Wednesday 21 August 2024

The magnificent 376! The original bird species on the pioneering British List published in 1883

                                         

Great auk - a founder-member of the British List - depicted here (swallowing a mackerel) by John Gould 

As of December 11, 2023, the official  list of bird species recorded in Britain stood at 633 according to the British Ornithologists' Union. Compare this with the BOU's very first British List, published in 1883. This stood at a relatively modest 376 species which are listed below: 


Missel-Thrush. Turdus viscivorus.

Song-Thrush, Turdus musicus.

Redwing. Turdus iliacus.

Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris.

Black-throated Thrush. Turdus atrigularis.

White’s Thrush. Turdus varius.

Blackbird. Turdus merula.

Ring-Ouzel Turdus torquatus.

Rock-Thrush. Monticola saxatilis.

Wheatear. Saxicola enanthe.

Black-throated Wheatear Saxicola stapazina.

Desert Wheatear. Saxicola deserti.

Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra.

Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola.

Redstart. Ruticilla phoenicurus.

Black Redstart. Ruticilla titys.

White-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula wolf.

Red-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica.

Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula.

Nightingale. Daulias luscinia.

Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea.

Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca.

Orphean Warbler Sylvia orphea.

Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla.

Garden Warbler. Sylvia hortensis.

Ortolan Bunting. Emberiza hortulana.

Rustic Bunting. Emberiza rustica.

Little Bunting. Emberiza pusilla.

Reed-Bunting, Emberiza scheeniclus.

Lapland Bunting. Calcarius lapponicus.

Snow-Bunting. Plectrophanes nivalis.

Starling. Sturnus vulgaris.

Rose-coloured Pastor. Pastor roseus.

Chough. Pyrrhocorax graculus.

Nutcracker. Nucifraga caryocatactes

Jay. Garrulus glandarius.

Magpie. Pica rustica.

Jackdaw. Corvus monedula.

Carrion-Crow. Corvus corone.

Hooded Crow. Corvus cornix.

Rook. Corvus frugilegus.

Raven. Corvus corax.

Sky-Lark. Alauda arvensis.

Wood-Lark. Alauda arborea.

Crested Lark. Alauda cristata.

Short-toed Lark. Calandrella brachydactyla.

White-winged Lark. Melanocorypha sibirica.

Shore-Lark. Otocorys alpestris.

Swift. Cypselus apus.

White-bellied Swift. Cypselus melba,

Needle-tailed Swift. Acanthyllis caudacuta.

Nightjar. Caprimulgus europzus.

Red-necked Nightjar. Caprimulgus ruficollis.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopus major.

Lesser Spottel Woodpecker. Dendrocopus minor.

Green Woodpecker. Gecinus viridis.

Wryneck. Iynx torquilla

Kingfisher. Alcedo ispida,

Belted Kingfisher. Ceryle alcyon,

Roller. Coracias garrula.

Bee-Eater. Merops apiaster,

Hoopoe. Upupa epops.

Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus.

Great Spotted Cuckoo. Coccystes glandarius.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Coccyzus americanus.

Black-billed Cuckoo. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus.

Barn-Owl. Strix flammea.

Long-eared Owl. Asio otus.

Short-eared Owl. Asio brachyotus.

Tawny Owl. Syrnium aluco.

Snowy Owl. Nyctea scandiaca.

European Hawk-Owl. Surnia ulula.

American Hawk-Owl. Surnia funerea.

Tengmalm’s Owl. Nyctala tengmalmi.

Scops Owl. Scops giu.

American Screech Owl. Scops Asio.

Eagle Owl. Bubo ignavus.

Little Owl. Athene noctua.

Griffon Vulture. Gyps fulvus.

Egyptian Vulture. Neophron percnopterus.

Marsh-Harrier. Circus eruginosus.

Hen-Harrier. Circus cyaneus.

Montagu’s Harrier. Circus cineraceus.

Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris.

Rough-legged Buzzard. Archibuteo lagopus.

Spotted Eagle. Aquila clanga.

Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaétus.

White-tailed Eagle. Haliaétus albicilla.

Goshawk. Astur palumbarius.

American Goshawk. Astur atricapillus.

Sparrow-Hawk. Accipiter nisus.

Kite. Milvus ictinus.

Black Kite. Milvus migrans.

Swallow-tailed Kite. Elanoides firceatus.

Honey-Buzzard. Pernis apivorus.

Gyr Falcon. Hierofalco gyrfalco,

Greenland Falcon. Hierofalco candicans.

