Systematic List of the Birds of Islay
Red-throated Diver ~ Gavia stellata ~ All year - breeds
Black-throated Diver ~ Gavia arctica ~ All year - may have bred
Great Northern Diver ~ Gavia immer ~ All year, most in winter and spring
White-billed Diver ~ Gavia adamsii ~ Vagrant
Little Grebe ~ Tachybaptus ruficollis ~ All year - breeds
Great Crested Grebe ~ Podiceps cristatus ~ Scarce - has bred
Red-necked Grebe ~ Podiceps grisegena ~ Vagrant
Slavonian Grebe ~ Podiceps auritus ~ Aug–Mar(–Jun)
Black-necked Grebe ~ Podiceps nigricollis ~ Vagrant
Fulmar ~ Fulmarus glacialis ~ All year - breeds
Cory's Shearwater ~ Calonectris diomedea ~ Vagrant
Sooty Shearwater ~ Puffinus griseus ~ May–Oct, but mainly Jul–Sep
Manx Shearwater ~ Puffinus puffinus ~ All year, but mainly May–Oct
Balearic Shearwater ~ Puffinus yelkouan ~ Scarce passage – Aug–Oct(–Dec)
Little Shearwater ~ Puffinus assimilis ~ Vagrant
Storm Petrel ~ Hydrobates pelagicus ~ Mainly May–Nov, rare in other months
Leach's Petrel ~ Oceanodroma leucorhoa ~ Scarce – (Mar–)Aug–Oct(–Nov)
Gannet ~ Sula bassana ~ All year, but especially May–Oct
Cormorant ~ Phalacrocorax carbo ~ All year – small numbers may still breed
Shag ~ Phalacrocorax aristotelis ~ All year – breeds
Bittern ~ Botaurus stellaris ~ Vagrant
American Bittern ~ Botaurus lentiginosus ~ Vagrant
Little Egret ~ Egretta garzetta ~ Vagrant
Great White Egret ~ Egretta alba ~ Vagrant
Grey Heron ~ Ardea cinerea ~ All year – breeds
White Stork ~ Ciconia ciconia ~ Vagrant
Glossy Ibis ~ Plegadis falcinellus ~ Vagrant
Spoonbill ~ Platalea leucorodia ~ Vagrant
Mute Swan ~ Cygnus olor ~ All year - breeds
Bewick's Swan ~ Cygnus columbianus ~ Scarce - Oct–Apr
Whooper Swan ~ Cygnus cygnus ~ Oct–May - occasionally summers
Bean Goose ~ Anser fabalis ~ Vagrant
Pink-footed Goose ~ Anser brachyrhynchus ~ Sep–May
White-fronted Goose ~ Anser albifrons ~ (Sep–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Lesser White-fronted Goose ~ Anser erythropus ~ Vagrant
Greylag Goose ~ Anser anser ~ All year - breeds
Snow Goose ~ Anser caerulescens ~ Scarce - Oct–Apr
Canada Goose ~ Branta canadenis ~ Scarce, mainly winter - has bred
Barnacle Goose ~ Branta leucopsis ~ (Sep–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Brent Goose ~ Branta bernicla ~ Sep–May
Red-breasted Goose ~ Branta ruficollis ~ Vagrant
Shelduck ~ Tadorna tadorna ~ All year - breeds
Wigeon ~ Anas penelope ~ All year, but mainly Sep–Mar - has bred
American Wigeon ~ Anas americana ~ Vagrant
Gadwall ~ Anas strepera ~ Scarce, all year - has bred
Teal ~ Anas crecca ~ All year - breeds
Green-winged Teal ~ Anas carolinensis ~ Vagrant
Mallard ~ Anas platyrhynchos ~ All year - breeds
Pintail ~ Anas acuta ~ (Sep–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Garganey ~ Anas querquedula ~ Spring/summer vagrant - has bred
Shoveler ~ Anas clypeata ~ All year - breeds
Pochard ~ Aythya ferina ~ (Aug–)Sep–Apr(–May)
Ring-necked Duck ~ Aythya collaris ~ Vagrant
Tufted Duck ~ Aythya fuligula ~ All year - breeds
