Highland Birds
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The Highland List

The Highland list follows the IOC World Bird List version 11.1, only those species in BOU categories A, B and C are included within it.

The Highland list stands at 378 species, this includes 371 Category A species, 2 Category B species and 5 Category C species.

This list was compiled by Bob McMillan and Peter Stronach.

This page was updated on 19th October 2024.

English name

Capercaillie
Black Grouse
Ptarmigan
Red Grouse
Red-legged Partridge
Grey Partridge
Quail
Pheasant
Brent Goose
Red-breasted Goose
Canada Goose
Barnacle Goose
Cackling Goose
Snow Goose
Greylag Goose
Taiga Bean Goose
Pink-footed Goose
Tundra Bean Goose
White-fronted Goose
Mute Swan
Bewick's Swan
Whooper Swan
Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck
Mandarin Duck
Garganey
Blue-winged Teal
Shoveler
Gadwall
Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Black Duck
Pintail
Teal
Green-winged Teal
Red-crested Pochard
Pochard
Ferruginous Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Tufted Duck
Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Steller's Eider
King Eider
Eider
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Velvet Scoter
Common Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Goldeneye
Smew
Goosander
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Nightjar
Alpine Swift
Swift
Pallid Swift
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Pallas's Sandgrouse
Rock Dove
Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
Turtle Dove
Oriental Turtle Dove
Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Water Rail
Corncrake
Spotted Crake
Moorhen
Coot
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Crane
Little Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Stone-curlew
Oystercatcher
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Lapwing
Golden Plover
American Golden Plover
Grey Plover
Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Greater Sand Plover
Dotterel
Whimbrel
Curlew
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
Turnstone
Knot
Ruff
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint
Sanderling
Dunlin
Purple Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Little Stint
White-rumped Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Woodcock
Jack Snipe
Great Snipe
Snipe
Terek Sandpiper
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Grey Phalarope
Common Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Redshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Spotted Redshank
Greenshank
Greater Yellowlegs
Kittiwake
Ivory Gull
Sabine's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Black-headed Gull
Little Gull
Ross's Gull
Laughing Gull
Franklin's Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Common Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull
Herring Gull
American Herring Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Little Tern
Bridled Tern
Roseate Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Black Tern
Great Skua
Pomarine Skua
Arctic Skua
Long-tailed Skua
Little Auk
Brünnich's Guillemot
Common Guillemot
Razorbill
Great Auk
Black Guillemot
Puffin
Red-throated Diver
Black-throated Diver
Great Northern Diver
White-billed Diver
Black-browed Albatross
Storm Petrel
Leach's Petrel
Fulmar
Cory's Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Manx Shearwater
Balearic Shearwater
Black Stork
White Stork
Gannet
Brown Booby
Shag
Cormorant
Glossy Ibis
Spoonbill
Bittern
Little Bittern
Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Great White Egret
Little Egret
Osprey
Honey-buzzard
Short-toed Eagle
Golden Eagle
Sparrowhawk
Goshawk
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Northern Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Red Kite
Black Kite
White-tailed Eagle
Rough-legged Buzzard
Buzzard
Barn Owl
Scops Owl
Snowy Owl
Tawny Owl
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Hoopoe
Roller
Kingfisher
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Bee-eater
Wryneck
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Merlin
Hobby
Gyr Falcon
Peregrine
Red-backed Shrike
Lesser Grey Shrike
Great Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
Golden Oriole
Jay
Magpie
Nutcracker
Chough
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Raven
Waxwing
Coal Tit
Crested Tit
Willow Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Woodlark
Skylark
Shore Lark
Short-toed Lark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Red-rumped Swallow
American Cliff Swallow
Long-tailed Tit
Wood Warbler
Hume's Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Pallas's Warbler
Dusky Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Iberian Chiffchaff
Greenish Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Blyth's Reed Warbler
Reed Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
River Warbler
Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Barred Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Western Orphean Warbler
Whitethroat
Subalpine Warbler
Firecrest
Goldcrest
Wren
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Rose-coloured Starling
Starling
White's Thrush
Veery
Ring Ouzel
Blackbird
Eyebrowed Thrush
Black-throated Thrush
Fieldfare
Redwing
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
American Robin
Spotted Flycatcher
Robin
Bluethroat
Nightingale
Red-flanked Bluetail
Pied Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Black Redstart
Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Wheatear
Desert Wheatear
Dipper
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Siberian Accentor
Dunnock
Yellow Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Richard's Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Tree Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Water Pipit
Rock Pipit
Chaffinch
Brambling
Evening Grosbeak
Hawfinch
Bullfinch
Trumpeter Finch
Common Rosefinch
Greenfinch
Twite
Linnet
Common Redpoll
Lesser Redpoll
Arctic Redpoll
Parrot Crossbill
Scottish Crossbill
Crossbill
Two-barred Crossbill
Goldfinch
Serin
Siskin
Lapland Bunting
Snow Bunting
Corn Bunting
Yellowhammer
Pine Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Little Bunting
Rustic Bunting
Yellow-breasted Bunting
Black-headed Bunting
Reed Bunting
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Blackpoll Warbler
Scientific name

