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Shetland Bird List

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The table contains a complete list of the 473 bird species recorded in Shetland, including the year of the first record and, where relevant, Shetland name, breeding status and category.

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Key to breeding status:

 

C: common (50+ pairs)

u: uncommon but annual (fewer than 50 pairs)

sp: sporadic

e: extinct (regular or sporadic with no 21st century records)

poss: possible breeding spp.

hyb: only bred as part of a hybrid pair

Key to category:

 

C: Category C (not native/introduced)

D: Category D (uncertain provenance)

O: only seen offshore

X: globally extinct

F: only recorded on Fair Isle

P: provisional (believed to have occurred but no accepted records)

Species
Scientific Name
Shetland Name
Breeding Status
First Record
Cat.
Brent Goose
Branta bernicla
1822
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
1843
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis
sp (C)
1809
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescens
1953
Greylag Goose
Anser anser
Grey Gös
C
1733
Taiga Bean Goose
Anser fabalis
?
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchos
1844
Tundra Bean Goose
Anser serrirostris
?
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
1844
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
u
1910
Bewick's Swan
Cygnus columbianus
1860
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus
u #
1680
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegypticus
2010
C
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
u
1791
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferruginea
2009
D
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
1977
D
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulata
1942
C
Garganey
Spatula querquedula
1907
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
1979
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
u
1918
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