Iceland Falcon. Hierofalco islandus.

Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus.

Hobby. Falco subbuteo.

Merlin. Falco esalon.

Red-footed Falcon. Tinnunculus vespertinus.

Kestrel. Tinnunculus alaudarius.

Lesser Kestrel. Tinnunculus cenchris.

Osprey. Pandion haliaétus.

Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo.

Shag: Phalacrocorax graculus.

Gannet. Sula bassana.

Heron. Ardea cinerea,

Purple Heron. Ardea purpurea.

Great White Heron. Ardea alba.

Little Egret, Ardea garzetta.

Buff-backed Heron. Ardea bubulcus.

Squacco Heron. Ardea ralloides.

Little Bittern. Ardetta minuta.

Night-Heron. Nycticorax griseus.

Bittern. Botaurus stellaris.

American Bittern. Botaurus lentiginosus,

White Stork. Ciconia alba.

Black Stork. Ciconia nigra.

Spoonbill. Platalea leucorodia.

Glossy Ibis. Plegadis falcinellus.

Grey Lag Goose. Anser cinereus.

Bean-Goose. Anser segetum.

Pink-footed Goose. Anser brachyrhynchus.

White-fronted Goose. Anser albifrons.

Chinese Goose. Anser cygnoides.

Cassin’s Snow Goose. Chen albatus.

Brent Goose. Bernicla brenta,

Barnacle Goose. Bernicla leucopsis.

Canada Goose. Bernicla canadensis,

Red-breasted Goose. Bernicla ruficollis,

Mute Swan. Cygnus olor.

Polish Swan. Cygnus immutabilis.

Whooper Swan. Cygnus musicus.

Bewick’s Swan. Cygnus bewicki.

Common Sheldrake. Tadorna cornuta.

Ruddy Sheldrake. Tadorna casarca.

Wigeon. Mareca penelope.

American Wigeon. Mareca americana.

Pintail. Dafila acuta.

Wild Duck. Anas boscas.

Gadwall. Chaulelasmus streperus.

Garganey. Querquedula circia.

Blue-winged Teal. Querquedula discors.

Common Teal. Querguedula crecca.

American Green-winged Teal. Querquedula carolinensis

Shoveler. Spatula clypeata.

Red-crested Pochard. Fuligula rufina.

Tufted Duck. Fuligula cristata.

Scaup. Fuligula marila.

Pochard. Fuligula ferina.

White-eyed Duck, Nyroca ferruginea.

Goldeneye. Clangula glaucion.

Barrow’s Goldeneye. Clandulaislandica.

Buffel-headed Duck, Clangula albeola.

Harlequin Duck. Cosmonetta histrionica,

Long-tailed Duck. Herelda glacialis.

Steller’s Duck. Heniconetta stelleri.

Eider Duck. Somateria mollissima,

King Eider. Somateria spectabilis.

Common Scoter. Edemia nigra.

Velvet Scoter. Edemia fusca.

Surf-Scoter. Edemia perspicillata.

Goosander. Mergus merganser.

Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator

Hooded Merganser. Mergus cucullatus.

Smew. Mergus albellus.

Ring-Dove. Columba palumbus.

Stock-Dove. Columba cenas.

Rock-Dove. Columba livia.

Turtle Dove. Tutur communis.

Passenger Pigeon. Ectopistes migratorius.

Pallas’s Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes paradoxus.

Pheasant. Phasianus colchicus

Red-legged Partridge. Caccabis rufa.

Barbary Partridge. Caccabis petrosa.

Partridge. Perdix cinerea.

Quail. Coturnix communis.

Virginian Colin. Orvtyx virginianus.

Ptarmigan. Lagopus mutus.

‘Red Grouse. Lagopus scoticus.

Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix.

Capercaillie. Tetrao urogallus.

Andalusian Hemipode. Turnix sylvatica.

Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticus.

Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta.

Baillon’s Crake. Porzana bailloni.

Little Crake. Porzana parva.

Corn-Crake. Crex pratensis.

Moor-hen. Gallinula chloropus.

Coot. Fulica atra.

Crane. Grus communis.

Demoiselle Crane. Grus virgo.

Great Bustard. Otis tarda.

Little Bustard. Otis tetrax.

Macqueen’s Bustard. Houbara macqueeni.

Stone-Curlew. Edicnemus scolopax.

Collared Pratincole. Glareola pratincola.

Cream-coloured Courser. Cursorius gallicus.

Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis.

Eastern Golden Plover. Charadrius fulvus.

Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica.

Kentish Plover. Agialitis cantiana.

Little Ringed Plover. Gialitis curonica.

Ringed Plover. Gialitis hiaticula.

Killdeer Plover. Gialitis vocifera.

Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus.

Lapwing. Vanellus vulgaris.

Turnstone. Strepsilas interpres.

Oyster-catcher. Hzzematopus ostralegus.

Avocet,. Recurvirostra avocetta.

Black-winged Stilt. Himantopus candidus.

Red-necked Phalarope. Phalaropus hyperboreus.

Grey Phalarope. Phalaropus fulicarius.

Woodcock. Scolopax rusticula.

Great Snipe. Gallinago major.

Common Snipe. Gallinago czlestis.

Jack Snipe. Limnocryptes gallinula.

Broad-billed Sandpiper. Limicola platyrhyncha.

Pectoral Sandpiper. Tringa maculata.

Bonaparte’s Sandpiper. Tringa fuscicollis.

Dunlin. Tringa alpina.

Little Stint. Tringa minuta.

Temminck’s Stint. Tringa temmincki.

American Stint. Tringa minutilla.

Curlew Sandpiper. Tringa subarquata.

Purple Sandpiper. Tringa striata.

Knot. Tringa canutus.

Ruff. Machetes pugnax.

Sanderling. Calidris arenaria.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Tryngites rufescens.

Bartram’s Sandpiper.  Actiturus longicauda.

Common Sandpiper. Tringoides hypoleucus.

Green Sandpiper. Helodromas ochropus.

Wood-Sandpiper. Totanus glareola.

Redshank. Totanus calidris.

Spotted Redshank. Totanus fuscus.

Greenshank. Totanus canescens.

Red-breasted Snipe. Macrorhamphus griseus.

Bar-tailed Godwit. Limosa lapponica.

Black-tailed Godwit. Limosa zgocephala.

Esquimaux Curlew. Numenius borealis.

Whimbrel. Numenius phzopus.

Curlew. Numenius arquata

Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura.

Common Tern. Sterna fluviatilis.

Roseate Tern. Sterna dougalli.

Little Tern. Sterna minuta.

Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia.

Gull-billed Tern. Sterna anglica.

Sandwich Tern. Sterna cantiaca.

Sooty Tern. Sterna fuliginosa.

Scopoli’s Sooty Tern. Sterna anestheta,

Whiskered Tern. Hydrochelidon hybrida.

White-winged Black Tern. Hydrochelidon leucoptera

Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra.

Noddy. Anous stolidus.

Ivory Gull. Pagophila eburnea.

Kittiwake. Rissa tridactyla.

Glaucous Gull. Larus glaucus.

Iceland Gull. Larus leucopterus.

Herring-Gull. Larus argentatus.

Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus.

Common Gull. Larus canus.

Greater Black-backed Gull. Larus marinus.

Great Black-headed Gull. Larus ichthyaétus,

Black-headed Gull. Larus ridibundus.

Little Gull. Larus minutus.

Sabine’s Gull. Xema sabinii.

Common Skua. Stercorarius catarrhactes.

Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius pomatorhinus,

Richardson’s Skua. Stercorarius crepidatus

Buffon’s Skua. Stercorarius parasiticus.

Storm-Petrel. Procellaria pelagica.

Leach’s Petrel. Procellaria leucorrhoa

Wilson’s Petrel. Oceanites oceanicus,

Manx Shearwater. Puffinus anglorum.

Sooty Shearwater. Puffinus griseus.

Greater Shearwater. Puffinus major.

Dusky Shearwater, Puffinus obscurus.

Fulmar. Fulmarus glacialis.

Capped Petrel. CEstrelata hesitata.

Bulwer’s Petrel. Bulweria columbina.

Great Northern Diver. Colymbus glacialis.

Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus.

Red-throated Diver. Colympus septentrionalis.

Great Crested Grebe. Podiceps cristatus.

Red-necked Grebe. Podiceps griseigena.

Slavonian Grebe. Podiceps auritus.

Eared Grebe. Podiceps nigricollis.

Little Grebe. Tachybaptes fluviatilis.

Razorbill. Alca torda.

Great Auk. Alca impennis.

Common Guillemot. Lomvia troile.

Brunnich’s Guillemot. Lomvia bruennichi.

Black Guillemot. Uria grylle.

Little Auk. Mergulus alle.

Puffin. Fratercula arctica.




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