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British List (BOURC)

The official British List is maintained by the British Ornithologist's Union's Records Committee (BOURC) and can be viewed at www.bou.org.uk/recgen.html.

For more information, click on a species listed below, or click a letter to jump to that part of the list, or use the form below to shorten the list. Click a column heading to change the sort order.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Common name	Scientific name	BirdGuides rarity level	Cat.

Accentor, Alpine	Prunella collaris	Mega	A
Albatross, Black-browed	Thalassarche melanophris	Mega	A
Auk, Great	Pinguinus impennis	Ungraded	B
Auk, Little	Alle alle	Local	A
Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta	Local	A
Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked	Merops persicus	Mega	A
Bee-eater, European	Merops apiaster	Scarce	A
Bittern	Botaurus stellaris	Local	A
Bittern, American	Botaurus lentiginosus	Mega	A
Bittern, Little	Ixobrychus minutus	Rare	A
Blackbird	Turdus merula	Common	A
Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla	Common	A
Bluetail, Red-flanked	Tarsiger cyanurus	Mega	A
Bluethroat	Luscinia svecica	Scarce	A
Bobolink	Dolichonyx oryzivorus	Mega	A
Brambling	Fringilla montifringilla	Common	A
Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	Mega	A
Bullfinch	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Common	A
Bunting, Black-faced	Emberiza spodocephala	Mega	A
Bunting, Black-headed	Emberiza melanocephala	Rare	A
Bunting, Chestnut-eared	Emberiza fucata	Mega	A
Bunting, Cirl	Emberiza cirlus	Local	A
Bunting, Corn	Emberiza calandra	Common	A
Bunting, Cretzschmar's	Emberiza caesia	Mega	A
Bunting, Indigo	Passerina cyanea	Mega	A
Bunting, Lapland	Calcarius lapponicus	Local	A
Bunting, Little	Emberiza pusilla	Scarce	A
Bunting, Ortolan	Emberiza hortulana	Scarce	A
Bunting, Pallas's Reed	Emberiza pallasi	Mega	A
Bunting, Pine	Emberiza leucocephalos	Mega	A
Bunting, Reed	Emberiza schoeniclus	Common	A
Bunting, Rock	Emberiza cia	Mega	A
Bunting, Rustic	Emberiza rustica	Scarce	A
Bunting, Snow	Plectrophenax nivalis	Local	A
Bunting, Yellow-breasted	Emberiza aureola	Rare	A
Bunting, Yellow-browed	Emberiza chrysophrys	Mega	A
Bustard, Great	Otis tarda	Rare	A
Bustard, Little	Tetrax tetrax	Mega	A
Bustard, Macqueen's	Chlamydotis macqueenii	Mega	A
Buzzard, Common	Buteo buteo	Common	A
Buzzard, Honey	Pernis apivorus	Scarce	A
Buzzard, Rough-legged	Buteo lagopus	Scarce	A
Canvasback	Aythya valisineria	Mega	A
Capercaillie	Tetrao urogallus	Local	BC3
Catbird, Gray	Dumetella carolinensis	Mega	A
Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	Common	A
Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	Common	A
Chiffchaff, Iberian	Phylloscopus ibericus	Mega	A
Chough	Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax	Local	A
Cisticola, Zitting	Cisticola juncidis	Mega	A
Coot	Fulica atra	Common	A
