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Bird species recorded in Co Waterford
 
Based on occurrences up to 31 December 2011, 297 species have been formally documented and accepted as having occurred in a wild or naturalised state in Co Waterford.  Records of a further 8 "pending" species, up to October 2012 (Blyth's Reed Warbler, Gull-billed Tern & Purple Heron in 2012, Yelkouan Shearwater in 2010, Bean Goose & White Stork in 2003, Goshawk in 2000, Little Ringed Plover in 1999), are either awaiting formal acceptance and publication by the Irish Rare Birds Committee (in the Irish Rare Birds Report) or have not yet been submitted to the IRBC.  The provisional county total is thus 305 species, subject to acceptance of these additional species.  This excludes a number of species reported pre-1970 which have never been formally documented or accepted.  Updated/revised 16 October 2012.
 
See foot of page for details of distinctive subspecies that have also occurred in the county, and for additional species (e.g. ship-assisted or escapees) that have occurred but which are not admitted to the "full" Waterford and/or Irish lists.

Key to species status in Co Waterford:
A. Recorded in an apparently natural state at least once since 1st January 1950.
B. Recorded in an apparently wild state in the period 1800-1949 only (B* = globally extinct).
C1. Species, originally introduced by man, that now have self-sustaining feral breeding populations.
C2. Species occurring as vagrants from self-sustaining feral populations outside Ireland.
P. Pending - category A, subject to acceptance by the Irish Rare Birds Committee.
D1, D2, D3, D4. Other categories - see foot of page.
 
Species sequence and nomenclature below follows the British Ornithologists's Union (2009)  "The official list of bird species recorded in Great Britain":
with the exception of Redpoll Carduelis flammea (split into Lesser Redpoll C. cabaret and Mealy Redpoll C. flammea by BOURC, but not by IRBC).
 
Species or subspecies currently, or until recently, considered by the Irish Rare Birds Committee (see IRBC website for full details of recent revisions):
**  Species or subspecies on IRBC's "Supplementary Accreditation Species" list:  rarities for which submission of photographs is encouraged, but for which post-2004 records will be published in the Irish Bird Report unless (a) "the circumstances and/or source of the claim is unclear", (b) "the identification is known to be controversial" or (c) "the record falls well outside the known patern of occurrence".  Pre-2005 records of these species will still require a description or photographic evidence sufficient to confirm identification.
*** Species or subspecies on IRBC's 2005 Revised Rarity List:  extreme rarities or particularly "difficult" species  requiring full documentation (description and/or photographs) before records are considered for publication in the Irish Bird Report. 

1 Mute Swan Cygnus olor A,C1
2 Bewick's Swan Cygnus bewickii A
3 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A
4 Bean Goose Anser fabalis P Nov 2003
5 Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus A
6 White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A
7 Greylag Goose Anser anser A,C1
8 Snow Goose Anser caerulescens** A Oct 1972
9 Canada Goose Branta canadensis(***) C1/D1
10 Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis A,C1
11 Brent Goose Branta bernicla A
12 Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea ** B Mar 1871
13 Shelduck Tadorna tadorna A
14 Wigeon Anas penelope A
15 Gadwall Anas strepera A
16 Teal Anas crecca A
17 Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis** A Jan 1981
18 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos A,C1
19 Pintail Anas acuta A
20 Garganey Anas querquedula A Jan 1964
21 Blue-winged Teal Anas discors** A autumn 1994
22 Shoveler Anas clypeata A
23 Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina** A Dec 1852
24 Pochard Aythya ferina A
25 Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris** A Mar 1985
26 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula A
27 Scaup Aythya marila A
28 Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis*** A Nov 1999
29 Eider Somateria mollissima A 1970
30 Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A pre-1901
31 Common Scoter Melanitta nigra A
32 Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata** A Apr 1999
33 Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca A Mar 1974
34 Goldeneye Bucephala clangula A
35 Smew Mergellus albellus A pre-1851
36 Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator A
37 Goosander Mergus merganser A pre-1901
38 Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis C1,C2 Jan 1982
39 Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus A
40 Grey Partridge Perdix perdix A,C1
41 Quail Coturnix coturnix A pre-1901
42 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus A
43 Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata A
44 Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica A
45 Great Northern Diver Gavia immer A
46 Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis A
47 Fea's/Zino's Petrel Pterodroma feae/P. madeira** A Sep 1998
48 Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea A Aug 1976
49 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis A 1835
50 Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus A

