Britain's Birds: An Identification Guide to the Birds of Great Britain and Ireland Second Edition, fully revised and updated 9780691204963

Citation preview

WILDGuides

BB2 PP3.indd 1

3/5/20 10:59 AM

Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 6 Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1TR press.princeton.edu Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to Permissions, Princeton University Press First published 2016 2nd Edition 2020 Copyright © 2016, 2020 Princeton University Press Copyright in the photographs remains with the individual photographers. All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available Library of Congress Control Number 2020930980 ISBN 978-0-691-19979-5 Production and design by WILDGuides Ltd., Old Basing, Hampshire UK. Printed in Italy

Published under license from RSPB Sales Ltd. to raise awareness of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Charity registration England and Wales no 207076, Scotland SC037654). For all items sold Princeton University Press will donate a minimum of 40 pence to RSPB Sales Ltd, the trading subsidiary of the RSPB. All subsequent sellers of this book are not commercial participators for the purpose of Part II of the Charities Act 1992. www.rspb.org.uk

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

BB2 PP3.indd 2

3/5/20 10:59 AM

Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The parts of a bird  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 How to use this book  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The species accounts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The types of bird   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Wildfowl (swans, geese, ducks)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Waterbirds (cormorants, divers, grebes and pelicans). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Seabirds (Gannet, Fulmar, shearwaters, petrels) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Auks (puffins, guillemots, Razorbill, murrelets) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Gulls and terns  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Skuas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Waders (plovers, sandpipers, curlews, godwits, snipe and related species) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Crakes and rails (includes Moorhen, coots, gallinules). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Large waterside birds (herons, bitterns, egrets, Spoonbill, cranes, storks, ibis) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 ‘Gamebirds’ (partridges, grouse, pheasants and Quail) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Bustards  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Pigeons and doves  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 Sandgrouse  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Owls and nightjars  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Birds of prey (eagles, kites, Osprey, buzzards, harriers, hawks, falcons and related species)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Kingfishers, cuckoos, Hoopoe, bee-eaters, Roller and parrots  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 Woodpeckers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 Aerial feeders (swifts, swallows, martins). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348 Larks, pipits and wagtails  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357 Dipper, Wren, accentors, oriole, starlings and waxwings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378 Thrushes, chats and wheatears  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388 Flycatchers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417 Warblers, cisticola and crests  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 Shrikes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458 Tits, nuthatches and ‘creepers’  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465 Corvids  (crows, Jay, Magpie, Nutcracker) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478 Sparrows and finches  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488 Buntings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510 Vagrant landbirds from North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524 Birds of uncertain origin and escapes/introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538 British & Irish Lists, status and legislation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acknowledgements and photo credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Identification and beyond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BB2 PP3.indd 3