Coot, American	Fulica americana	Mega	A
Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	Common	A
Cormorant, Double-crested	Phalacrocorax auritus	Mega	A
Corncrake	Crex crex	Local	A
Courser, Cream-coloured	Cursorius cursor	Mega	A
Cowbird, Brown-headed	Molothrus ater	Mega	A
Crake, Baillon's	Porzana pusilla	Mega	A
Crake, Little	Porzana parva	Mega	A
Crake, Spotted	Porzana porzana	Scarce	A
Crane, Common	Grus grus	Scarce	A
Crane, Sandhill	Grus canadensis	Mega	A
Crossbill, Common	Loxia curvirostra	Common	A
Crossbill, Parrot	Loxia pytyopsittacus	Rare	A
Crossbill, Scottish	Loxia scotica	Local	A
Crossbill, Two-barred	Loxia leucoptera	Rare	A
Crow, Carrion	Corvus corone	Common	A
Crow, Hooded	Corvus cornix	Local	A
Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus	Common	A
Cuckoo, Black-billed	Coccyzus erythrophthalmus	Mega	A
Cuckoo, Great Spotted	Clamator glandarius	Rare	A
Cuckoo, Yellow-billed	Coccyzus americanus	Mega	A
Curlew	Numenius arquata	Common	A
Curlew, Eskimo	Numenius borealis	Mega	B
Curlew, Little	Numenius minutus	Mega	A
Curlew, Slender-billed	Numenius tenuirostris	Mega	A
Curlew, Stone	Burhinus oedicnemus	Scarce	A
Dipper	Cinclus cinclus	Common	A
Diver, Black-throated	Gavia arctica	Local	A
Diver, Great Northern	Gavia immer	Local	A
Diver, Red-throated	Gavia stellata	Local	A
Diver, White-billed	Gavia adamsii	Rare	A
Dotterel	Charadrius morinellus	Local	A
Dove, Collared	Streptopelia decaocto	Common	A
Dove, Mourning	Zenaida macroura	Mega	A
Dove, Oriental (Rufous) Turtle	Streptopelia orientalis	Mega	A
Dove, Stock	Columba oenas	Common	A
Dove, Turtle	Streptopelia turtur	Common	A
Dowitcher, Long-billed	Limnodromus scolopaceus	Rare	A
Dowitcher, Short-billed	Limnodromus griseus	Mega	A
Duck, Black	Anas rubripes	Rare	A
Duck, Ferruginous	Aythya nyroca	Scarce	A
Duck, Harlequin	Histrionicus histrionicus	Mega	A
Duck, Long-tailed	Clangula hyemalis	Local	A
Duck, Mandarin	Aix galericulata	Local	C1
Duck, Ring-necked	Aythya collaris	Scarce	A
Duck, Ruddy	Oxyura jamaicensis	Common	C1
Duck, Tufted	Aythya fuligula	Common	A
Dunlin	Calidris alpina	Common	A
Dunnock	Prunella modularis	Common	A
Eagle, Golden	Aquila chrysaetos	Local	A
Eagle, Greater Spotted	Aquila clanga	Mega	B
Eagle, Short-toed	Circaetus gallicus	Mega	A
Eagle, White-tailed	Haliaeetus albicilla	Local	AC3
Egret, Cattle	Bubulcus ibis	Scarce	A
Egret, Great White	Ardea alba	Scarce	A
Egret, Little	Egretta garzetta	Local	A
Egret, Snowy	Egretta thula	Mega	A
Eider	Somateria mollissima	Local	A
Eider, King	Somateria spectabilis	Rare	A
Eider, Steller's	Polysticta stelleri	Mega	A
Falcon, Eleonora's	Falco eleonorae	Mega	A
Falcon, Gyr	Falco rusticolus	Rare	A
Falcon, Peregrine	Falco peregrinus	Local	A
Falcon, Red-footed	Falco vespertinus	Scarce	A
Fieldfare	Turdus pilaris	Common	A
Finch, Trumpeter	Bucanetes githagineus	Mega	A
Firecrest	Regulus ignicapilla	Local	A
Flycatcher, Collared	Ficedula albicollis	Mega	A
