The Berkshire list
The following is a list of all the species recorded as having occured within the county of Berkshire. See the notes at the foot of this page for further information. The Berkshire List currently stands at 321.
| Species | First | Last | Records | Birds | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-throated Diver | <2000 | 2017 (2021) | 6 (2) | 6 (2) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Black-throated Diver | <2000 | 2015 | 5 | 5 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Great Northern Diver | <2000 | 2018 (2022) | 31 (6) | 35 (6) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Little Grebe | Fairly common | |||||
| Great Crested Grebe | Fairly common | |||||
| Red-necked Grebe | <2000 | 2018 (2022) | 7 (2) | 7 (2) | Rare | BRC3 |
| Slavonian Grebe | <2000 | 2018 (2020) | 28 (2) | 42 (2) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Black-necked Grebe | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Fulmar | 1971 | 2003 | 4 | 4 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Manx Shearwater | 1883 | 2017 (2020) | 22 (1) | 22 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Storm Petrel | 1929 | 2003 | 8 | 8 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Leach's Petrel | 1847/8 | 2016 (2021) | 22 (1) | 23 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Gannet | 1865 | 2018 (2021) | 32 (1) | 35 (1) | Rare | BRC3 |
| Cormorant | Fairly common | |||||
| Shag | <2000 | 2017 (2022) | 16 (6) | 27 (11) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Bittern | Very scarce | |||||
| Little Bittern | 1826 | 1972 | 3 | 4 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Night-heron | 1976 | 1987 (2020) | 3 (1) | 3 (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Cattle Egret | 2007 | 2018 (2022) | 13 (29) | 20 (55) | Very scarce | BRC2 |
| Little Egret | Scarce | |||||
| Great White Egret | Scarce | |||||
| Grey Heron | Fairly common | |||||
| Purple Heron | 1861 | 2014 (2021) | 7 (1) | 7 (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| White Stork | 1968 | 2014 (2022) | 7 (11) | 7 (14) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Glossy Ibis | 1793 | 2011 (2022) | 4 (6) | 5 (6) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Spoonbill | 1940 | 2016 (2022) | 27 (7) | 39 (16) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Mute Swan | Fairly common | |||||
| Bewick's Swan | <2000 | 2014 | 13 | 47 | Rare | BRC3 |
| Whooper Swan | <2000 | 2018 (2022) | 9 (6) | 24 (6) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Bean Goose sp. | 1976 | 2003 | 7 | 25 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Taiga Bean Goose | 1996 | 1996 | 1 | 2 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Tundra Bean Goose | 1985 | 2012 | 7 | 31 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Pink-footed Goose | <1974 | 2017 (2022) | 14 (5) | 42 (5) | Rare | BRC2 |
| White-fronted Goose | <2000 | 2018 (2022) | 19 (26) | 103 (159) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Greylag Goose | Fairly common | |||||
| Canada Goose | Common | |||||
| Barnacle Goose | Fairly common | BRC3 | ||||
| Brent Goose | Very scarce | |||||
| Egyptian Goose | Fairly common | |||||
| Shelduck | Scarce | |||||
| Mandarin Duck | Fairly common | |||||
| Wigeon | Fairly common | |||||
| American Wigeon | 1985 | 2008 | 3 | 6 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Gadwall | Fairly common | |||||
| Green-winged Teal | 1990 | 2004 (2020) | 3 (1) | 3 (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Teal | Fairly common | |||||
| Mallard | Common | |||||
| Pintail | Scarce | |||||
| Garganey | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Blue-winged Teal | 1988 | 1990 | 2 | 2 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Shoveler | Fairly common | |||||
| Red-crested Pochard | Scarce | |||||
| Pochard | Fairly common | |||||
| Ring-necked Duck | 1959 | 2018 (2022) | 12 (5) | 13 (7) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Ferruginous Duck | 1938 | 2016 (2022) | 29 (1) | 30 (1) | Rare | BBRC |
| Tufted Duck | Common | |||||
| Scaup | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Lesser Scaup | 2007 | 2018 | 5 | 5 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Eider | <1814 | 2010 (2020) | 13 (1) | 47 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Long-tailed Duck | 1961 | 2017 | 19 | 22 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Common Scoter | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Velvet Scoter | 1795 | 2016 | 21 | 44 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Goldeneye | Fairly common | |||||
| Smew | Scarce | |||||
| Red-breasted Merganser | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Goosander | Fairly common | |||||
| Ruddy Duck | <2013 | 2014 (2020) | 3 (1) | 3 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Honey-buzzard | 1793 | 2018 (2022) | 53 (4) | 62 (4) | Very scarce | BRC2 |
| Black Kite | 2001 | 2001 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Red Kite | Fairly common | |||||
| White-tailed Eagle | 1851 | 1865 (2022) | 5 (4) | 6 (4) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Marsh Harrier | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Hen Harrier | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Montagu's Harrier | Very scarce | BRC2 | ||||