Scaup ~ Aythya marila ~ Aug–May
Lesser Scaup ~ Aythya affinis ~ Vagrant
Eider ~ Somateria mollissima ~ All year - breeds
King Eider ~ Somateria spectabilis ~ Vagrant
Harlequin Duck ~ Histrionicus histrionicus ~ Vagrant
Long-tailed Duck ~ Clangula hyemalis ~ Oct–May
Common Scoter ~ Melanitta nigra ~ All year - breeds
Surf Scoter ~ Melanitta perspicillata ~ Vagrant
Velvet Scoter ~ Melanitta fusca ~ Vagrant
Goldeneye ~ Bucephala clangula ~ (Aug–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Smew ~ Mergus albellus ~ Vagrant
Red-breasted Merganser ~ Mergus serrator ~ All year - breeds
Goosander ~ Mergus merganser ~ Scarce
Ruddy Duck ~ Oxyura jamaicensis ~ Vagrant
Honey Buzzard ~ Pernis apivorus ~ Vagrant
Red Kite ~ Milvus milvus ~ Scarce
White-tailed Eagle ~ Haliaeetus albicilla ~ Scarce
Marsh Harrier ~ Circus aeruginosus ~ Scarce
Hen Harrier ~ Circus cyaneus ~ All year - breeds
Goshawk ~ Accipiter gentilis ~ Vagrant
Sparrowhawk ~ Accipiter nisus ~ All year - breeds
Buzzard ~ Buteo buteo ~ All year - breeds
Rough-legged Buzzard ~ Buteo lagopus ~ Vagrant
Golden Eagle ~ Aquila chrysaetos ~ All year - breeds
Osprey ~ Pandion haliaetus ~ Scarce - Apr–Sep
Kestrel ~ Falco tinnunculus ~ All year - breeds
Merlin ~ Falco columbarius ~ All year - breeds
Hobby ~ Falco subbuteo ~ Vagrant
Gyrfalcon ~ Falco rusticolus ~ Vagrant
Peregrine ~ Falco peregrinus ~ All year - breeds
Red Grouse ~ Lagopus lagopus ~ All year - breeds
Ptarmigan ~ Lagopus mutus ~ Extinct - former breeder
Black Grouse ~ Tetrao tetrix ~ All year - breeds
Red-legged Partridge ~ Alectoris rufa ~ Introduced - breeds
Grey Partridge ~ Perdix perdix ~ Introduced - may sometimes breed
Quail ~ Coturnix coturnix ~ Vagrant
Pheasant ~ Phasianus colchicus ~ All year - breeds
Water Rail ~ Rallus aquaticus ~ All year - breeds
Spotted Crake ~ Porzana porzana ~ Scarce - has bred
Corncrake ~ Crex crex ~ (Apr–)May–Sep - breeds
Moorhen ~ Gallinula chloropus ~ All year - breeds
Coot ~ Fulica atra ~ Mainly Oct–Mar - formerly bred
Crane ~ Grus grus ~ Vagrant
Oystercatcher ~ Haematopus ostralegus ~ All year - breeds
Stone Curlew ~ Burhinus oedicnemus ~ Vagrant
Little Ringed Plover ~ Charadrius dubius ~ Vagrant
Ringed Plover ~ Charadrius hiaticula ~ All year - breeds
Dotterel ~ Charadrius morinellus ~ Apr–May and Aug–Sep - may have bred
Golden Plover ~ Pluvialis apricaria ~ All year - breeds
American Golden Plover ~ Pluvialis dominica ~ Vagrant
Grey Plover ~ Pluvialis squatarola ~ Passage and winter
Lapwing ~ Vanellus vanellus ~ All year - breeds
Knot ~ Calidris canutus ~ Passage and winter
Sanderling ~ Calidris alba ~ Passage and winter
Semipalmated Sandpiper ~ Calidris pusilla ~ Vagrant
Little Stint ~ Calidris minuta ~ Scarce - spring/autumn passage
Temminck's Stint ~ Calidris temminckii ~ Vagrant
White-rumped Sandpiper ~ Calidris fuscicollis ~ Vagrant
Baird's Sandpiper ~ Calidris bairdii ~ Vagrant
Pectoral Sandpiper ~ Calidris melanotus ~ Vagrant
Curlew Sandpiper ~ Calidris ferruginea ~ Scarce - spring/autumn passage
