Course Bird List

Cumulative Species List Over All Field Trips on the Course

What Is This List?

This Course Bird List will show the birds seen on all field excursions in cumulative fashion.  We hope that the final total at the end of the course will be around 100 species.

Introduction: a Bit of Biological Science

This list will differ from the lists presented on the individual trip pages in presenting the species in a somewhat more structured and formalised manner, in the following two ways.  Firstly, they will be presented in “taxonomic order” with birds grouped into taxonomic groups to emphasise the relationships among them (see next paragraph.)  Secondly, rather than using simply the conventional British English name, the international English name will be used.  For example, the bird we know as a “Robin” is one of many birds known by this name worldwide.  I have seen “robins” in New Zealand, in Australia and in central and in north America, none of which was our familiar garden inhabitant.  To avoid ambiguity, international birders use names with prefix modifiers to distinguish like-named birds and these are used below, except that the modifiers are shown in parentheses: for example “(European) Robin”.  I have also added scientific names which, again, avoids ambiguity and underlines relationships between species.  For example, the fact that Blackbird and Song Thrush are, respectively, Turdus merula and Turdus philomelos (i.e. in the same GENUS) shows them to be very closely related – a Blackbird is basically an all-black thrush.

The list is grouped by ORDER, the biggest biological unit within CLASS Aves, the birds.  All order names end in “-formes“.  Note that the English names of birds listed in the Order heading include only those types found in the UK to keep the list manageable.  Orders are shown below in green if there are members of the group or in grey if we don’t yet have any species to include.  (Birds from all of these Orders have been seen in prior years.)

The passerines, or perching birds (Order Passeriformes), constitute the biggest order of birds – over half of the world’s bird species are passerines. A notable feature of passerines is the arrangement of their toes (three pointing forward and one back) which facilitates perching.  The group includes many groupings that we conventionally identify in everyday speech that also correspond to the biological grouping of the FAMILY, the next size unit down within an Order.  Passerines will be shown grouped by family to better underline their relationships.  Family names all end in “-idae“.

Please feel free to contact me if any of this makes no sense.  (John)

The List

This list reflects sightings from 6 field trips.

  • Anseriformes (Swans, Geese and Ducks)
    • Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
    • Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
    • Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
    • Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)
    • Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
    • Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)
    • (Common) Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
    • Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
    • Gadwall (Anas stRepera)
    • (Northern) Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
    • (Eurasian) Wigeon (Anas penelope)
    • (Eurasian) Teal (Anas crecca)
    • Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
    • Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
    • Goosander (Mergus merganser)
  • Galliformes (Gamebirds)
    • (Common) Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
  • Podicipediformes (Grebes)
    • Little Grebe (Tachybaptus rufficolis)
    • Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
  • Pelecaniformes (Pelicans & Relatives)
    • (Great) Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
  • Ciconiiformes (Herons, Storks, Ibises)
    • Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
  • Accipitriformes (Vultures, Hawks & Falcons)
    • Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
    • (Common) Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
    • (Northern) Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
    • (Common) Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
  • Gruiformes (Cranes, Rails & Relatives)
    • (Common) Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
    • (Eurasian) Coot (Fulica atra)
  • Charadriiformes (Waders, Gulls, Terns)
    • (Northern) Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
    • (Common) Snipe (Gallinago media)
    • Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
    • Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
    • Common Gull (Larus canus)
    • (European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
    • Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
  • Columbiformes (Pigeons & Doves)
    • (Common) Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
    • Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
    • Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
  • Cuculiformes (Cuckoos)
  • Strigiformes (Owls)
  • Apodiformes (Swifts)
  • Coraciiformes (Kingfishers)
  • Piciformes (Woodpeckers)
    • (European) Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
    • Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Alaudidae (Larks)
    • (Common) Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Hirundinidae (Swallows & Martins)
    • (Barn) Swallow (Hirunda rustica)
    • (Common) House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Motacillidae (Pipits & Wagtails)
    • Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
    • Pied/White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Cinclidae (Dippers)
    • White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Prunellidae (Accentors)
    • Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Turdidae (Thrushes & Chats)
    • (European) Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
    • (Common) Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus)
    • Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
    • Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
    • Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
    • Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
    • (Common) Blackbird (Turdus merula)
  • Passeriformes (Perching birds): Sylviidae (Warblers)
    • Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
    • Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilusI)
    • (Common) Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
    • Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Troglodytidae (Wrens)
    • (Winter) Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Paridae (Tits)
    • Great Tit (Parus major)
    • Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
    • (European) Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
    • Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Aegithalidae (Long-tailed Tits)
    • Long-tailed Tit (Aegathalos caudatus)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Sittidae (Nuthatches)
    • (Eurasian) Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Certhiidae (Treecreepers)
    • (Eurasian) Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Corvidae (Crows)
    • (Common) Magpie (Pica pica)
    • (Eurasian) Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
    • (Western) Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
    • Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
    • Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
    • (Common) Raven (Corvus corax)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Sturnidae (Starlings)
    • (Common) Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Passeridae (Sparrows)
    • House Sparrow (Passer domesticusI)
    • (Eurasian) Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Carduelidae (Finches)
    • (Common) Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
    • (Common) Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
    • Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis cabaret)
    • (European) Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
    • (Eurasian) Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
    • (European) Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
    • (Eurasian) Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
    • (Common) Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
  • Passeriformes (Perching Birds): Emberizidae (Buntings)
    • (Common) Reed Bunting (Emberiza shoeniclus)
    • Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

CUMULATIVE TOTAL FOR COURSE TO DATE: 83 species.

(H) = heard only

Page updated 07/04/2024 by AJA

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