Recording of Rare Non-native breeding birds

Since 1996, the RBBP species list has included the rarer non-native species breeding in the UK. This change to our scope was a result of the first BOU/JNCC conference on non-natives. The British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) is responsible for maintaining the British List of birds and the allocation of each species into the relevant categories, depending on factors such as whether they occur naturally in the UK and the date of the last known record. Another BOU conference, devoted to the impact of non-native species, was held in autumn 2008. Proceedings of this conference are available here. The most recent review of the status of non-native birds in the UK, published by the BOU in November 2008, can be downloaded here.

Following the addition of rare non-natives to our list, we have published separate reports on the status of these species in British Birds. These reports summarise the numbers reported by recording area for each species. This report is especially invaluable to the countryside agencies which monitor these species for the Government.

Our annual reports covering all years from 2015 onwards have included an annual summary of records of rare non-native breeding birds in an appendix in order to report more promptly and maintain interest in this important aspect of the RBBP’s role.

Our most recent report covering all non-native species breeding in the UK was published in the February 2017 issue of British Birds (110:92-108). This reports includes totals of each species breeding in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014. Note that the published total of Lady Amherst’s Pheasant in Bedfordshire in 2014 (p 103) is now believed to be inaccurate and the number of males recorded in that year may have been as low as two (per Bedfordshire Bird Recorder). Also, on page 97, the BOU category for Black Swan should of course be just E* (not AC2E* as printed). Black Swan is not part of the British List: all breeding pairs originated from escaped birds, and at present the breeding population is not thought to be self-sustaining. We are grateful to readers of the report who pointed this out to us. Thank you.

All of our reports on non-native birds can be downloaded via the Published Reports menu (link here).

All county and regional recorders are asked to ensure that they include information about these species in their annual submissions, and guidelines for the main species are given below.

The list of non-native species which have bred in the UK, or where there is evidence that a breeding attempt has been made, is here. Please note that records of confirmed breeding for ANY other non-native bird species found in the UK should also be submitted. A large number of non-native species has been recorded in the wild in the UK and the RBBP lists can only include species which have bred in the past which we know about. The species names listed on this website should therefore be used for guidance only.

Guidelines for recording rare non-native species

(1) Wildfowl, gamebirds except for pheasants, raptors and parakeets.

Record only breeding pairs, or potential breeding pairs (including mixed pairs), such as Black Swans maintaining a territory on a lake, but perhaps not nesting in the year concerned. There is no need to report single summering individuals to the Panel, as the expectation is that these would normally be documented in local bird reports in case future research required further details.

Examples: Red-breasted Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Emperor Goose, Snow Goose, White-fronted Goose, Black Swan, Whooper Swan (apparently feral individuals only), Ruddy Shelduck, Muscovy Duck, Wood Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Ruddy Duck (from 2009 season), Helmeted Guineafowl, Harris’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Monk Parakeet, Blue-crowned Parakeet, Alexandrine Parakeet and Rosy-faced Lovebird.

(2) Pheasants, Eagle Owl and passerines.

Record a summary of all occurrences and sites (these species are more elusive and we aim to maintain an inventory of sites and numbers).

Examples: Silver Pheasant, Reeves’s Pheasant, Golden Pheasant, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, Eagle Owl and Red-winged Laughing Thrush.