Rare Breeding Birds in the UK in 2018

The most recent annual report from the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, covering the year 2018, was published in the journal British Birds on the 1st December 2020 – see the magnificent front cover, appropriately featuring the Panel’s logo species, Black-necked Grebe, to the left.

The report documents the status of the 96 species and subspecies of rare and scarce native birds that were recorded breeding, or showing signs of breeding, in the UK in 2018, along with 13 non-native species. Population totals are given alongside a breakdown in records by country and recording area, and where possible updated trends are given. A table summarising species totals and trends can be found here.

Overall, 2018 was a good year for rare breeding birds in the UK, with ten species reaching the highest totals yet reported by the RBBP. For two of these, Shoveler and Common Redpoll, the peaks may simply represent fluctuations in recording and reporting levels. But for the other eight species the record totals are the result of long-term increases and a cause for celebration.

New peaks for Eurasian Bittern and Common Crane can be attributed to successful conservation partnerships that have enabled research, improved site management, habitat creation and, in the case of the Crane, a reintroduction project. The UK had over 200 booming male Bitterns in 2018, and 46 pairs of Cranes. Conservation measures, notably across Europe enabling the recovery of populations which have acted as the source for expansion into the UK, have also underpinned the increases which have led to record totals of Great White Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill and Mediterranean Gull. The latter reached 2,400 pairs in 2018 including an amazing 1,736 pairs at a single colony at Langstone Harbour, Hampshire.

Whilst not posting a new record in 2018, the Avocet continues to prosper, and bred (successfully) in Scotland for the first time – remarkably, Spoonbills bred in Orkney too. The influence of climate change may be a factor in the range expansions of these and other species, such as Black-winged Stilts which bred in England for the fifth successive year.

Two other wader species reached record totals, both species with northern distributions – Red-necked Phalarope and Wood Sandpiper – and finally, the steady increase of the Northern Goshawk continued to a total of 735 pairs.

In addition, two species were reported showing breeding behaviour in the UK for the first time – a Little Crake in Cambridgeshire, and an American Bittern in Suffolk. Of more significance was another species featured in the report for the first time – Turtle Dove, which was added to the Panel’s list from 2018 onwards due to the relentless decline of this once-common species in recent decades. The total of 615 pairs which was reported in this first year is undoubtedly short of the true number, but provide a good first step in the RBBP’s monitoring of this globally threatened species; a national survey planned for 2021 will provide a far clearer picture.

Of course, not all of the species that the RBBP reports upon are prospering. There were fewer Common Quails reported in 2018 than in any year since 1991, Slavonian Grebes and Little Terns continue to struggle, and only a single pair of Montagu’s Harriers bred after the tiny population suffered the loss of three adults on migration back from African in spring 2018. Species including Red-backed Shrike, Fieldfare and Golden Oriole continue to teeter on the edge of extinction, although we are pleased to be able to report breeding pairs of the former two species in 2018.

The other notable feature of the 2018 breeding season was the sizeable fall in numbers of a few resident species known to be sensitive to hard winter weather. The “Beast from the East”, a severe cold spell in late February and early March 2018, appears to have resulted in substantial falls in the populations of Little Egret (down 13% on 2017), Dartford Warbler (31%), Woodlark (14%) and Bearded Tit (20%), most notably in eastern counties where the impact of the winter storm was felt most keenly.