540 557 566 568

3/5/20 10:59 AM

Introduction This complete, authoritative photographic guide to the wild birds of Britain and Ireland has been fully revised and updated since the first edition in 2016. The opportunity to add more pictures and to improve on some of those used before has been enjoyable and exciting. More than 800 new images have been used. Together with improved reproduction techniques and valuable advice generously given by many people, this has resulted in a substantial advance. The book now covers all 631 species accepted onto the British and Irish lists up to the end of 2019 and details all the plumages likely to be seen in the region. It also covers one species recorded during 2019 that has not yet been officially added to the Irish list, 15 that are still under review, and four that were clearly one of two or three near-identical species, but not specifically identified. Another 13 species are illustrated. These have been introduced, or escaped from captivity, and have bred in the wild and may become established, or may lead to confusion with regular species. While many people have helped in various ways, special mention must be made of the contribution made by Chris Batty, who has spent countless hours examining thousands of photographs and verifying the identification, age and sex of the birds shown. It is these photographs that make this book stand out. While a substantial number were taken by the authors (Harrop, Tipling and Swash), bird photographers worldwide have enthusiastically offered images to help fill the inevitable gaps. Most photographs were taken in Britain or Ireland and include images of many individual rarities that have occurred. Each image is specifically credited to the photographer in the acknowledgements section on pages 557–565. A special mention must go to the staff at the Agami Picture Library in the Netherlands. Without their invaluable and enthusiastic assistance, the book could not have been produced. Each regularly occurring species has a map, adapted from base maps kindly supplied by BirdLife International, the international authority on the status of wild birds. Our treatment of species and subspecies follows the British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) and Irish Rare Birds Committee (IRBC) (which follow the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) recommendations), but other authorities, such as BirdLife International, treat some differently (e.g. Hooded and Carrion Crows). This book illustrates and describes all of the forms; whether species or subspecies is of no consequence for their identification. The scientific names used are those on the BOU/ IRBC/IOC lists, but where some are still not universally accepted or not well known to birdwatchers, earlier, more familiar, names are shown in brackets. Up-to-date population estimates for regular breeding, wintering and migrant birds, and the number of records of rarities in Britain and in Ireland, are summarized. For the increasing number of species that are of conservation concern, information is included on their status based on current knowledge and assessments up to June 2019. All species on the British or Irish lists are listed in taxonomic (scientific) order according to the BOU/IRBC/IOC. Uniquely, this list summarizes the conservation status and relevant conservation legislation relating to each species (see pages 540–567) and has been verified by experts at Biocensus ecological consultants and the RSPB. Recent studies and events reinforce the need to take action to conserve birds and habitats worldwide. This book is intended to help people identify what they see, but if it also brings more people to appreciate birds, and so to understand the need to ensure their survival in a fastchanging world, it will have been worth the effort.

4 BB2 PP3.indd 4

3/5/20 10:59 AM

THE PARTS OF A BIRD

The parts of a bird These annotated images show the basic, essential terms used throughout this book (other terms specific to a particular group are covered in the relevant introductory section). Wingbars: The term ‘wingbar’ is used to describe any obvious ‘bar’ along the spread wing. This is typically formed of contrasting tips to the wing coverts and/ or pale bases to the flight feathers. On some species such as Blue Tit (right) this bar is obvious on the closed wing, in others, such as Sanderling (below), it is barely discernible or not visible – particularly any pale bases to the flight feathers. Note that the term ‘bar’ usually refers to a ‘crosswise’ pattern or line, whereas ‘streak’ means a ‘lengthwise’ mark along the wing.

stripe over eye (supercilium) cap eyestripe

SANDERLING

wingbar covert tips

covert tips barely discernible

uppertail coverts

rump

BLUE TIT

pale bases to flight feathers

back

midwing

greater coverts

covert tips (visible on closed wing)

innerwing

wing coverts and secondaries

UNDERWING

flight feathers

PRIMARIES

SECONDARIES

forewing

‘wingpit’ (axillaries)

lesser and median coverts

UPPERWING SECONDARIES PRIMARIES

primary coverts

outerwing

hindwing

primary coverts and primaries

secondaries and inner primaries

back

wingtip

outer primaries

trailing edge

wing coverts greater median lesser

FIELDFARE

‘shoulder’

neck

nape

crown

wingtip (closed)

eyering forehead lore upper mandible

rump throat

uppertail coverts tail flank

alula belly

‘moustache’

