Species List and Bird Report

A list of all the species seen on Foula (292+ to date)

Species are linked to details of sightings and in some cases, a picture or video footage of one of the individuals seen. A list of observers and references can be found through these links.

The Foula list of Western Palearctic Birds

Anatidae

Mute Swan Cygnus olor AC2

Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A

Bean Goose Anser fabalis A

Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus A

White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A

Greylag Goose Anser anser AC2C4

Snow Goose Anser caerulescens AC2

Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis C2

Lesser Canada Goose Sp. Branta hutchinsii

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis AC2

Brent Goose Branta bernicla A

Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna A

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata C1

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope A

American Wigeon Anas americana A

Gadwall Anas strepera AC2

Eurasian Teal Anas crecca A

This report on the Birds of Foula, giving more detailed accounts of the rare birds seen on the island since records began, is always in the process of being written and updated. Hyperlinks to records up to 2006 are already in place for nearly all species in this list and some for 2007.

There are big gaps in records between 2007 and 2011, so contributions are welcomed to keep it as up to date as possible.

Preparing this report is a big task and your patience is appreciated.

Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis A

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos AC2C4

Pintail Anas acuta A

Garganey Anas querquedula A

Shoveler Anas clypeata A

Common Pochard Aythya ferina A

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula A

Greater Scaup Aythya marila A

Common Eider Somateria mollissima A

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra A

Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata A

Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca A

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula A

Smew Mergellus albellus A

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator A

Goosander Mergus merganser A

Phasianidae

Common Quail Coturnix coturnix A

Gaviidae

Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata A

Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica A

Great Northern Diver Gavia immer A

White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii A*

Podicipedidae

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis A

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus A

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena A

Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus A

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis A ?

Procellariidae

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis A

Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis A

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus A

Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus A

Hydrobatidae

European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus A

Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa A

Sulidae

Northern Gannet Morus bassanus A

Phalacrocoracidae

Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo A

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis A

Ardeidae

Little Egret Egretta garzetta A

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea A

Threskiornithidae

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia A

Accipitridae

Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus A

Red Kite Milvus milvus AC3

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus A

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus A

Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus A

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo A

Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus A

White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla AC3

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos A

Pandionidae

Osprey Pandion haliaetus A

Falconidae

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus A

Merlin Falco columbarius A

Hobby Falco subbuteo A

Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus A*

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus A

Rallidae

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus A

Spotted Crake Porzana porzana A

Sora Porzana carolina A*

(Little Crake Porzana parva A*)

(Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla A*)

Corn Crake Crex crex A

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus A

Common Coot Fulica atra A

Gruidae

Common Crane Grus grus A

Haematopodidae

Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus A

Burhinidae

Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus A

Charadriidae

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula A

Dotterel Charadrius morinellus A

American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica A

European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria A

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola A

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus A

Scolopacidae

Red Knot Calidris canutus A

Sanderling Calidris alba A

Little Stint Calidris minuta A

Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii A

Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla A

Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii A*

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos A

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea A

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima A

Dunlin Calidris alpina A

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis A

Ruff Philomachus pugnax A

Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus A

Great Snipe Gallinago media A*

Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago A

Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus A*

Woodcock Scolopax rusticola A

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa A

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica A

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus A

Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata A

Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda A*

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus A

Common Redshank Tringa totanus A

Greenshank Tringa nebularia A

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes A*

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus A

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola A

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos A

Turnstone Arenaria interpres A

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus A

Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius A

Stercorariidae

Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus A

Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus A

Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus A

Great Skua Stercorarius skua A

Laridae

Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan A*

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus A

Common Gull Larus canus A

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus A

Herring Gull Larus argentatus A

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides A

Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus A

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus A

Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla A

Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea A*

Sternidae

Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis A

Common Tern Sterna hirundo A

Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea A

Alcidae

Common Guillemot Uria aalge A

Razorbill Alca torda A

Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle A

Little Auk Alle alle A

Puffin Fratercula arctica A

Pteroclididae

Pallas’s Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus A*

Columbidae

Rock Dove Columba livia AC4

Stock Dove Columba oenas A

Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus A

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto A

Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur A

Cuculidae

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus A

Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythrophthalmus A*

Strigidae

Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops A*

Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus A*

Long-eared Owl Asio otus A

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A

Caprimulgidae

European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus A

Apodidae

Alpine Swift Apus melba A

Common Swift Apus apus A

Upupidae

Hoopoe Upupa epops A

Picidae

Wryneck Jynx torquilla A

Green Woodpecker Picus viridis A ?

