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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.
Ivory Gull
Pagophila eburnea
1822
Sabine’s Gull
Xema sabini
1909
Bonaparte’s Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
1982
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Hoodie Maa
C
1769
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
1853
Ross’s Gull
Rhodostethia rosea
1936
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
1975
Franklin’s Gull
Leucophaeus pipixcan
1990
Mediterranean Gull
Ichthyaethus melanocephalus
1983
Common Gull
Larus canus
Peerie Maa; Pikka Maa
C
1774
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
1981
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus
Swaabie; Swartback
C
1769
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
2017
F
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus
hyb
1809
Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoides
1822
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Herring Maa; Scorie (immature gull)
C
1774
Caspian Gull
Larus cachinnans
2015
O
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellis
2001
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Peerie Swaabie; Swaabie; Swartback
C
1837
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
1971
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