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Shetland Bird List

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The table contains a complete list of the 473 bird species recorded in Shetland, including the year of the first record and, where relevant, Shetland name, breeding status and category.

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Key to breeding status:

 

C: common (50+ pairs)

u: uncommon but annual (fewer than 50 pairs)

sp: sporadic

e: extinct (regular or sporadic with no 21st century records)

poss: possible breeding spp.

hyb: only bred as part of a hybrid pair

Key to category:

 

C: Category C (not native/introduced)

D: Category D (uncertain provenance)

O: only seen offshore

X: globally extinct

F: only recorded on Fair Isle

P: provisional (believed to have occurred but no accepted records)

Species
Scientific Name
Shetland Name
Breeding Status
First Record
Cat.
Brent Goose
Branta bernicla
1822
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
1843
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis
sp (C)
1809
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescens
1953
Greylag Goose
Anser anser
Grey Gös
C
1733
Taiga Bean Goose
Anser fabalis
?
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchos
1844
Tundra Bean Goose
Anser serrirostris
?
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
1844
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
u
1910
Bewick's Swan
Cygnus columbianus
1860
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus
u #
1680
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegypticus
2010
C
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
u
1791
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferruginea
2009
D
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
1977
D
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulata
1942
C
Garganey
Spatula querquedula
1907
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
1979
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
u
1918
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
1895
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
u
1822
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
1948
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Stock Deuk
C
1700
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
1990
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
e #
1822
Eurasian Teal
Anas crecca
u
1774
Green-winged Teal
Anas carolinensis
1886
Common Pochard
Aythya ferina
1791
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
1978
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
u
1811
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
1822
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
1993
Steller’s Eider
Polysticta stelleri
1971
King Eider
Somateria spectabilis
1822
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
Dunter
C
1700
Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
1965
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
1847
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fusca
1809
White-winged Scoter
Melanitta deglandi
2017
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigra
e #
1822
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis
Calloo
1791
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
2006
Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
1809
Smew
Mergellus albellus
1870
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
2006
Goosander
Mergus merganser
1822
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Herald Deuk
u
1809
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaciensis
1974
C
Red Grouse
Lagopus lagopus
C
1815
C
Common Quail
Coturnix coturnix
sp #
1868
Red-throated Diver
Gavia stellata
Rain Gös; Loom
C #
1733
Black-throated Diver
Gavia arctica
1963
Pacific Diver
Gavia pacifica
2013
Great Northern Diver
Gavia immer
Immer Gös
1684
White-billed Diver
Gavia adamsii
1946
Wilson’s Storm Petrel
Oceanites oceanicus
1993
O
Black-browed Albatross
Thalassarche melanophris
1972
European Storm Petrel
Hydrobates pelagicus
Alamootie
C
1809
Swinhoe's Storm Petrel
Oceanodroma monorhis
2013
F
Leach's Storm Petrel
Oceanodroma leucorhoa
u #
1910
Northern Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
Maalie
C
1805
Fea’s/Zino’s/Desertas Petrel
Pterodroma feae/madeira/desertas
1996
Cory’s Shearwater
Calonectris borealis
1965
Sooty Shearwater
Ardenna griseus
1923
Great Shearwater
Ardenna gravis
1936
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinus
Leerie
u
1700
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollis
e
1822
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
2017
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegena
1861
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatus
1844
Slavonian Grebe
Podiceps auritus
sp
1809
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis
1966
Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseus
1988
D
Black Stork
Ciconia nigra
1977
White Stork
Ciconia ciconia
1837
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
1862
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodia
1871
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellaris
1822
Little Bittern
Ixobrychus minutus
1883
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
1981
Squacco Heron
Ardeola ralloides
2011
Western Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibis
1999
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Hegri
e
1733
Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
1965
Great Egret
Ardea alba
1971
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
1954
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus
Solan
C
1769
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Scarf
C
1700
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
Muckle Scarf; Loren
C
1774
Western Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
1843
European Honey Buzzard
Pernis apivorus
1860
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
1866