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major A

Alaudidae

Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla A

Wood Lark Lullula arborea A

Sky Lark Alauda arvensis A

Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris A

Hirundinidae

Sand Martin Riparia riparia A

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica A

House Martin Delichon urbicum A

Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica A

Motacillidae

Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi A

Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris A

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni A*

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis A

Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi A*

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis A

Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus A

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus A

Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus Rubescens A

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava A

Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola A*

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A

White Wagtail/Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba A

Bombycillidae

Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus A

Cinclidae

Dipper Cinclus cinclus A

Troglodytidae

Wren Troglodytes troglodytes A

Prunellidae

Dunnock Prunella modularis A

Turdidae

Robin Erithacus rubecula A

Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia A*

Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos A

Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope A*

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica A

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros A

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus A

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra A

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus A

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe A

White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma A*

Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica A*

Grey-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus A*

Veery Catharus fuscescens A*

Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus A

Blackbird Turdus merula A

Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis A*

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris A

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos A

Redwing Turdus iliacus A

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus A

American Robin Turdus migratorius A*

Sylviidae

Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola A*

Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata A*

Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia A

River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis A*

Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides A*

Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola A

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus A

Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola A*

Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum A*

Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris A

Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus A

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus A*

* Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata A*

Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina A

Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta A

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla A

Garden Warbler Sylvia borin A

Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria A

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca A

Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis A

Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans A

Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides A

Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis A*

Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus A

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus A

Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi A

Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus A

Bonelli’s Warbler Sp. Phylloscopus bonelli A*

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix A

Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita A

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus A

Goldcrest Regulus regulus A

Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla A

Muscicapidae

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata A

Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva A

Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca A

Paridae

Great Tit Parus major A

Coal Tit Periparus ater A

Oriolidae

Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus A

Laniidae

* Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus A*

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio A

Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor A*

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor A

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator A

Corvidae

Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula A

Rook Corvus frugilegus A

Carrion Crow Corvus corone A

Hooded Crow Corvus cornix A

Common Raven Corvus corax A

Sturnidae

Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris A

Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus A

Passeridae

House Sparrow Passer domesticus A

Tree Sparrow Passer montanus A

Fringillidae

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs A

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla A

Greenfinch Carduelis chloris A

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis A

Siskin Carduelis spinus A

Linnet Carduelis cannabina A

Twite Carduelis flavirostris A

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret A

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea A

Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni A

Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera A*

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra A

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus A

Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula A

Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes A

Parulidae

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas A*

Emberizidae

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis A*

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis A*

Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus A

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis A

Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella A

Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana A

Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica A

Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla A

Chestnut Bunting Emberiza rutila D*

Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola A*

Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A

Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps D*

Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala A*

Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra A

Icteridae

Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus A*

© BB2000 Ltd

Notes

English names are those adopted British Birds in 1993 (Brit. Birds 86: 1-2), with subsequent modifications (see Brit. Birds 97: 2-

5; Brit. Birds 99: 53). The list follows recommendations of the BOURC Taxonomic Sub-committee in terms of taxonomy and

scientific nomenclature, and recommendations of the European Taxonomic Advisory Committee’s for decisions which fall

outside the remit of the BOU. As in previous BB lists, the sequence of species within families follows that of the Concise Edition

of BWP, except where alternatives have been specified by BOURC (e.g. for the genus Sylvia).

The code letters A, B, C and D refer to the categories used by the BOU to define status in Great Britain:

Category A.

Species that have been recorded in an apparently natural state at least once since 1st January 1950.

Category B.

Species that were recorded in an apparently natural state at least once between 1st January 1800 and 31st

December 1949, but have not been recorded subsequently.

Category C.

Species that, although introduced, now derive from the resulting self-sustaining populations.

C1 Naturalised introduced species – species that have occurred only as a result of introduction, e.g. Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca.

C2 Naturalised established species – species with established populations resulting from introduction by Man, but

which also occur in an apparently natural state, e.g. Greylag Goose Anser anser.

C3 Naturalised re-established species – species with populations successfully re-established by Man in areas of

former occurrence, e.g. Red Kite Milvus milvus.

C4 Naturalised feral species – domesticated species with populations established in the wild, e.g. Rock Dove/Feral

Pigeon Columba livia.

C5 Vagrant naturalised species – species from established naturalised populations abroad, e.g. possibly some

Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea occurring in Britain. There are currently no species in category C5.

C6 Former naturalised species – species formerly placed in C1 whose naturalized population is either no longer self sustaining

or are considered extinct, e.g. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae.

Category D.

Species that would otherwise appear in Category A except that there is reasonable doubt that they have ever

occurred in a natural state. Species placed in Category D only form no part of the British List, and are not included in

the species totals.

Others.

The letter I indicates a Category A species recorded in Ireland but not in Britain. The letter X denotes a globally extinct species.

An asterisk after the category letter denotes those species for which records are considered by BBRC.

An asterisk before the species denotes those species which the observers have no doubt as to the identity, but were not considered acceptable by the BBRC.

A question mark after the Category denotes uncertainty about the record.

Species in brackets denote birds which are one of two species, but identity at the time could not definitely be given to one or the other.