chin

bill

cheek

breast

thigh

5 BB2 PP3.indd 5

3/5/20 10:59 AM

INTRODUCTION

How to use this book The book will help birdwatchers, whatever their level of experience and expertise, to identify the birds they see, using a simple step-by-step approach, comprehensive descriptions, essential comparisons and an unparalleled set of photographs. First, search the gallery of thumbnail images. Decide roughly what bird you are looking at – perhaps a duck, a gull, a woodpecker, or a small songbird. Then turn to the relevant section where possibilities can be narrowed down using the introductions to broad groups of birds. These briefly outline the species within each section, and subdivide them to focus more closely onto the right bird (and to highlight others that might need to be excluded). Alternatively, especially with more experience, simply scan through the book to find the most likely group, or to pinpoint the bird that looks like the best fit. The book’s 3,500+ photographs provide an incomparable set of images of British and Irish birds. They enable detailed comparisons of birds in similar poses and similar lighting and to scale. Browsing the pages will be a rewarding experience – but it is all too easy to go wrong. Bear in mind that colours can be affected by many factors, such as bright sunlight, dull conditions, or reflections from water or foliage. Close-up pictures showing such great detail also require careful interpretation. More distant birds (such as ducks on a lake on a dull day) show broader ‘patterns’. Occasionally, look at the pictures with halfclosed eyes, reducing colour and detail to more of a tonal pattern. Given a likely answer to your identification problem, check all the material on the pages – is the bird in the right location, in the right habitat, at the right season? Is there a commoner, or more likely, alternative? One feature might seem just right, but is it overruled by others – the tail colour, the wingbar, the bird’s size, or the shape of its bill? A single feature is never as reliable as an overall assessment. Mistakes are easily made by jumping to a wrong conclusion without checking all available facts, or looking carefully at all the bird’s features. Checking the texts and pictures against the bird as you watch is invaluable, but you may not have time: concentrate on the bird while you can. Taking photographs is helpful but may reduce the time you spend actually watching and enjoying the bird. Making notes and sketches ensures you look at the bird closely and systematically (you cannot note down the colour of the legs or bill, or undertail coverts, without looking at them first!), helps to build up an overall assessment of what it looks like, how it behaves and how it calls or sings, and, importantly, embeds this in your memory far more than pressing a camera shutter button. Many behavioural features are best learned by experience: for example, a small flock of black birds flying closely together may be Starlings, but not Blackbirds, which fly solitarily. A pair of finches flying side-by-side may be Bullfinches, or Goldfinches, but will be less likely to be Chaffinches. A flock of small birds flying fast and close together may be finches or sparrows, but not wagtails or pipits, which fly in much looser groups. Many species have distinctive behaviours or movements, such as wing and tail flicks, not all of which can be described in the space available. The book is arranged to allow close comparison of similar species. It begins with water birds (those that swim habitually) and moves via seabirds (from Gannet through shearwaters, petrels and auks to gulls and terns) to waterside birds, including those conventionally termed ‘waders’ (or shorebirds), followed by herons and egrets and ‘crakes and rails’. Following these are the grouse and partridges, pigeons, owls and birds of prey, a mixed group including kingfishers, cuckoos and woodpeckers, then the large and varied grouping known as Passerines, or ‘perching birds’.

6 BB2 PP3.indd 6

3/5/20 10:59 AM

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

A note on ageing This book uses a traditional terminology for the age of birds, rather than a ‘calendar year’ system, which may be less informative. If, for example, a young bird hatches in June, it will grow its first feathers – juvenile plumage – ready for its first flight. Much of this plumage is quickly replaced, usually all of the head and body feathers but with many of the wing and tail feathers retained. This is now ‘1st-winter’ plumage, which may last from August to March. There follows another moult, usually into a ‘1st-summer’ stage, which may be easily recognizable or only subtly different from an adult. An autumn moult, at just over one year old, produces a fully adult plumage or a further intermediate stage, ‘2nd-winter’. Thus, in its first calendar year, a bird may be in juvenile or 1st-winter plumage; in its second calendar year, it may be 1st-winter, 1st-summer or 2nd-winter (hence the calendar year does not indicate the bird’s appearance unless the date and stage of moult are known). The book has many pictures captioned ‘1st-winter’ and ‘1st-summer’, which may seem unnecessarily confusing. While wishing simply to show ‘breeding’ (or summer) and ‘non-breeding’ (winter) plumages, photographs reveal such detail that other plumage stages can often be identified, which have been labelled as accurately as possible. Most small birds have a short lifespan, high mortality and a high ‘turnover’, so in any breeding population in summer, a substantial proportion will be one-year old (‘1st-summer’ birds). These are labelled as ‘1st-summer’ rather than ‘Adult’, with minor differences described. For example, you may see male Blackbirds breeding in their first-summer, essentially looking like adults but with browner wings than older individuals. Note that some species, especially gulls, take two, three or four years to become fully mature: these are indicated by a ‘roundel’ symbol (e.g. 3 ) with the number of years indicated. The book has been designed with identification in mind, by grouping together similar-looking birds for ease of comparison and highlighting key features. It is structured to help you put a name to a bird by taking the minimum number of steps combined with careful observation.