51 Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus A
52 Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan*** P Aug 2010
53 Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus A Jul 1978
54 Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus A
55 Leach's Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa A
56 Gannet Morus bassanus A
57 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo A
58 Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis A
59 Bittern Botaurus stellaris** A
60 American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus*** B Dec 1904
61 Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus** A May 1951
62 Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax** A Jul 2000
63 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides** A Sep 1895
64 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis** A Dec 2007
65 Little Egret Egretta garzetta A Apr 1970
66 Great White Egret Ardea alba** A 1998?
67 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea A
68 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea** P Mar 2012
69 White Stork Ciconia ciconia** P 2003
70 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus** A Nov 1834
71 Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia** A
72 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis A
73 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus A
74 Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena** A
75 Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus A
76 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis** A Feb 1890
77 Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus*** A pre-1879
78 Red Kite Milvus milvus** A,C2 Jan 1981
79 White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla*** B,E pre-1901
80 Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus A pre-1901
81 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus A
82 Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus** A
83 Goshawk Accipiter gentilis *** P 2000
84 Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus A
85 Buzzard Buteo buteo A pre-1901
86 Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos*** B pre-1901
87 Osprey Pandion haliaetus A pre-1901
88 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus A
89 Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus** A May 1994
90 Merlin Falco columbarius A
91 Hobby Falco subbuteo** A Sep 1958
92 Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus*** B 1893/94
93 Peregrine Falco peregrinus A
94 Water Rail Rallus aquaticus A
95 Spotted Crake Porzana porzana** B pre-1901
96 Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla*** B Apr 1858
97 Corncrake Crex crex A
98 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus A
99 Coot Fulica atra A
100 Crane Grus grus** A Nov 2011

101 Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus A
102 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus** A May 1995
103 Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta** A 1880
104 Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus*** B Mar 1840
105 Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius** P 1999
106 Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula A
107 Dotterel Charadrius morinellus** B Aug 1840
108 American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica** A 1996
109 Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria A
110 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola A
111 Sociable Plover Vanellus gregarius*** B Dec 1909
112 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus A
113 Knot Calidris canutus A
114 Sanderling Calidris alba A
115 Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla** A Sep 1998
116 Little Stint Calidris minuta A
117 White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis A Sep 2006
118 Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii** A Sep 1982
119 Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos A Sep 1984
120 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea A
121 Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima A
122 Dunlin Calidris alpina A
123 Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis** A Sep 1972
124 Ruff Philomachus pugnax A
125 Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus A
126 Snipe Gallinago gallinago A
127 Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus** A Oct 2010
128 Woodcock Scolopax rusticola A
129 Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa A
130 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica A
131 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus A
132 Curlew Numenius arquata A
133 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos A
134 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia*** A Nov 1982
135 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus A
136 Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus A
137 Greenshank Tringa nebularia A
138 Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes** A Apr 1999
139 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola A 1899
140 Redshank Tringa totanus A
141 Turnstone Arenaria interpres A
142 Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus** A 1969
143 Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius A 1837
144 Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus A
145 Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus A 1838
146 Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus** A Mar 1846
147 Great Skua Stercorarius skua A
148 Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea*** A Jan 1988
149 Sabine's Gull Xema sabini A Sep 1980
150 Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla A