Flycatcher, Pied	Ficedula hypoleuca	Local	A
Flycatcher, Red-breasted	Ficedula parva	Scarce	A
Flycatcher, Red-throated (Taiga)	Ficedula albicilla	Mega	A
Flycatcher, Spotted	Muscicapa striata	Common	A
Frigatebird, Ascension	Fregata aquila	Mega	A
Frigatebird, Magnificent	Fregata magnificens	Mega	A
Fulmar	Fulmarus glacialis	Local	A
Gadwall	Anas strepera	Common	AC2
Gallinule, Allen's	Porphyrula alleni	Mega	A
Gallinule, American Purple	Porphyrula martinica	Mega	A
Gannet	Morus bassanus	Local	A
Garganey	Anas querquedula	Local	A
Godwit, Bar-tailed	Limosa lapponica	Common	A
Godwit, Black-tailed	Limosa limosa	Common	A
Godwit, Hudsonian	Limosa haemastica	Mega	A
Goldcrest	Regulus regulus	Common	A
Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	Common	A
Goldeneye, Barrow's	Bucephala islandica	Mega	A
Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis	Common	A
Goosander	Mergus merganser	Common	A
Goose, Barnacle	Branta leucopsis	Common	AC2
Goose, Bean	Anser fabalis	Local	A
Goose, Brent	Branta bernicla	Local	A
Goose, Canada	Branta canadensis	Common	C2
Goose, Egyptian	Alopochen aegyptiaca	Local	C1
Goose, Greylag	Anser anser	Common	AC2C4
Goose, Lesser White-fronted	Anser erythropus	Rare	A
Goose, Pink-footed	Anser brachyrhynchus	Common	A
Goose, Red-breasted	Branta ruficollis	Rare	A
Goose, Snow	Anser caerulescens	Scarce	AC2
Goose, White-fronted	Anser albifrons	Local	A
Goshawk	Accipiter gentilis	Local	AC3
Grebe, Black-necked	Podiceps nigricollis	Local	A
Grebe, Great Crested	Podiceps cristatus	Common	A
Grebe, Little	Tachybaptus ruficollis	Common	A
Grebe, Pied-billed	Podilymbus podiceps	Rare	A
Grebe, Red-necked	Podiceps grisegena	Local	A
Grebe, Slavonian	Podiceps auritus	Local	A
Greenfinch	Carduelis chloris	Common	A
Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	Common	A
Grosbeak, Evening	Hesperiphona vespertina	Mega	A
Grosbeak, Pine	Pinicola enucleator	Mega	A
Grosbeak, Rose-breasted	Pheucticus ludovicianus	Mega	A
Grouse, Black	Tetrao tetrix	Local	A
Grouse, Willow	Lagopus lagopus	Ungraded	A
Guillemot	Uria aalge	Common	A
Guillemot, Black	Cepphus grylle	Local	A
Guillemot, Brünnich's	Uria lomvia	Mega	A
Gull, Audouin's	Larus audouinii	Mega	A
Gull, Black-headed	Larus ridibundus	Common	A
Gull, Bonaparte's	Larus philadelphia	Rare	A
Gull, Common	Larus canus	Common	A
Gull, Franklin's	Larus pipixcan	Rare	A
Gull, Glaucous	Larus hyperboreus	Local	A
Gull, Great Black-backed	Larus marinus	Common	A
Gull, Herring	Larus argentatus	Common	A
Gull, Iceland	Larus glaucoides	Local	A
Gull, Ivory	Pagophila eburnea	Mega	A
Gull, Laughing	Larus atricilla	Rare	A
Gull, Lesser Black-backed	Larus fuscus	Common	A
Gull, Little	Larus minutus	Local	A
Gull, Mediterranean	Larus melanocephalus	Local	A
Gull, Pallas's	Larus ichthyaetus	Mega	B
Gull, Ring-billed	Larus delawarensis	Scarce	A
Gull, Ross's	Rhodostethia rosea	Rare	A
Gull, Sabine's	Larus sabini	Scarce	A
Gull, Slender-billed	Larus genei	Mega	A
