Lesser Yellowlegs, Little Kilmory on 2nd October 2012. Lesser Yellowlegs was one of two species added to the Bute List in 2012. © Doug Menzies
Birds: A Checklist of the Birds of Bute
For a fairly small island, Bute has a great variety of habitats, resulting in a rich and diversified bird life, with over 100 breeding species including Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Osprey and Black Grouse. It is also important for wintering birds, particularly wildfowl, with seven species of ducks and geese present in nationally important numbers (1% or more of the Scottish population).
Up until the end of 2012, there were 214 species of bird recorded on Bute. For greater information about the birdlife on Bute see The Birds of Bute published in 2012 jointly by the Buteshire Natural History Society and The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and written by Ron Forrester, Ian Hopkins and Doug Menzies. Also look at the ‘Bute Bird Group’ section of this website. Please report all unusual sightings of birds on Bute to butebirdgroup@gmail.com .
Birds belong to the Class Aves:-
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Status Codes
Abbreviated codes are provided for each species. These are the same as used in The Birds of Bute and provide basic information about the status of each species on the island of Bute.
RB Resident breeder
MB Migrant breeder
IB Introduced breeder
CB Casual breeder
CMB Casual migrant breeder
HB Hybrid breeder
FB Former breeder
FMB Former migrant breeder
WV Winter visitor
NBSV Non-breeding summer visitor
PV Passage visitor
SV Scarce visitor
V Vagrant
CNBV Casual non-breeding visitor
Species List
Mute Swan Cygnus olor RB WV
Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus SV
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus PV WV
Bean Goose Anser fabalis SV
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus PV WV
White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons WV
Greylag Goose Anser anser RB IB WV
Snow Goose Anser caerulescens V
Canada Goose Branta canadensis IB
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis PV WV
Brent Goose Branta bernicla SV
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna MB RB WV
Wigeon Anas penelope CB WV PV
Gadwall Anas strepera WV
Teal Anas crecca RB WV PV
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos RB WV
Pintail Anas acuta SV
Garganey Anas querquedula V
Shoveler Anas clypeata SV CB
Pochard Aythya ferina FB WV PV
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula RB WV PV
Scaup Aythya marila SV
Eider Somateria mollissima RB WV
King Eider Somateria spectabilis V
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis SV
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra SV
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca V
Goldeneye Bucephala clangula WV PV
Smew Mergus albellus V
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator RB WV
Goosander Mergus merganser WV
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis V
Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus RB
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix RB
Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus V
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa IB
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix FB IB
Quail Coturnix coturnix SV
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus IB
Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata MB WV PV
Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica PV WV
Great Northern Diver Gavia immer WV PV
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis FMB NBSV PV
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus NBSV PV
Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus V
Leach’s Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa V
Gannet Morus bassanus NBSV PV
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo NBSV PV WV
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis RB NBSV PV WV
Snowy Egret Egretta thula V
Little Egret Egretta garzetta V
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea RB WV
Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia V
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis RB WV
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus RB MB WV
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena V
Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus SV
Red Kite Milvus milvus V
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla SV
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus V
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus RB MB PV WV
Goshawk Accipiter gentilis V
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus RB PV WV
Buzzard Buteo buteo RB
Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus V
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos CB PV
Osprey Pandion haliaetus MB SV
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus RB MB PV WV
Merlin Falco columbarius FB PV WV
Peregrine Falco peregrinus RB WV PV
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus RB WV
Corncrake Crex crex SV FMB
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus RB MB WV
Coot Fulica atra RB MB WV
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus RB MB PV WV
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula RB MB PV WV
Dotterel Charadrius morinellus V
Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria FB PV WV
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola PV WV
Lapwing Vanellus vanellus RB MB PV WV
Knot Calidris canutus PV
Sanderling Calidris alba PV
Little Stint Calidris minuta V
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos V
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea V
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima WV
Dunlin Calidris alpina PV WV
Ruff Philomachus pugnax V
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus WV/PV
Snipe Gallinago gallinago RB MB PV WV
Woodcock Scolopax rusticola RB MB PV WV
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa SV
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica WV PV
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus PV
