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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.
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Tieves Nacket
C
1733
European Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricaria
Plivver
C
1733
American Golden Plover
Pluvialis dominica
1956
Pacific Golden Plover
Pluvialis fulva
1988
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
1822
Common Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticula
Saandiloo
C
1809
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubius
1965
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
1993
Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinus
1949
Caspian Plover
Charadrius asiaticus
1996
Eurasian Dotterel
Charadrius morinellus
1870
Upland Sandpiper
Bartramia longicauda
1970
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Peerie Whaap
C #
1809
Eurasian Curlew
Numenius arquata
Whaap; Spui
C
1733
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponica
1822
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa
u #
1866
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Stenpikker
1809
Great Knot
Calidris tenuirostris
1989
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
1822
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
sp #
1866
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