Purple Sandpiper ~ Calidris maritima ~ (Sep–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Dunlin ~ Calidris alpina ~ All year - breeds
Buff-breasted Sandpiper ~ Tryngites subruficollis ~ Vagrant
Ruff ~ Philomachus pugnax ~ Scarce - spring/autumn passage
Jack Snipe ~ Lymnocryptes minimus ~ Scarce - (Aug–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Snipe ~ Gallinago gallinago ~ All year - breeds
Long-billed Dowitcher ~ Limnodromus scolopaceus ~ Vagrant
Woodcock ~ Scolopax rusticola ~ All year - breeds
Black-tailed Godwit ~ Limosa limosa ~ Scarce - spring/autumn passage
Bar-tailed Godwit ~ Limosa lapponica ~ All year, especially Oct–Mar
Whimbrel ~ Numenius phaeopus ~ Passage migrant - Apr–Oct
Curlew ~ Numenius arquata ~ All year - breeds
Spotted Redshank ~ Tringa erythropus ~ Scarce - passage migrant
Redshank ~ Tringa totanus ~ All year - breeds
Greenshank ~ Tringa nebularia ~ All year
Lesser Yellowlegs ~ Tringa flavipes ~ Vagrant
Greater Yellowlegs ~ Tringa melanoleuca ~ Vagrant
Green Sandpiper ~ Tringa ochropus ~ Scarce - Mar–May and Jul–Nov
Wood Sandpiper ~ Tringa glareola ~ Scarce - Apr–Sep
Common Sandpiper ~ Actitis hypoleucos ~ Apr–Aug(–Sep) - breeds
Spotted Sandpiper ~ Actitis macularia ~ Vagrant
Turnstone ~ Arenaria interpres ~ All year, but mainly Aug–May
Red-necked Phalarope ~ Phalaropus lobatus ~ Vagrant
Grey Phalarope ~ Phalaropus fulicarius ~ Scarce - mainly passage migrant
Pomarine Skua ~ Stercorarius pomarinus ~ Scarce - passage
Arctic Skua ~ Stercorarius parasiticus ~ Mainly May–Oct - formerly bred
Long-tailed Skua ~ Stercorarius longicaudus ~ Vagrant
Great Skua ~ Stercorarius skua ~ Mainly autumn passage
Laughing Gull ~ Larus atricilla ~ Vagrant
Little Gull ~ Larus minutus ~ Scarce
Sabine's Gull ~ Larus sabini ~ Scarce - mainly autumn passage
Bonaparte's Gull ~ Larus philadelphia ~ Vagrant
Black-headed Gull ~ Larus ridibundus ~ All year - breeds
Ring-billed Gull ~ Larus delawarensis ~ Vagrant
Common Gull ~ Larus canus ~ All year - breeds
Lesser Black-backed Gull ~ Larus fuscus ~ (Feb–)Mar–Oct - breeds
Herring Gull ~ Larus argentatus ~ All year - breeds
Iceland Gull ~ Larus glaucoides ~ Scarce - any month
Glaucous Gull ~ Larus hyperboreus ~ Scarce - any month
Great Black-backed Gull ~ Larus marinus ~ All year - breeds
Ross's Gull ~ Rhodostethia roseus ~ Vagrant
Kittiwake ~ Rissa tridactyla ~ All year - breeds
Ivory Gull ~ Pagophila eburnea ~ Vagrant
Sandwich Tern ~ Sterna sandvicensis ~ Scarce - spring/autumn passage
Roseate Tern ~ Sterna dougallii ~ Vagrant
Common Tern ~ Sterna hirundo ~ Apr–Oct - breeds
Arctic Tern ~ Sterna paradisea ~ Apr–Oct - breeds
Little Tern ~ Sterna albifrons ~ Apr–Sep - breeds
Black Tern ~ Chlidonias hybridus ~ Vagrant
Guillemot ~ Uria aalge ~ Mainly Mar–Nov - breeds
Razorbill ~ Alca torda ~ Mainly Mar–Nov - breeds
Black Guillemot ~ Cepphus grylle ~ All year - breeds
Little Auk ~ Alle alle ~ Winter vagrant
Puffin ~ Fratercula arctica ~ Mainly Mar–Aug - ?breeds
Rock Dove ~ Columba livia ~ All year - breeds