| Goshawk | <1974 | 2018 (2022) | 24 (29) | 26 (50) | Very scarce | BRC2 |
| Sparrowhawk | Fairly common | |||||
| Buzzard | Fairly common | |||||
| Rough-legged Buzzard | 1931 | 2011 (2019) | 20 (1) | 23 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Spotted Eagle | 1872 | 1872 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Golden Eagle | 1924 | 1924 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Osprey | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Kestrel | Fairly common | |||||
| Red-footed Falcon | 1973 | 2014 (2022) | 10 (1) | 11 (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Merlin | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Hobby | Scarce | |||||
| Gyr Falcon | 1970 | 1971 | 2 | 2 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Peregrine | Fairly common | |||||
| Red-legged Partridge | Fairly common | |||||
| Grey Partridge | Fairly common | |||||
| Quail | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Pheasant | Very common | |||||
| Water Rail | Scarce | |||||
| Spotted Crake | <1974 | 2018 (2022) | 21 (1) | 24 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Sora Rail | 1864 | 1864 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Baillon's Crake | 1972 | 1972 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Corncrake | 1974 | 2008 | 6 | 6 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Moorhen | Common | |||||
| Coot | Common | |||||
| Crane | 1976 | 2018 (2022) | 10 (3) | 30 (5) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Little Bustard | 1958 | 1958 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Great Bustard | 1856 | 1856 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Oystercatcher | Scarce | |||||
| Black-winged Stilt | 1922 | 1945 (2022) | 2 (3) | 6 (4) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Avocet | 1936 | 2018 (2022) | 68 (8) | 129 (10) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Stone-curlew | Very scarce | |||||
| Black-winged Pratincole | 1976 | 1976 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Little Ringed Plover | Scarce | |||||
| Ringed Plover | Fairly common | |||||
| Killdeer | 1984 | 1984 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Kentish Plover | 1935 | 1986 | 6 | 6 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Dotterel | <1974 | 2013 | 9 | 12 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Golden Plover | Fairly common | |||||
| Grey Plover | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Sociable Plover | 1991 | 1991 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Lapwing | Common | |||||
| Knot | <2000 | 2018 (2022) | 32 (8) | 165 (12) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Sanderling | Scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Little Stint | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Temminck's Stint | <2000 | 2010 | 9 | 13 | Rare | BRC3 |
| Least Sandpiper | 1975 | 1975 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | (2022) | (2022) | (1) | (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | 1944 | 2017 | 19 | 19 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Sharp-tailed Sandpiper | 1975 | 1975 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Curlew Sandpiper | <2000 | 2016 (2021) | 16 (2) | 26 (4) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Purple Sandpiper | 1983 | 2017 | 8 | 8 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Dunlin | Fairly common | |||||
| Broad-billed Sandpiper | 1956 | 1956 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Ruff | Scarce | |||||
| Jack Snipe | Scarce | |||||
| Snipe | Common | |||||
| Great Snipe | <1868 | 1956 | 6 | 6 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Woodcock | Fairly common | |||||
| Black-tailed Godwit | Scarce | |||||
| Bar-tailed Godwit | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Whimbrel | Scarce | |||||
| Curlew | Scarce | |||||
| Spotted Redshank | <2000 | 2018 (2022) | 20 (5) | 22 (5) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Redshank | Fairly common | |||||
| Greenshank | Scarce | |||||
| Lesser Yellowlegs | 1953 | 1953 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Green Sandpiper | Fairly common | |||||
| Wood Sandpiper | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Common Sandpiper | Fairly common | |||||
| Turnstone | Very scarce | |||||
| Wilson's Phalarope | 1979 | 1987 | 2 | 2 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Red-necked Phalarope | 1932 | 2015 (2022) | 7 (1) | 9 (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Grey Phalarope | 1851 | 2018 | 34 | 42 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Pomarine Skua | 1877 | 2012 | 7 | 19 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Arctic Skua | 1934 | 2018 (2021) | 26 (1) | 36 (3) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Long-tailed Skua | 1978 | 2013 | 8 | 8 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Great Skua | 1980 | 2018 | 12 | 15 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Mediterranean Gull | Scarce | |||||