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
sp
1863
Northern Goshawk
Accipiter gentilis
1859
Western Marsh Harrier
Circus aeruginosus
1822
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus
poss #
1822
Pallid Harrier
Circus macrourus
1931
Montagu’s Harrier
Circus pygargus
1954
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
1966
Red Kite
Milvus milvus
1979
White-tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla
Erne
e #
1615
Rough-legged Buzzard
Buteo lagopus
1884
Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo
1858
Great Bustard
Otis tarda
1936
Little Bustard
Tetrax tetrax
1994
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticus
sp
1844
Corncrake
Crex crex
sp #
1791
Little Crake
Porzana parva
1959
Baillon’s Crake
Pazorna pusilla
1929
Spotted Crake
Porzana porzana
sp #
1881
Sora Rail
Porzana carolina
1982
Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
u
1865
Eurasian Coot
Fulica atra
sp
1769
American Coot
Fulica americana
2003
Sandhill Crane
Antigone canadensis
1981
Common Crane
Grus grus
1807
Eurasian Stone-curlew
Burhinus oedicnemus
1913
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
Shalder
C
1733
Pied Avocet
Recurvirostra avosetta
1822
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Tieves Nacket
C
1733
European Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricaria
Plivver
C
1733
American Golden Plover
Pluvialis dominica
1956
Pacific Golden Plover
Pluvialis fulva
1988
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
1822
Common Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticula
Saandiloo
C
1809
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubius
1965
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
1993
Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinus
1949
Caspian Plover
Charadrius asiaticus
1996
Eurasian Dotterel
Charadrius morinellus
1870
Upland Sandpiper
Bartramia longicauda
1970
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Peerie Whaap
C #
1809
Eurasian Curlew
Numenius arquata
Whaap; Spui
C
1733
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponica
1822
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa
u #
1866
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Stenpikker
1809
Great Knot
Calidris tenuirostris
1989
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
1822
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
sp #
1866
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Calidris falcinellus
1984
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris acuminata
1993
Stilt Sandpiper
Calidris himantopus
1976
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
1859
Temminck’s Stint
Calidris temmincki
1908
Red-necked Stint
Calidris ruficollis
1994
Sanderling
Calidris alba
1861
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Plivver's Page
C
1809
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritima
1837
Baird’s Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii
1982
Little Stint
Calidris minuta
1822
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
1955
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis
1972
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Calidris subruficollis
1958
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
1961
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Calidris pusilla
1992
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
1988
Long-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceus
1983
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolus
poss
1809
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimus
1837
Great Snipe
Gallinago media
1901
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallingo
Horsegok; Snippik
C
1733
Terek Sandpiper
Xenus cinereus
1975
Wilson’s Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor
1973
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus
Peerie Deuk
u #
1864
Grey Phalarope
Phalaropus fulicarius
1895
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
u
1822
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
1986
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropus
1905
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
1992
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
1910
Common Redshank
Tringa totanus
Kjoorlie
C
1791
Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatalis
1969
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
1908
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropus
1930
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
sp #
1871
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
2007
Collared Pratincole
Glareola pratincola
1812
Black-winged Pratincole
Glareola nordmanni
1927
F
Black-legged Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
Rippek Maa; Weeg
C
1700
Ivory Gull
Pagophila eburnea
1822
Sabine’s Gull
Xema sabini
1909
Bonaparte’s Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
1982
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Hoodie Maa
C
1769
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
1853
Ross’s Gull
Rhodostethia rosea
1936
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
1975
Franklin’s Gull
Leucophaeus pipixcan
1990
Mediterranean Gull
Ichthyaethus melanocephalus
1983
Common Gull
Larus canus
Peerie Maa; Pikka Maa
C
1774
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
1981
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus
Swaabie; Swartback
C
1769
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
2017
F
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus
hyb
1809
Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoides
1822
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Herring Maa; Scorie (immature gull)
C
1774
Caspian Gull
Larus cachinnans
2015
O
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellis
2001
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Peerie Swaabie; Swaabie; Swartback
C
1837
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
1971
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