Stock Dove ~ Columba oenas ~ Vagrant
Woodpigeon ~ Columba palumbus ~ All year - breeds
Collared Dove ~ Streptopelia decaocto ~ All year - breeds
Turtle Dove ~ Streptopelia turtur ~ Scarce - summer and autumn
Cuckoo ~ Cuculus canorus ~ Apr–Aug - breeds
Barn Owl ~ Tyto alba ~ All year - breeds
Snowy Owl ~ Nyctea scandiaca ~ Vagrant
Tawny Owl ~ Strix aluco ~ All year - breeds
Long-eared Owl ~ Asio otus ~ Scarce - has bred
Short-eared Owl ~ Asio flammeus ~ All year - breeds
Nightjar ~ Caprimulgus europaeus ~ Vagrant - has bred
Swift ~ Apus apus ~ Scarce - May–Oct
Kingfisher ~ Alcedo atthis ~ Scarce - may have bred
Bee-eater ~ Merops apiaster ~ Vagrant
Roller ~ Coracias garrulus ~ Vagrant
Hoopoe ~ Upupa epops ~ Vagrant
Wryneck ~ Jynx torquilla ~ Vagrant
Green Woodpecker ~ Picus viridis ~ Vagrant
Great Spotted Woodpecker ~ Dendrocopos major ~ Vagrant
Skylark ~ Alauda arvensis ~ All year - breeds
Shore Lark ~ Eremophila alpestris ~ Vagrant
Sand Martin ~ Riparia riparia ~ Mar–Sep(–Oct) - breeds
Swallow ~ Hirundo rustica ~ (Mar–)Apr–Oct(–Nov) - breeds
House Martin ~ Delichon urbica ~ Apr–Oct - breeds
Richard's Pipit ~ Anthus novaeseelandiae ~ Vagrant
Tree Pipit ~ Anthus trivialis ~ (Apr–)May–Oct - breeds
Meadow Pipit ~ Anthus pratensis ~ All year - breeds
Rock Pipit ~ Anthus spinoletta ~ All year - breeds
Yellow Wagtail ~ Motacilla flava ~ Vagrant - may have bred
Grey Wagtail ~ Motacilla cinerea ~ All year - breeds
Pied/White Wagtail ~ Motacilla alba yarrellii ~ All year - breeds
Waxwing ~ Bombycilla garrulus ~ Vagrant
Dipper ~ Cinclus cinclus ~ All year - breeds
Wren ~ Troglodytes troglodytes ~ All year - breeds
Dunnock ~ Prunella modularis ~ All year - breeds
Robin ~ Erithacus rubecula ~ All year - breeds
Nightingale ~ Luscinia megarhynchos ~ Vagrant
Black Redstart ~ Phoenicurus ochruros ~ Vagrant
Redstart ~ Phoenicurus phoenicurus ~ May–Oct(–Nov) - breeds or formerly bred
Whinchat ~ Saxicola rubetra ~ Apr–Oct - breeds
Stonechat ~ Saxicola torquata ~ All year - breeds
Wheatear ~ Oenanthe oenanthe ~ Mar–Oct(–Nov) - breeds
Ring Ouzel ~ Turdus torquatus ~ Apr–Nov - breeds
Blackbird ~ Turdus merula ~ All year - breeds
Fieldfare ~ Turdus pilaris ~ (Sep–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Song Thrush ~ Turdus philomelos ~ All year - breeds
Redwing ~ Turdus iliacus ~ (Sep–)Oct–Apr(–May)
Mistle Thrush ~ Turdus viscivorus ~ All year - breeds
Grasshopper Warbler ~ Locustella naevia ~ Apr–Aug - breeds
Sedge Warbler ~ Acrocephalus schoenobaenus ~ Apr–Sep - breeds
Reed Warbler ~ Acrocephalus scirpaceus ~ Vagrant
Icterine Warbler ~ Hippolais icterina ~ Vagrant
Lesser Whitethroat ~ Sylvia curruca ~ Vagrant
Whitethroat ~ Sylvia communis ~ Apr–Oct - breeds
Garden Warbler ~ Sylvia borin ~ May–Oct(–Nov) - may have bred
Blackcap ~ Sylvia atricapilla ~ Scarce - almost all year - breeds
Yellow-browed Warbler ~ Sylvia inornatus ~ Vagrant
Western/Eastern Bonelli's Warbler ~ Phylloscopus bonelli/orientalis ~ Vagrant
Wood Warbler ~ Phylloscopus sibilatrix ~ Apr–Aug - breeds