Tetrao urogallus
Lyrurus tetrix
Lagopus muta
Lagopus lagopus
Alectoris rufa
Perdix perdix
Coturnix coturnix
Phasianus colchicus
Branta bernicla
Branta ruficollis
Branta canadensis
Branta leucopsis
Branta hutchinsii
Anser caerulescens
Anser anser
Anser fabalis
Anser brachyrhynchus
Anser serrirostris
Anser albifrons
Cygnus olor
Cygnus columbianus
Cygnus cygnus
Tadorna tadorna
Tadorna ferruginea
Aix galericulata
Spatula querquedula
Spatula discors
Spatula clypeata
Mareca strepera
Mareca penelope
Mareca americana
Anas platyrhynchos
Anas rubripes
Anas acuta
Anas crecca
Anas carolinensis
Netta rufina
Aythya ferina
Aythya nyroca
Aythya collaris
Aythya fuligula
Aythya marila
Aythya affinis
Polysticta stelleri
Somateria spectabilis
Somateria mollissima
Histrionicus histrionicus
Melanitta perspicillata
Melanitta fusca
Melanitta nigra
Melanitta americana
Clangula hyemalis
Bucephala albeola
Bucephala clangula
Mergellus albellus
Mergus merganser
Mergus serrator
Oxyura jamaicensis
Caprimulgus europaeus
Tachymarptis melba
Apus apus
Apus pallidus
Coccyzus americanus
Cuculus canorus
Syrrhaptes paradoxus
Columba livia
Columba oenas
Columba palumbus
Streptopelia turtur
Streptopelia orientalis
Streptopelia decaocto
Zenaida macroura
Rallus aquaticus
Crex crex
Porzana porzana
Gallinula chloropus
Fulica atra
Fulica americana
Antigone canadensis
Grus grus
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Podilymbus podiceps
Podiceps grisegena
Podiceps cristatus
Podiceps auritus
Podiceps nigricollis
Burhinus oedicnemus
Haematopus ostralegus
Himantopus himantopus
Recurvirostra avosetta
Vanellus vanellus
Pluvialis apricaria
Pluvialis dominica
Pluvialis squatarola
Charadrius hiaticula
Charadrius dubius
Charadrius alexandrinus
Charadrius leschenaultii
Charadrius morinellus
Numenius phaeopus
Numenius arquata
Limosa lapponica
Limosa limosa
Arenaria interpres
Calidris canutus
Calidris pugnax
Calidris falcinellus
Calidris himantopus
Calidris ferruginea
Calidris temminckii
Calidris alba
Calidris alpina
Calidris maritima
Calidris bairdii
Calidris minuta
Calidris fuscicollis
Calidris subruficollis
Calidris melanotos
Calidris pusilla
Limnodromus scolopaceus
Scolopax rusticola
Lymnocryptes minimus
Gallinago media
Gallinago gallinago
Xenus cinereus
Phalaropus tricolor
Phalaropus lobatus
Phalaropus fulicarius
Actitis hypoleucos
Actitis macularius
Tringa ochropus
Tringa flavipes
Tringa totanus
Tringa stagnatilis
Tringa glareola
Tringa erythropus
Tringa nebularia
Tringa melanoleuca
Rissa tridactyla
Pagophila eburnea
Xema sabini
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Hydrocoloeus minutus
Rhodostethia rosea
Leucophaeus atricilla
Leucophaeus pipixcan
Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
Larus canus
Larus delawarensis
Larus marinus
Larus hyperboreus
Larus glaucoides
Larus argentatus
Larus smithsonianus
Larus michahellis
Larus fuscus
Thalasseus sandvicensis
Sternula albifrons
Onychoprion anaethetus
Sterna dougallii
Sterna hirundo
Sterna paradisaea
Chlidonias leucopterus
Chlidonias niger
Stercorarius skua
Stercorarius pomarinus
Stercorarius parasiticus
Stercorarius longicaudus
Alle alle
Uria lomvia
Uria aalge
Alca torda
Pinguinus impennis
Cepphus grylle
Fratercula arctica
Gavia stellata
Gavia arctica
Gavia immer
Gavia adamsii
Thalassarche melanophris
Hydrobates pelagicus
Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Fulmarus glacialis
Calonectris borealis
Ardenna grisea
Ardenna gravis
Puffinus puffinus
Puffinus mauretanicus
Ciconia nigra
Ciconia ciconia
Morus bassanus
