NI List

Northern Ireland List 2012
It has been decided to follow the categories described in the Checklist of the Birds of Ireland published by the Irish Rare Birds Committee in 1998, with only minor differences.  The categories used in both lists however correspond closely (with only minor differences to categories C and D). This list follows the taxonomy and nomenclature of K.H. Voous (1977) and as subsequently modified in reports of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee published in Ibis and British Birds.  However, it has been decided to keep those common names which are generally used by Irish observers without ambiguity. These categories and their meanings are listed below:

• CATEGORY A: Species that have been recorded in an apparently natural state in Northern Ireland at least once since 1st January 1950

• CATEGORY B: Species that have been recorded in an apparently natural state in Northern Ireland at least once up to 31st December 1949, but have not been recorded subsequently.

• CATEGORY C1: Species that, although originally introduced by man, have established feral breeding populations in Northern Ireland which apparently maintain themselves without necessary recourse to further introduction.

• CATEGORY C2: Species that have occurred, but are considered to have originated from feral populations outside Northern Ireland.

• CATEGORY D1: Species that would otherwise appear in A or B except that there is a reasonable doubt that they have ever occurred in a natural state.

• CATEGORY D2: Species that have arrived through ship or other human assistance.

• CATEGORY D3: Species that have only ever been found dead on the tideline.

• CATEGORY D4: Species that would otherwise appear in Category C1 except that there is doubt about whether their feral populations are self-supporting.

• CATEGORY E: Species that have been recorded as introductions, transportees or escapes from captivity.

NIBA collects data, where possible, on the status of all apparently wild birds occurring in Northern Ireland, and not just rarities. Thus observers are urged to record details of accurate census data on wildfowl and waders, breeding censuses of seabirds, birds seen outside their normal range, population increases and decreases and early and late arrivals of migrants.

NIBA supports CEDaR (Centre for Environmental Data and Recording) in the Ulster Museum in Belfast. With support from Northern Ireland Environment Agency, information relating to geology and the distribution of fauna and flora is held centrally on computer. This is made available for research, conservation and education purposes. However, the confidentiality of sensitive data is assured. Copeland Bird Observatory, The Raptor Study Group, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology all contribute data to CEDaR.