The identification process

1   When you first see an unfamiliar bird, look carefully and try to note all the points relevant to an identification: if you can write them down, all the better. Now go to The types of bird (pages  10–15), a gallery that shows the range of birds found in Great Britain and Ireland. Glance through the relevant images and look for the one that most closely matches your bird, to get to the relevant group. 2   The page reference from your chosen image will take you to a group introduction or species account. For larger groupings, the introduction may refer you to a sub-group and, if needed, further subdivisions, gradually reducing the options before referring you to a handful of possibilities. 3   By now you should be in the part of the book that matches your bird. Details in the accounts should enable you to put a name to the species you are looking at. If something is not right then: a) refer back to the introductory section for that species group, where information on commonly confused groups/species can be found. b) consider the possibility of an exotic ‘escape’ or a rare bird. In the case of rare birds that look similar to more common species a page reference is given on a species accounts page.

7 BB2 PP3.indd 7

3/5/20 10:59 AM

INTRODUCTION

The species accounts The species accounts are divided into 30 broad sections . Each has an introduction summarizing the number of species recorded and their features common to the group . A few species have been introduced (e.g. Canada Goose, Pheasant, Little Owl) . Casual ‘escapes’ from collections cannot be predicted but some have ‘escaped’ from captivity and have bred ‘in the wild’ . Brief details are included of those that might become established, such as Black Swan . The categories are listed and explained on p. 538 . Technical jargon is avoided and everyday terms are used in the book, but a few specialist terms do help – for example ‘pale tips to the greater coverts’ is more precise than ‘spots on the wing’ . Sometimes judging relative lengths of tail, wingtip and tertials, for example, must be attempted – so knowing such feather groups is interesting, informative and invaluable (see page 5) . Such terms are explained in a group introduction where they are of particular relevance . As far as possible each species account is presented in a consistent manner, as explained below . Using the accounts A combination of factors is more likely to give an accurate identification than one or two features . Study the photographs, read the descriptions, but also check the status and habitat preferences . You may find that, for example, a ‘yellow’ wagtail is likely to be a Grey Wagtail at certain times of year; or that the brown owl in an Irish wood is probably a Long-eared, not a Tawny Owl . Any bird could occur almost anywhere, but overwhelmingly often the bird you see will be in the right place, in its proper habitat, at the right time of year . English name | Scientific name

Group (‘type’ of bird) Conservation status: IUCN Red List (see below)

VU

Divers in flight p. 79

Great Northern Diver Gavia immer L 73–88 cm | W 122–148 cm

Measurements

I

White-billed Diver

Largest regular diver. Bill deep, tapered, dagger-shaped, held horizontally; forehead often has ‘bump’ before crown. ADULT BREEDING head black, with patch of white stripes on neck; breast white. Back chequered with white (barred oval patches on Blackthroated Diver (p. 83)). NON-BREEDING recalls Cormorant (p. 80) but bill pointed, tail tiny; never stands out on dry perch. Bill grey/whitish, with dark upper edge (thicker than Black-throated Diver’s). White eyering and throat; cap and hindneck blacker than back (reverse of Blackthroated Diver); black half-collar; back has square pale bars; flank alldark. JUVENILE/IMMATURE like non-breeding adult but barred with square buff feather edges above and browner head. VOICE Calls sometimes heard away from breeding range in summer, especially quick, laughing sequence; also loud wails.

