Species List and Bird Report

A list of all the species seen on Foula (288 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 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.

National and local rarities for 2007 are, of course, still subject to acceptance by the respective rarity committees.

Preparing this report is a huge 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

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

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