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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.
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
1895
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
u
1822
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
1948
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Stock Deuk
C
1700
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
1990
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
e #
1822
Eurasian Teal
Anas crecca
u
1774
Green-winged Teal
Anas carolinensis
1886
Common Pochard
Aythya ferina
1791
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
1978
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
u
1811
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
1822
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
1993
Steller’s Eider
Polysticta stelleri
1971
King Eider
Somateria spectabilis
1822
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
Dunter
C
1700
Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
1965
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
1847
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fusca
1809
White-winged Scoter
Melanitta deglandi
2017
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