Overview and description Conservation status codes IUCN Red List (black/red border = included on European Red List)

PE PE Possibly Extinct

IN FLIGHT, big, heavy head barely drooped; large, protruding feet. Long, centrally set wings; dark flank band. Wingbeats whippier than smaller divers, but large bill and bulk best clues.

JUVENILE

RE Regionally Extinct CR CR Critically Endangered

JUVENILE/1ST-WINTER has broad pale bars above until Mar/Apr when plainer like ADULT

EN EN Endangered

square pale bars

JUVENILE/ 1ST-WINTER JUL–APR

544

Scarce winter visitor (3,000, Aug–May); few summer in far N; rare inland from Greenland

from Iceland

Ideally add Lapwing head

NT NT Near Threatened

cap and hindneck darker than back

BoCC (Red/Amber listed)

Mostly on sea, in sandy bays, estuaries

immatures in ‘non-breeding’ plumage occasionally seen in summer

Comparison species on same page are within a coloured background box

Annotations Highlighting key features (blue text if in flight)

back covered with white squares

Captions Age of image shown: a ♂ or ♀ symbol = an adult or breeding bird .

ADULT BREEDING APR–OCT

84 BB2 amends.indd 84

n All-year-round n Summer visitor n n Winter visitor nn Migrant n Rare migrant/vagrant Arrows show broad migration paths where applicable .

Habitat bill thicker, less bluish than Blackthroated Diver

in Britain

I / I in Ireland

Status Distribution map

‘bump’ on forehead

ADULT NON-BREEDING OCT–MAR

Legal protection

Status/distribution map codes

[Feb]

VU VU Vulnerable

/

Conservation status: BoCC (see opposite)

‘Rare beware’ CORMORANTS | DIVERS | GREBES | PELICANS

1/9/20 7:57 PM

date ranges, such as sep–mar, indicate the months in which a particular plumage may be seen (no range means all-year) .

[Dates] in square brackets indicate the month when photo was taken (for transitional plumages and where helpful) .

‘Rare beware’ 8

The ‘rare beware’ or ‘go to’ symbol indicates other species that are very similar or may be mistaken in some circumstances, and similar rare species that should be checked .

BB2 PP3.indd 8

3/5/20 10:59 AM

THE SPECIES ACCOUNTS English and scientific names Each species has a common English name and scientific name (in italics). Different font sizes are used to distinguish regular, scarce and rare species. l English names vary between authorities. This book generally uses those names recommended by the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) and adopted for the Irish List, as these are best known to most people. Other English names are shown (in brackets) if thay are in frequent usage. l The scientific name consists of two words – the first refers to the genus, which classifies those species that are closely related, the second refers to the species. The combination of these two words is unique to a species and applicable worldwide. A species can be variable in appearance and voice across its range and often these variations are classified as subspecies. These are identified using a third word and are covered in the relevant species accounts. In some cases where scientific names have changed as a result of recent taxonomic research the former name is included in brackets to prevent confusion.

The term ‘adult’ on its own may be taken to mean that sexes look alike; similarly, breeding/non-breeding plumages will be the same unless specified. Where helpful, a description of the bird IN FLIGHT follows, as well as VOICE, giving an approximation of calls and/or song. While vocalizations can be essential, writing them in words is difficult – they serve as useful aide mémoires if you have heard the bird already, or give a indication of what to expect.

NB a ◆ symbol after a name indicates that the species has only been recorded in Ireland.

Status The Status box indicates how common (or otherwise) the species is in Britain and Ireland, with an estimate of the population, and the time of year it is generally seen. Birds referred to as ‘migrants’ travel to and from Britain and Ireland, or pass through or close by, on an annual cycle. l Rare migrant: >1,000 records in total, or usually >100 recorded each year. l Very rare migrant: >300 records, or >50 recorded each year. l Vagrant describes a species that is off its usual migration route. The area of origin for these species is given. Numbers of records are given in close approximations (e.g.