Common name International name Scientific name Category Mute Swan Cygnus olor AC1 Bewick’s Swan Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus A Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A Bean Goose Anser fabalis A Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus A White-fronted Goose Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A Greylag Goose Anser anser AC1 Snow Goose Anser caerulescens A Greater Canada Goose Canada Goose Branta canadensis C1 Lesser Canada Goose Cackling Goose Branta hutchsinii A Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis AC1 Brent Goose Brant Goose Branta bernicla A Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea BD1 Shelduck Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna A Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata C1 Wigeon Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope A American Wigeon Anas americana A Gadwall Anas strepera A Teal Eurasian Teal Anas crecca A Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis A Mallard Anas platyrhynchos AC1 Pintail Northern Pintail Anas acuta A Garganey Anas querquedula A Blue-winged Teal Anas discors A Shoveler Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata A Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina A Pochard Common Pochard Aythya ferina A Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris A Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca A Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula A Scaup Greater Scaup Aythya marila A Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis A Eider Common Eider Somateria mollissima A King Eider Somateria spectabilis A Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A Common Scoter Black Scoter Melanitta nigra A Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata A Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca A Barrow’s Goldeneye Bucephala islandica A Goldeneye Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula A Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus A Smew Mergellus albellus A Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator A Goosander Common Merganser Mergus merganser A Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis C1C2 Red Grouse Willow Ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus A Capercaillie Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus B Grey Partridge Perdix perdix AE Quail Common Quail Coturnix coturnix A Pheasant Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus C1 Red-throated Diver Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata A Black-throated Diver Black-throated Loon Gavia arctica A Great Northern Diver Great Northern Loon Gavia immer A White-billed Diver Yellow-billed Loon Gavia adamsii A Fulmar Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis A Fea’s Petrel/Zino's Petrel Pterodroma feae/madeira A Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea A Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis A Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus A Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus A Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus A Macaronesian Shearwater Puffinus baroli A Wilson’s Petrel Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus A Storm Petrel European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus A Leach’s Petrel Leach’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa A Gannet Northern Gannet Morus bassanus A Cormorant Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo A Shag European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis A Bittern Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris A American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus B Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus A Night-Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax           A Squacco Heron Cattle Egret Ardeola ralloides     Bubulcus ibis          A A Little Egret Egretta garzetta A Great White Egret Great Egret Ardea alba A Grey Heron Purple Heron Ardea cinerea Ardea purpurea A A  White Stork Ciconia ciconia A Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus B Spoonbill Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia A Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis A Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus A Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena A Slavonian Grebe Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus A Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis A Honey-buzzard European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus A Black Kite Milvus migrans A Red Kite Milvus milvus AC2E White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla BC2E Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus A Marsh Harrier Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus A Hen Harrier Pallid Harrier Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Circus macrourus A A Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus A Goshawk Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis A Sparrowhawk Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus A Buzzard Common Buzzard Buteo buteo A Rough-legged Buzzard Roughleg Buteo lagopus A Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos AE Osprey Pandion haliaetus A Kestrel Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus A Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus A Merlin Falco columbarius A Hobby Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo A Gyr Falcon Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus A Peregrine  Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus A Water Rail Rallus aquaticus A Spotted Crake Porzana porzana A Corncrake Corn Crake Crex crex A Moorhen Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus A Coot Common Coot Fulica atra A Crane Common Crane Grus grus A Oystercatcher Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus A Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus A Avocet Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta A Stone-curlew Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus B Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola A Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni A Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius A Ringed Plover Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula A Killdeer Charadrius vociferus A Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus A Dotterel Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus                  A American Golden Plover     Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Pluvialis fulva A A Golden Plover European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria A Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola A Lapwing Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus A Knot Red Knot Calidris canutus A Sanderling Calidris alba A Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla A Little Stint Calidris minuta A Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii A White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis A Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii A Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos A Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea A Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus A Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima A Dunlin Calidris alpina A Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus A Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis A Ruff Philomachus pugnax A Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus A Snipe Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago A Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata A Great Snipe Gallinago media A Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus A Woodcock Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola A Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa A Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica A Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus A Curlew Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata A Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda A Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos A Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius A Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus A Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus A Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca A Greenshank Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia A Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes A Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola A Redshank Common Redshank Tringa totanus A Turnstone Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres A Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor A Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus A Grey Phalarope Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius A Pomarine Skua Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus A Arctic Skua Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus A Long-tailed Skua Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus A Great Skua Stercorarius skua A Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea A Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini A Kittiwake Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla A Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia A Black-headed Gull Common Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus A Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus A Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea A Laughing Gull Larus atricilla A Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan A Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus A Common Gull Mew Gull Larus canus A Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis A Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus A Herring Gull Larus argentatus A Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis A Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans A American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus A Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides A Thayer's Gull Larus thayeri A Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus A Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus A Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus A Little Tern Sternula albifrons A Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica A Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida A Black Tern Chlidonias niger A White-winged Black Tern White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus A Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis A Elegant Tern Sterna elegans A Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri A Common Tern Sterna hirundo A Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii A Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea A Guillemot Common Murre Uria aalge A Razorbill Alca torda A Great Auk  Pinguinus impennis B Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle A Little Auk Alle alle A Puffin Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica A Pallas’s Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus B Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon Common Pigeon Columba livia A Stock Dove Columba oenas A Woodpigeon Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus A Collared Dove Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto A Turtle Dove European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur A Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius A Cuckoo Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus A Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus B Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus A Barn Owl Tyto alba A Scops Owl Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops A Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus A Little Owl Athene noctua C2 Long-eared Owl Asio otus A Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A Nightjar European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus A Swift Common Swift Apus apus A Pallid Swift Apus pallidus B Alpine Swift Apus melba A Kingfisher Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis A Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon A Bee-eater European Bee-eater Merops apiaster A Roller European Roller Coracias garrulus A Hoopoe Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops A Wryneck Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla A Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major A Golden Oriole Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus A Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio A Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor A Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator A Chough Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax A Magpie Eurasian Magpie Pica pica A Jay Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius A Jackdaw Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula A Rook Corvus frugilegus A Carrion Crow Corvus corone A Hooded Crow Corvus cornix A Raven Northern Raven Corvus corax A Goldcrest Regulus regulus A Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla A Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus A Great Tit Parus major A Coal Tit Periparus ater A Short-toed Lark Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla A Woodlark Wood Lark Lullula arborea B Skylark Sky Lark Alauda arvensis A Shore Lark Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris A Sand Martin Riparia riparia A Swallow Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica A House Martin Common House Martin Delichon urbicum A Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica A Long-tailed Tit Long-tailed Bushtit Aegithalos caudatus A Pallas’s Warbler Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus A Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus A Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi A Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix A Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita A Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus A Blackcap Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla A Garden Warbler Sylvia borin A Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria A Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca A Whitethroat Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis A Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans A Grasshopper Warbler Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia A Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina A Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta A Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus A Reed Warbler Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus A Waxwing Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus A Treecreeper Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris A Wren Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes A Starling Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris A Rose-coloured Starling Rosy Starling Pastor roseus A Dipper White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus A White’s Thrush Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma A Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus A Blackbird Common Blackbird Turdus merula A Fieldfare Turdus pilaris A Song Thrush Turdus philomelos A Redwing Turdus iliacus A Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus A American Robin Turdus migratorius A Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata A Robin European Robin Erithacus rubecula A Nightingale Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos A Bluethroat Luscinia svecica A Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros A Redstart Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus A Whinchat Saxicola rubetra A Stonechat Eurasian Stonechat Saxicola torquatus A Wheatear Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe A Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva A Pied Flycatcher Eurasian Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca A Dunnock Prunella modularis A House Sparrow Passer domesticus A Tree Sparrow Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus A Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava A Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola A Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A Pied Wagtail White Wagtail Motacilla alba A Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi A Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris A Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis A Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis A Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus A Rock Pipit Eurasian Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus A Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta A Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens A Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs A Brambling Fringilla montifringilla A Greenfinch European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris A Goldfinch European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis A Siskin Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus A Linnet Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina A Twite Carduelis flavirostris A Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret A Mealy Redpoll Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea A Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera B Common Crossbill Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra A Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus A Bullfinch Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula A Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes A Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis A Lapland Bunting Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus A Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea A Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca A White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis A Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis A Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella A Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica A Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla A Reed Bunting Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala A Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra A Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia A Category D Wood Duck Aix sponsa D1 Baikal Teal Anas formosa D1 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus D1 Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa D4 Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennata D1 Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps D1