Sula leucogaster
Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Phalacrocorax carbo
Plegadis falcinellus
Platalea leucorodia
Botaurus stellaris
Ixobrychus minutus
Nycticorax nycticorax
Bubulcus ibis
Ardea cinerea
Ardea purpurea
Ardea alba
Egretta garzetta
Pandion haliaetus
Pernis apivorus
Circaetus gallicus
Aquila chrysaetos
Accipiter nisus
Accipiter gentilis
Circus aeruginosus
Circus cyaneus
Circus hudsonius
Circus macrourus
Circus pygargus
Milvus milvus
Milvus migrans
Haliaeetus albicilla
Buteo lagopus
Buteo buteo
Tyto alba
Otus scops
Bubo scandiacus
Strix aluco
Asio otus
Asio flammeus
Upupa epops
Coracias garrulus
Alcedo atthis
Merops persicus
Merops apiaster
Jynx torquilla
Dendrocopos major
Picus viridis
Falco tinnunculus
Falco vespertinus
Falco columbarius
Falco subbuteo
Falco rusticolus
Falco peregrinus
Lanius collurio
Lanius minor
Lanius excubitor
Lanius senator
Oriolus oriolus
Garrulus glandarius
Pica pica
Nucifraga caryocatactes
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Coloeus monedula
Corvus frugilegus
Corvus corone
Corvus cornix
Corvus corax
Bombycilla garrulus
Periparus ater
Lophophanes cristatus
Poecile montanus
Cyanistes caeruleus
Parus major
Lullula arborea
Alauda arvensis
Eremophila alpestris
Calandrella brachydactyla
Riparia riparia
Hirundo rustica
Delichon urbicum
Cecropis daurica
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Aegithalos caudatus
Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Phylloscopus humei
Phylloscopus inornatus
Phylloscopus proregulus
Phylloscopus fuscatus
Phylloscopus trochilus
Phylloscopus collybita
Phylloscopus ibericus
Phylloscopus trochiloides
Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Acrocephalus dumetorum
Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Acrocephalus palustris
Hippolais icterina
Locustella naevia
Locustella fluviatilis
Sylvia atricapilla
Sylvia borin
Sylvia nisoria
Sylvia curruca
Sylvia hortensis
Sylvia communis
Sylvia cantillans
Regulus ignicapilla
Regulus regulus
Troglodytes troglodytes
Sitta europaea
Certhia familiaris
Pastor roseus
Sturnus vulgaris
Zoothera aurea
Catharus fuscescens
Turdus torquatus
Turdus merula
Turdus obscurus
Turdus atrogularis
Turdus pilaris
Turdus iliacus
Turdus philomelos
Turdus viscivorus
Turdus migratorius
Muscicapa striata
Erithacus rubecula
Luscinia svecica
Luscinia megarhynchos
Tarsiger cyanurus
Ficedula hypoleuca
Ficedula albicollis
Ficedula parva
Phoenicurus ochruros
Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Saxicola rubetra
Saxicola rubicola
Oenanthe oenanthe
Oenanthe deserti
Cinclus cinclus
Passer domesticus
Passer montanus
Prunella montanella
Prunella modularis
Motacilla flava
Motacilla tschutschensis
Motacilla citreola
Motacilla cinerea
Motacilla alba
Anthus richardi
Anthus pratensis
Anthus trivialis
Anthus hodgsoni
Anthus cervinus
Anthus spinoletta
Anthus petrosus
Fringilla coelebs
Fringilla montifringilla
Hesperiphona vespertina
Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Bucanetes githagineus
Carpodacus erythrinus
Chloris chloris
Linaria flavirostris
Linaria cannabina
Acanthis flammea
Acanthis cabaret
Acanthis hornemanni
Loxia pytyopsittacus
Loxia scotica
Loxia curvirostra
Loxia leucoptera
Carduelis carduelis
Serinus serinus
Spinus spinus
Calcarius lapponicus
Plectrophenax nivalis
Emberiza calandra
Emberiza citrinella
Emberiza leucocephalos
Emberiza hortulana
Emberiza pusilla
Emberiza rustica
Emberiza aureola
Emberiza melanocephala
Emberiza schoeniclus
Zonotrichia albicollis
Junco hyemalis
Setophaga striata