| Laughing Gull | 2005 | 2005 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Little Gull | Scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Sabine's Gull | 1987 | 2017 | 17 | 25 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Bonaparte's Gull | 2013 | 2020 | 2 | 2 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Black-headed Gull | Very common | |||||
| Ring-billed Gull | 1984 | 2005 | 10 | 10 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Common Gull | Fairly common | |||||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Common | |||||
| Herring Gull | Common | |||||
| Caspian Gull | Very scarce | BRC2 | ||||
| Yellow-legged Gull | Fairly common | BRC3 | ||||
| Iceland Gull | 1940 | 2018 (2021) | 59 (5) | 65 (5) | Very scarce | BRC2 |
| Glaucous Gull | <1974 | 2018 (2021) | 59 (2) | 61 (2) | Very scarce | BRC2 |
| Great Black-backed Gull | Fairly common | |||||
| Kittiwake | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Caspian Tern | 1979 | 1979 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Sandwich Tern | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Roseate Tern | 1967 | 2013 | 8 | 9 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Common Tern | Fairly common | |||||
| Arctic Tern | Scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Little Tern | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Whiskered Tern | 2005 | 2005 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Black Tern | Scarce | |||||
| White-winged Black Tern | 1948 | 1994 | 8 | 9 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Guillemot | 1904 | 1986 | 7 | 7 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Razorbill | 1948 | 1948 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Little Auk | 1807 | 2007 | 15 | 22 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Puffin | 1810 | 1996 | 18 | 18 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Pallas's Sandgrouse | 1888 | 1908 | 5 | 37 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Feral Pigeon | Common | |||||
| Stock Dove | Common | |||||
| Woodpigeon | Abundant | |||||
| Collared Dove | Very common | |||||
| Turtle Dove | Very scarce | BRC2 | ||||
| Ring-necked Parakeet | Fairly common | |||||
| Cuckoo | Fairly common | |||||
| Barn Owl | Scarce | |||||
| Little Owl | Scarce | |||||
| Tawny Owl | Fairly common | |||||
| Long-eared Owl | Very scarce | BRC2 | ||||
| Short-eared Owl | Scarce | |||||
| Tengmalm's Owl | 1864 | 1864 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Nightjar | Scarce | |||||
| Swift | Common | |||||
| Alpine Swift | 1955 | 2010 | 5 | 5 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Kingfisher | Fairly common | |||||
| Roller | 1927 | 1927 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Hoopoe | <2000 | 2013 (2022) | 8 (4) | 8 (5) | Rare | BRC3 |
| Wryneck | <2000 | 2014 (2022) | 17 (9) | 17 (9) | Very scarce | BRC2 |
| Green Woodpecker | Common | |||||
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Common | |||||
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Very scarce | BRC2 | ||||
| Short-toed Lark | 1987 | 1987 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Woodlark | Fairly common | |||||
| Skylark | Very common | |||||
| Shore Lark | 1973 | 1998 | 2 | 2 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Sand Martin | Fairly common | |||||
| Swallow | Common | |||||
| Red-rumped Swallow | 1992 | 1999 | 3 | 3 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| House Martin | Common | |||||
| Richard's Pipit | 1967 | 2012 | 8 | 8 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Tawny Pipit | 1975 | 1975 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Olive-backed Pipit | 1984 | 1984 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Tree Pipit | Fairly common | |||||
| Meadow Pipit | Very common | |||||
| Red-throated Pipit | 1979 | 1979 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Rock Pipit | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Buff-bellied Pipit | 2012 | 2012 | 1 | 2 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Water Pipit | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Yellow Wagtail | Fairly common | |||||
| Grey Wagtail | Fairly common | |||||
| Pied Wagtail | Common | |||||
| Waxwing | Rare | BRC2 | ||||
| Dipper | 1803 | 2015 (2022) | 26 (1) | 30 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Wren | Abundant | |||||
| Dunnock | Very common | |||||
| Robin | Abundant | |||||
| Nightingale | Fairly common | |||||
| Bluethroat | 1972 | 2009 | 3 | 3 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Black Redstart | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Redstart | Scarce | |||||
| Whinchat | Fairly common | |||||
| Stonechat | Scarce | |||||
| Siberian Stonechat | 1986 | 1986 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Wheatear | Fairly common | |||||
| Ring Ouzel | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Blackbird | Abundant | |||||
| Black-throated Thrush | 1998 | 1998 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Fieldfare | Common | |||||
| Song Thrush | Very common | |||||
| Redwing | Common | |||||
| Mistle Thrush | Common | |||||
| Cetti's Warbler | Scarce | |||||
| Grasshopper Warbler | Scarce | |||||