Curlew Numenius arquata RB MB PV WV
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos MB PV
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus V
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus SV
Greenshank Tringa nebularia SV
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes V
Redshank Tringa tetanus RB MB PV WV
Turnstone Arenaria interpres PV WV
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus V
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus SV
Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus V
Great Skua Stercorarius skua SV
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla PV
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus FB FMB PV WV
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus V
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus V
Common Gull Larus canus RB MB PV WV
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus MB PV
Herring Gull Larus argentatus RB PV WV
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides SV
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus PV/WV
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus RB WV
Little Tern Sternula albifrons V
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis PV/NBSV
Common Tern Sterna hirundo FB/PV
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii SV
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea SV
Guillemot Uria aalge NBSV WV
Razorbill Alca torda NBSV WV
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle RB/MB WV
Little Auk Alle alle SV
Puffin Fratercula arctica V
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon Columba livia RB
Stock Dove Columba oenas RB
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus RB WV
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto RB
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur V
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus MB PV
Barn Owl Tyto alba RB
Tawny Owl Strix aluco RB
Long-eared Owl Asio otus RB
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus RB
Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus MB
Swift Apus apus MB PV
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis FB SV
Hoopoe Upupa epops V
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis V
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major RB
Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor V
Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax CB V
Magpie Pica pica RB CNBV
Jay Garrulus glandarius RB
Jackdaw Corvus monedula RB WV
Rook Corvus frugilegus RB WV
Carrion Crow Corvus corone RB WV
Hooded Crow Corvus cornix RB WV
Raven Corvus corax RB WV
Goldcrest Regulus regulus RB MB WV
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus RB
Great Tit Parus major RB
Coal Tit Periparus ater RB
Skylark Alauda arvensis RB MB PV WV
Sand Martin Riparia riparia MB PV
Swallow Hirundo rustica MB PV
House Martin Delichon urbicum MB PV
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus RB
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix MB
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita MB WV
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus MB PV
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla MB WV
Garden Warbler Sylvia borin MB
Whitethroat Sylvia communis MB
Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia MB
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenbaenus MB
Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus WV
Nuthatch Sitta europaea V
Treecreeper Certhia familiaris RB
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes RB
Starling Sturnus vulgaris RB PV WV
Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus V
Dipper Cinclus cinclus FB SV
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus FMB
Blackbird Turdus merula RB MB PV WV
Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis V
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris PV WV
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos RB MB PV WV
Redwing Turdus iliacus PV WV
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus RB MB WV
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata MB
Robin Erithacus rubecula RB MB WV
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca CMB
Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus MB
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra MB
Stonechat Saxicola rubricola RB
Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe MB PV
Dunnock Prunella modularis RB
House Sparrow Passer domesticus RB
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus FB
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava V
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea RB MB PV WV
Pied / White Wagtail Motacilla alba RB MB PV WV
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis MB PV
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis MB RB PV WV
Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus RB
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs RB MB PV WV
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla SV
Greenfinch Chloris chloris RB MB WV
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis RB MB PV WV
Siskin Carduelis spinus RB MB WV
Linnet Carduelis cannabina RB MB PV WV
Twite Carduelis flavirostris RB MB WV
Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret RB MB WV
Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea V
Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra RB/MB PV WV
Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula RB MB WV
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis SV
Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus V
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella RB WV
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus RB MB WV
Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra FB
References
Forrester, R.W., Hopkins, I. & Menzies, D. 2012. The Birds of Bute. The Buteshire Natural History Society, Rothesay & The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Aberlady.
Menzies, D., Hopkins, I. & Forrester, R. 2013. Bute Bird Report 2012. Bute Bird Group, Rothesay.
19.12.13 (RWF)