BOU category

C3E*
AE
A
A
C1E*
AC2E*
AE*
C1E*
AE
AE*
AC2E*
AC2E*
AE
AC2E*
AC2C4E*
AE*
AE*
AE
AE*
AC2
AE
AE*
A
BDE*
C1E*
A
AE*
A
AC2E*
AE*
AE
AC2C4E*
A
AE
A
A
AC2E*
AE*
AE
AE
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
AE
AE*
A
A
A
C1E*
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
AC4E*
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
AE*
A
A
A
A
A
AE*
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
AE
A
A
A
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A
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A
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AE
A
A
A
A
AE
AE
A
A
AE*
AE
A
A
A
A
AE*
A
A
AE
A
AC3E*
A
A
A
A
A
AC3E*
AE
AC3E*
AE
AE*
AE*
A
AE
A
A
A
AE
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
AE
AE
A
A
AE
A
A
A
A
A
AE*
A
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A
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AE
A
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Picture



​Looking after Highland's birds


  • Sightings
    • 2024 >
      • August 2024
      • July 2024
      • June 2024
      • May 2024
      • April 2024
    • 2020 >
      • January 2020
      • February 2020
      • March 2020
      • April 2020
      • May 2020
      • June 2020
      • July 2020
      • August 2020
      • September 2020
      • October 2020
      • November 2020
      • December 2020
    • 2019 >
      • January 2019
      • February 2019
      • March 2019
      • April 2019
      • May 2019
      • June 2019
      • July 2019
      • August 2019
      • September 2019
      • October 2019
      • November 2019
      • December 2019
    • 2018 >
      • January 2018
      • February 2018
      • March 2018
      • April 2018
      • May 2018
      • June 2018
      • July 2018
      • August 2018
      • September 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
      • December 2018
    • 2017 >
      • January 2017
      • February 2017
      • March 2017
      • April 2017
      • May 2017
      • June 2017
      • July 2017
      • August 2017
      • September 2017
      • October 2017
      • November 2017
      • December 2017
    • 2016 >
      • January 2016
      • February 2016
      • March 2016
      • April 2016
      • May 2016
      • June 2016
      • July 2016
      • August 2016
      • September 2016
      • October 2016
      • November 2016
      • December 2016
  • Recording
    • The Highland List
    • The Highland Recording Area
    • Submitting records >
      • Rarities
      • HRC description species
      • Highland SOC Species Focus 2021
      • Gazetteer
  • Blog
  • Events
    • Evening talks
    • Field trips
  • Where to go
    • Inverness-shire >
      • Fort George and Whiteness
      • In and around Inverness
    • Badenoch and Strathspey >
      • Speyside in general
      • Badenoch and Strathspey
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