| Savi's Warbler | 1968 | 1968 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Aquatic Warbler | 1944 | 1991 | 5 | 5 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Sedge Warbler | Common | |||||
| Paddyfield Warbler | 1997 | 1997 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Marsh Warbler | 1909 | 1997 | 12 | 14 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Reed Warbler | Common | |||||
| Great Reed Warbler | 1960 | 2014 | 4 | 4 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Icterine Warbler | 1963 | 2015 | 4 | 4 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Melodious Warbler | 1972 | 1986 | 3 | 3 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Dartford Warbler | Scarce | |||||
| Lesser Whitethroat | Fairly common | |||||
| Whitethroat | Very common | |||||
| Garden Warbler | Common | |||||
| Blackcap | Very common | |||||
| Pallas's Warbler | 2013 | 2013 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Yellow-browed Warbler | 1986 | 2018 (2021) | 17 (4) | 18 (5) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Radde's Warbler | (2019) | (2019) | (1) | (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Bonelli's Warbler sp. | 1975 | 1975 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Wood Warbler | Very scarce | BRC2 | ||||
| Chiffchaff | Very common | |||||
| Willow Warbler | Common | |||||
| Goldcrest | Very common | |||||
| Firecrest | Scarce | |||||
| Spotted Flycatcher | Fairly common | |||||
| Pied Flycatcher | Very scarce | BRC2 | ||||
| Bearded Tit | <1974 | 2017 (2019) | 31 (2) | 100 (5) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Long-tailed Tit | Common | |||||
| Marsh Tit | Fairly common | |||||
| Willow Tit | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Coal Tit | Common | |||||
| Blue Tit | Abundant | |||||
| Great Tit | Abundant | |||||
| Nuthatch | Common | |||||
| Treecreeper | Common | |||||
| Penduline Tit | 1988 | 1988 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Golden Oriole | <1868 | 2014 (2018) | 13 (2) | 16 (2) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Red-backed Shrike | <2000 | 2015 (2021) | 5 (2) | 5 (2) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Great Grey Shrike | <2000 | 2018 (2018) | 24 (1) | 24 (1) | Very scarce | BRC3 |
| Woodchat Shrike | 1989 | 1991 | 2 | 2 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Jay | Common | |||||
| Magpie | Very common | |||||
| Nutcracker | 1968 | 1968 | 3 | 4 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Jackdaw | Very common | |||||
| Rook | Very common | |||||
| Carrion Crow | Very common | |||||
| Hooded Crow | 1920 | 1980 (2021) | 13 (2) | 33 (2) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Raven | Scarce | |||||
| Starling | Very common | |||||
| Rose-coloured Starling | 1810 | 1975 (2019) | 3 (1) | 3 (1) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| House Sparrow | Very common | |||||
| Tree Sparrow | <2000 | 2012 | 18 | 45 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Chaffinch | Abundant | |||||
| Brambling | Common | |||||
| Serin | 1986 | 2015 | 5 | 5 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Greenfinch | Very common | |||||
| Goldfinch | Very common | |||||
| Siskin | Fairly common | |||||
| Linnet | Fairly common | |||||
| Twite | 1960 | 2017 | 19 | 35 | Rare | BRC2 |
| Lesser Redpoll | Common | |||||
| Mealy Redpoll | 1936 | 2018 (2019) | 66 (3) | 138 (26) | Very scarce | BRC2 |
| Two-barred Crossbill | 1890 | 1890 | 1 | 4 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Common Crossbill | Scarce | |||||
| Parrot Crossbill | 1983 | 2017 | 2 | 20 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Common Rosefinch | 1982 | 2015 | 3 | 3 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Pine Grosbeak | 1901 | 1901 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BBRC |
| Bullfinch | Fairly common | |||||
| Hawfinch | Very scarce | BRC3 | ||||
| Lapland Bunting | 1967 | 2017 (2019) | 19 (1) | 22 (1) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Snow Bunting | <2000 | 2014 (2021) | 13 (2) | 16 (2) | Rare | BRC2 |
| Yellowhammer | Common | |||||
| Cirl Bunting | <1974 | 1981 | 8 | 11 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Ortolan Bunting | 1860s | 2007 (2021) | 3 (2) | 5 (2) | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Little Bunting | 1987 | 1987 | 1 | 1 | Very rare | BRC2 |
| Reed Bunting | Common | |||||
| Corn Bunting | Fairly common |
Statistics
The statistics have been compiled from The Birds of Berkshire, the annual reports of the ROC and BOC, and for more recent records from submissions to this website. The statistics include records that are yet to be accepted in brackets.
First/last
The year in which the species was first and last recorded in Berkshire.
No. Records
The number of records of the species.
No. Birds
The number of individual birds involved in the records.
Rarity Status
The categories are defined by the BRC as follows:
- BBRC Nationally rare species for which records first have to be accepted by the BBRC.
- BRC2 Locally rare species for which a full description is required.
- BRC3 Locally scarce species (or commoner species seen at an unusual time of year or in exceptional ciscumstances) for which short supporting notes are required.