Gull, Yellow-legged	Larus michahellis	Local	A
Harrier, Hen	Circus cyaneus	Local	A
Harrier, Marsh	Circus aeruginosus	Local	A
Harrier, Montagu's	Circus pygargus	Scarce	A
Harrier, Pallid	Circus macrourus	Mega	A
Hawfinch	Coccothraustes coccothraustes	Local	A
Heron, Green	Butorides virescens	Mega	A
Heron, Grey	Ardea cinerea	Common	A
Heron, Night	Nycticorax nycticorax	Scarce	A
Heron, Purple	Ardea purpurea	Scarce	A
Heron, Squacco	Ardeola ralloides	Rare	A
Hobby	Falco subbuteo	Common	A
Hoopoe	Upupa epops	Scarce	A
Ibis, Glossy	Plegadis falcinellus	Rare	A
Jackdaw	Corvus monedula	Common	A
Jay	Garrulus glandarius	Common	A
Junco, Dark-eyed	Junco hyemalis	Mega	A
Kestrel, American	Falco sparverius	Mega	A
Kestrel, Common	Falco tinnunculus	Common	A
Kestrel, Lesser	Falco naumanni	Mega	A
Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	Mega	A
Kingfisher, Belted	Ceryle alcyon	Mega	A
Kingfisher, Common	Alcedo atthis	Common	A
Kite, Black	Milvus migrans	Scarce	A
Kite, Red	Milvus milvus	Local	AC3
Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla	Local	A
Knot	Calidris canutus	Common	A
Knot, Great	Calidris tenuirostris	Mega	A
Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	Common	A
Lapwing, Sociable	Vanellus gregarius	Mega	A
Lapwing, White-tailed	Vanellus leucurus	Mega	A
Lark, Bimaculated	Melanocorypha bimaculata	Mega	A
Lark, Black	Melanocorypha yeltoniensis	Mega	A
Lark, Calandra	Melanocorypha calandra	Mega	A
Lark, Crested	Galerida cristata	Mega	A
Lark, Lesser Short-toed	Calandrella rufescens	Mega	A
Lark, Shore	Eremophila alpestris	Local	A
Lark, Short-toed	Calandrella brachydactyla	Scarce	A
Lark, Sky	Alauda arvensis	Common	A
Lark, White-winged	Melanocorypha leucoptera	Mega	A
Lark, Wood	Lullula arborea	Local	A
Linnet	Carduelis cannabina	Common	A
Magpie	Pica pica	Common	A
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Common	AC2C4
Martin, Eurasian Crag	Ptyonoprogne rupestris	Mega	A
Martin, House	Delichon urbicum	Common	A
Martin, Purple	Progne subis	Mega	A
Martin, Sand	Riparia riparia	Common	A
Merganser, Hooded	Lophodytes cucullatus	Common	A
Merganser, Red-breasted	Mergus serrator	Common	A
Merlin	Falco columbarius	Local	A
Mockingbird, Northern	Mimus polyglottos	Mega	A
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	Common	A
Murrelet, Ancient	Synthliboramphus antiquus	Mega	A
Murrelet, Long-billed	Brachyramphus perdix	Mega	A
Needletail, White-throated	Hirundapus caudacutus	Mega	A
Nighthawk, Common	Chordeiles minor	Mega	A
Nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos	Local	A
Nightingale, Thrush	Luscinia luscinia	Rare	A
Nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus	Local	A
Nightjar, Egyptian	Caprimulgus aegyptius	Mega	A
Nightjar, Red-necked	Caprimulgus ruficollis	Mega	B
Nutcracker	Nucifraga caryocatactes	Mega	A
Nuthatch	Sitta europaea	Common	A
Nuthatch, Red-breasted	Sitta canadensis	Mega	A
Oriole, Baltimore	Icterus galbula	Mega	A