Chiffchaff ~ Phylloscopus collybita ~ Scarce - almost all year - breeds
Willow Warbler ~ Phylloscopus trochilus ~ Apr–Sep(–Oct) - breeds
Goldcrest ~ Regulus regulus ~ All year - breeds
Spotted Flycatcher ~ Muscicapa striata ~ May–Sep - breeds
Red-breasted Flycatcher ~ Ficedula parva ~ Vagrant
Pied Flycatcher ~ Ficedula hypoleuca ~ Vagrant
Long-tailed Tit ~ Aegithalos caudatus ~ All year - breeds
Coal Tit ~ Parus ater ~ All year - breeds
Blue Tit ~ Parus caeruleus ~ All year - breeds
Great Tit ~ Parus major ~ All year - breeds
Treecreeper ~ Certhia familiaris ~ All year - breeds
Golden Oriole ~ Oriolus oriolus ~ Vagrant
Red-backed Shrike ~ Lanius collurio ~ Vagrant
Great Grey Shrike ~ Lanius excubitor ~ Vagrant
Woodchat Shrike ~ Lanius senator ~ Vagrant
Jay ~ Garrulus glandarius ~ Vagrant
Magpie ~ Pica pica ~ Vagrant
Chough ~ Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax ~ All year - breeds
Jackdaw ~ Corvus monedula ~ All year - breeds
Rook ~ Corvus frugilegus ~ All year - breeds
Carrion Crow ~ Corvus corone ~ Scarce
Hooded Crow ~ Corvus cornix ~ All year - breeds
Raven ~ Corvus corax ~ All year - breeds
Starling ~ Sturnus vulgaris ~ All year - breeds
Rose-coloured Starling ~ Sturnus roseus ~ Vagrant
House Sparrow ~ Passer domesticus ~ All year - breeds
Tree Sparrow ~ Passer montanus ~ Vagrant - may have bred
Chaffinch ~ Fringilla coelebs ~ All year - breeds
Brambling ~ Fringilla montifringilla ~ Scarce winter
Greenfinch ~ Carduelis chloris ~ All year - breeds
Goldfinch ~ Carduelis carduelis ~ All year - breeds
Siskin ~ Carduelis spinus ~ All year - breeds
Linnet ~ Carduelis cannabina ~ All year - breeds
Twite ~ Carduelis flavirostris ~ All year - breeds
Lesser Redpoll ~ Carduelis cabaret ~ All year - breeds
Mealy Redpoll ~ Carduelis flammea ~ Vagrant
Arctic Redpoll ~ Carduelis hornemanni ~ Vagrant
Crossbill ~ Loxia curvirostra ~ Irregular any month - has bred
Common Rosefinch ~ Carpodacus erythrinus ~ Vagrant
Bullfinch ~ Pyrrhula pyrrhula ~ All year - breeds
Hawfinch ~ Coccothraustes coccothraustes ~ Vagrant
American Redstart ~ Setophaga ruticilla ~ Vagrant
Lapland Bunting ~ Calcarius lapponicus ~ Scarce
Snow Bunting ~ Plectrophenax nivalis ~ Scarce passage/winter
Yellowhammer ~ Emberiza citrinella ~ All year - breeds
Rustic Bunting ~ Emberiza rustica ~ Vagrant
Reed Bunting ~ Emberiza schoeniclus ~ All year - breeds
Black-headed Bunting ~ Emberiza melanocephala ~ Vagrant
Corn Bunting ~ Miliaria calandra ~ Vagrant - formerly bred
Brown-headed Cowbird ~ Molothrus ater ~ Vagrant
The following records are of escapes or presumed escapes ~ ~
Pelican sp. ~ Pelecanus sp. ~
Lesser White-fronted Goose ~ Anser erythropus ~
Red-breasted Goose ~ Branta ruficollis ~
Ruddy Shelduck ~ Tadorna ferruginea ~
Blue-winged Teal ~ Anas discors ~
Red-headed Bunting ~ Emberiza bruniceps ~
Tel: 01496 850010 or 07810 460 175
Email: info@islaybirding.co.uk
The Old Byre Main Street, Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay, PA48 7TX
