Skye Birds - A Birding Guide to the Isle of Skye

The Skye Birds Species List

For those new to lists of this nature, the species list and scientific names which follow are listed in the Voous sequence. Some of the names may be unfamiliar, but follow the recent recommendations of the British Ornithologists Union which have been adopted by the Scottish Ornithologists Club.  Historical records have been included where there is a reasonable provenance. Otherwise, rarer species have only been included where the record has been published in official reports such as the Atlases, or accepted by the Local Recorder or, in appropriate cases, the Scottish Records Committee.  Three committees oversee rare records.  The Highland Records Committee (HRC) for local rarities; the Scottish Birds Records Committee (SBRC) for scottish rarities (http://www.the-soc.org.uk/sbrc.htm); and the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) for british rarities (http://www.bbrc.org.uk/).  Rarities have been identified in the species list by the use of the appropriate committee initials.  In respect of these rare birds, and others not listed, a full description will be required.  Photographic evidence can also be extremely helpful.

Because Skye has never been a recording area in its own right, and is part of the wider Highland recording area, it is accepted that this 'list' may be incomplete.  We welcome any additions and will update things as we go. As things stand the Skye species list shown below stands at 248, and an effort has also been made to comment on status.

248 results.   Displaying 1 to 248. VIEW ALL

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Species Image Details
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) View Image Annual vagrant.
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) View Image Common winter visitor and passage migrant in small numbers. Has summered.
Bewick's Swan (Cygnus columbianus) Historically, a regular winter visitor, now extremely rare. (HRC)
Snow Goose (Anser caerules) only a single record in 2009. (HRC)
Bean Goose (Anser fabalis rossicus) Very rare winter visitor - single record in 2012
Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) View Image Regular passage migrant in spring and autumn- rarely lands!
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons flavirostris) View Image Winter visitor in small numbers.
Greylag Goose (Anser anser) View Image Breeding resident and increasing.
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) View Image Becoming a regular vagrant.
Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) View Image Winter visitor in small numbers.
Brent Goose (Branta bernicla (hrota)) View Image Regular passage migrant in autumn, rarer in spring.
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) View Image Breeding resident in small numbers. Passage migrant.
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) View Image Winter visitor in small numbers.
American Wigeon (Anas americana) Scarce vagrant. (HRC)
Gadwall (Anas strepera) View Image Has bred. Scarce migrant and has wintered in small numbers.
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) View Image Breeds annually in small numbers. Winter visitor in small numbers.
Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) very rare american vagrant - single record in 2000. (HRC)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Breeding resident in small numbers. Passage migrant..
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) View Image Historical breeding record. Scarce passage migrant.
Garganey (Anas querquedula) View Image Scarce passage migrant. (HRC)

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Black Kite

A Black Kite seen by Dan Brown west of Portree on 30th May 2010 has been accepted by the SBRC and becomes No.248 on the Skye list.  Dan took photographs of the bird, described as a tatty adult, and these were submitted by RMcM to SBRC and the record has now been accepted on the basis of the photographic evidence alone.  Whilst this underscores the importance of obtaining images of rare species it is unfortunate that some observers, despite promptings by the Recorder, seem reluctant to submit descriptions.

Bean Goose

The "tundra" Bean Goose fround by Bob McMillan in Eilean Chaluim Chille, Kilmuir, Trotternish, on  13.1.12      has been accepted by the Highland Records Committee.  It therefore becomes No.247 on the Skye list.  The bird associated with Greylag geese and remained for several weeks.

Red-rumped Swallow

The bird seen and photographed at Talisker House by Ian Fulton on 29th June 2011 has now been accepted by the SBRC and is No 246 on the Skye list - see Blog.

Black Stork

A Black Stork seen by C&H Lewis at Waternish Point on 31st May 2010 is No. 245 on the Skye list and has been accepted by the BBRC.  This bird had been ringed as a chick in northern Hungary in 2007.  It was a wandering bird and also seen elsewhere in the Highlands, in the Western Isles and also on Shetland.  This was a different bird from one seen later in the year at Kyle of Lochalsh (see Blog)

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