Oriole, Golden	Oriolus oriolus	Scarce	A
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	Local	A
Ouzel, Ring	Turdus torquatus	Local	A
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla	Mega	A
Owl, Barn	Tyto alba	Common	A
Owl, Eurasian Scops	Otus scops	Mega	A
Owl, Little	Athene noctua	Common	C1
Owl, Long-eared	Asio otus	Local	A
Owl, Northern Hawk	Surnia ulula	Mega	A
Owl, Short-eared	Asio flammeus	Local	A
Owl, Snowy	Bubo scandiacus	Rare	A
Owl, Tawny	Strix aluco	Common	A
Owl, Tengmalm's	Aegolius funereus	Mega	A
Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus	Common	A
Parakeet, Ring-necked	Psittacula krameri	Common	C1
Partridge, Grey	Perdix perdix	Common	AC2
Partridge, Red-legged	Alectoris rufa	Common	C1
Parula, Northern	Parula americana	Mega	A
Petrel, Black-capped	Pterodroma hasitata	Mega	A
Petrel, Fea's	Pterodroma feae	Rare	A
Phalarope, Grey	Phalaropus fulicarius	Scarce	A
Phalarope, Red-necked	Phalaropus lobatus	Scarce	A
Phalarope, Wilson's	Phalaropus tricolor	Rare	A
Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	Common	C1
Pheasant, Golden	Chrysolophus pictus	Local	C1
Pheasant, Lady Amherst's	Chrysolophus amherstiae	Scarce	C6
Phoebe, Eastern	Sayornis phoebe	Mega	A
Pigeon, Feral/Dove, Rock	Columba livia	Common	AC4
Pigeon, Wood	Columba palumbus	Common	A
Pintail	Anas acuta	Common	A
Pipit, Blyth's	Anthus godlewskii	Mega	A
Pipit, Buff-bellied	Anthus rubescens	Mega	A
Pipit, Meadow	Anthus pratensis	Common	A
Pipit, Olive-backed	Anthus hodgsoni	Rare	A
Pipit, Pechora	Anthus gustavi	Rare	A
Pipit, Red-throated	Anthus cervinus	Scarce	A
Pipit, Richard's	Anthus richardi	Scarce	A
Pipit, Rock	Anthus petrosus	Common	A
Pipit, Tawny	Anthus campestris	Scarce	A
Pipit, Tree	Anthus trivialis	Common	A
Pipit, Water	Anthus spinoletta	Local	A
Plover, American Golden	Pluvialis dominica	Scarce	A
Plover, Caspian	Charadrius asiaticus	Mega	A
Plover, Golden	Pluvialis apricaria	Common	A
Plover, Greater Sand	Charadrius leschenaultii	Mega	A
Plover, Grey	Pluvialis squatarola	Common	A
Plover, Kentish	Charadrius alexandrinus	Scarce	A
Plover, Lesser Sand	Charadrius mongolus	Mega	A
Plover, Little Ringed	Charadrius dubius	Common	A
Plover, Pacific Golden	Pluvialis fulva	Rare	A
Plover, Ringed	Charadrius hiaticula	Common	A
Plover, Semipalmated	Charadrius semipalmatus	Mega	A
Pochard	Aythya ferina	Common	A
Pochard, Red-crested	Netta rufina	Common	AC2
Pratincole, Black-winged	Glareola nordmanni	Rare	A
Pratincole, Collared	Glareola pratincola	Rare	A
Pratincole, Oriental	Glareola maldivarum	Mega	A
Ptarmigan	Lagopus muta	Local	A
Puffin	Fratercula arctica	Local	A
Quail	Coturnix coturnix	Local	A
Rail, Water	Rallus aquaticus	Common	A
Raven	Corvus corax	Common	A
Razorbill	Alca torda	Local	A
Redhead	Aythya americana	Mega	A
Redpoll, Arctic	Carduelis hornemanni	Scarce	A
Redpoll, Common	Carduelis flammea	Local	A
Redpoll, Lesser	Carduelis cabaret	Common	A
Redshank, Common	Tringa totanus