting (Emberiza caesia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Yellow-browed bunting (Emberiza chrysophrys) | _Eocheong_Island_Korea_2012.jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Rustic bunting (Emberiza rustica) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Chestnut-eared bunting (Emberiza fucata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Little bunting (Emberiza pusilla) |  | A scarce migrant |
| Yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Chestnut bunting (Emberiza rutila) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) |  | A resident breeding species |
| Pallas' reed bunting (Emberiza pallasi) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Black-headed bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Corn bunting (Emberiza calandra) |  | A resident breeding species |
American sparrows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Passerellidae.
A seed eating group of species, recently split from the family Emberizidae. There are 136 species worldwide, with seven found in Britain as rare vagrants.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Dark-eyed junco (junco hyemalis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) |  | A rare vagrant |
| White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) |  | A rare vagrant |
Icterids
Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae.
There are 109 species worldwide, with four species found rarely in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) |  | A rare vagrant |
New World warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae
A group of small, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal and insectivorous. There are 119 species worldwide. Eighteen have occurred as vagrants in Britain.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Northern waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Black-and-white warbler (Mniotilta varia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Tennessee warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Hooded warbler (Setophaga citrina) | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant |
| American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Cape May warbler (Setophaga tigrina) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Northern parula (Setophaga americana) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Magnolia warbler (Setophaga magnolia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Bay-breasted warbler (Setophaga castanea) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Blackburnian warbler (Setophaga fusca) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Chestnut-sided warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Blackpoll warbler (Setophaga striata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Yellow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata) |  | A rare vagrant |
| Wilson's warbler (Cardellina pusilla) |  | A rare vagrant |
The links above lead to family accounts and individual species. Taxonomy is very fluid in the age of DNA analysis, so other arrangements may be found, as in Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy.
Species awaiting acceptance
The following species have been recorded recently and the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee has not yet made a decision on whether to accept them onto the British List.
| Common and binomial names | Image | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Brown booby (Sula leucogaster) |  | A rare vagrant, first recorded 2019. |
| Paddyfield pipit (Anthus rufulus)[7] | .jpg.webp) | A rare vagrant, first recorded 2019. |
| White-chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) |  | A rare vagrant, first recorded 2020. |
| Fea's petrel (Pterodroma feae) |  | A rare vagrant, previously accepted onto the British list as Fea's petrel but since split into three distinct species |
| Zino's petrel (Pterodroma madeira) |  | A rare vagrant, first reported 2020.[8] |
| Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) |  | A rare vagrant, first recorded 2020.[9] |
| Yellow-bellied flycatcher
(Empidonax flaviventris) |
 |
A rare vagrant, first recorded in 2020.[10] |
| Ruby-crowned kinglet
(Regulus calendula) |
 |
A rare vagrant, first recorded in 2020.[11] |
See also
Footnotes
- "British List announcements". British Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- British Ornithologists' Union (2013). "The British List". Ibis. 155: 635–676. doi:10.1111/ibi.12069.
- "Maintaining the British List". BOU. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- BOURC. "Species categories". Retrieved 9 December 2012.
- "Dalmatian pelican seen 'for first time' in UK at Land's End". BBC News. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
- Harvey, Robert (2018). "Western Swamphen in Suffolk and Lincolnshire:new to Britain". British Birds. 111 (9): 512–514.
- "Paddyfield pipit call identification". The Sound Approach. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- "Zino's Petrel of Scilly – a first for Britain". BirdGuides. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- Birch, Simon. "Birdwatchers flock to Peak District after rare sighting of bearded vulture in UK". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- "Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on Tiree". BirdGuides. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
- "First Ruby-crowned Kinglet for Britain on Barra". BirdGuides. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
References
- List of British birds published by The British Ornithologists' Union.
- Taxonomic Recommendations for European Birds
- Taxonomic recommendations for British birds (both in PDF format).
- The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and RSPB A to Z of UK Birds
- Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists - Martin Collinson, British Birds vol 99 (June 2006), 306-323
- British Trust for Ornithology surveys