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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.
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
1981
Squacco Heron
Ardeola ralloides
2011
Western Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibis
1999
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Hegri
e
1733
Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
1965
Great Egret
Ardea alba
1971
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
1954
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus
Solan
C
1769
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Scarf
C
1700
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
Muckle Scarf; Loren
C
1774
Western Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
1843
European Honey Buzzard
Pernis apivorus
1860
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
1866
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
sp
1863
Northern Goshawk
Accipiter gentilis
1859
Western Marsh Harrier
Circus aeruginosus
1822
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus
poss #
1822
Pallid Harrier
Circus macrourus
1931
Montagu’s Harrier
Circus pygargus
1954
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
1966
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