151 Bonaparte's Gull Chroiocephalus philadelphia** A Apr 2004
152 Black-headed Gull Chroiocephalus ridibundus A
153 Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus A 1971
154 Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus A Jul 1974
155 Common Gull Larus canus A
156 Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis A Jan 1985
157 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus A
158 Herring Gull Larus argentatus A
159 Yellow-legged Gull Larus  michahellis A Jan 1996
160 Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans*** A Jan 2007
161 American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus** A Jan 1998
162 Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides A Jul 1959
163 Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus A
164 Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus A
165 Little Tern Sternula albifrons A
166 Gull-billed tern Gelochelidon nilotica*** P Jun 2012
167 Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus** A Apr 1994
168 Black Tern Chlidonias niger A 1831
169 White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus** B,AP May 1875
170 Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis A
171 Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri** A Jan 1985
172 Common Tern Sterna hirundo A
173 Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii A
174 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea A
175 Guillemot Uria aalge A
176 Razorbill Alca torda A
177 Great Auk Pinguinus impennis B* May 1834
178 Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle A
179 Little Auk Alle alle** A 1841
180 Puffin Fratercula arctica A
181 Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon Columba livia A
182 Stock Dove Columba oenas A
183 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus A
184 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto A 1962
185 Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur A
186 Cuckoo Cuculus canorus A
187 Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus*** A Oct 1989
188 Barn Owl Tyto alba A
189 Scops Owl Otus scops*** A Apr 1998
190 Long-eared Owl Asio otus A
191 Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A
192 Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus A
193 Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica*** A Nov 2005
194 Swift Apus apus A
195 Alpine Swift Apus melba** A May 1933
196 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis A
197 Bee-eater Merops apiaster** A June 2011
198 Hoopoe Upupa epops A pre-1901
199 Wryneck Jynx torquilla** A Oct 1877
200 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major** B Jan 1850

201 Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus** A Oct 1985
202 Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus** A 1824 or 1825
203 Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio** A Oct 1993
204 Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor*** A Sep 1991
205 Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor*** B pre-1851
206 Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator** A Jun 1974
207 Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax A
208 Magpie Pica pica A
209 Jay Garrulus glandarius A
210 Jackdaw Corvus monedula A
211 Rook Corvus frugilegus A
212 Carrion Crow Corvus corone A
213 Hooded Crow Corvus cornix A
214 Raven Corvus corax A
215 Goldcrest Regulus regulus A
216 Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus A Oct 1975
217 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus A
218 Great Tit Parus major A
219 Coal Tit Periparus ater A
220 Woodlark Lullula arborea*** B
221 Skylark Alauda arvensis A
222 Sand Martin Riparia riparia A
223 Swallow Hirundo rustica A
224 House Martin Delichon urbicum A
225 Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica** A Oct 2009
226 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus A
227 Greenish Warbler  Phylloscopus trochiloides** A Oct 1995
228 Pallas's Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus** A Oct 1999
229 Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus A Sep 1984
230 Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi*** A Oct 1985
231 Western Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli*** A Sep 1981
232 Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix A May 2004
233 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita A
234 Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus*** A June 2010
235 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus A
236 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla A
237 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin A pre-1901
238 Barred Warbler  Sylvia nisoria** A Oct 1981
239 Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca A Sep 1980
240 Whitethroat Sylvia communis A
241 Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans** A May 2008
242 Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia A
243 Booted Warbler Iduna caligata*** A Aug 2006
244 Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina** A Aug 1983
245 Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta** A Aug 1974
246 Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus A
247 Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum*** P Oct 2012
248 Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus A Sep 1981
249 Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus A pre-1901
250 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris A

251 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes A
252 Starling Sturnus vulgaris A
253 Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus** A Oct 2006
254 Dipper Cinclus cinclus A
255 Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus A
256 Blackbird Turdus merula A
257 Fieldfare Turdus pilaris A
258 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos A
259 Redwing Turdus iliacus A
260 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus A
261 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata A
262 Robin Erithacus rubecula A
263 Bluethroat Luscinia svevica** A Oct 2006
264 Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros A 1877
265 Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus A 1881
266 Whinchat Saxicola rubetra A 1882
267 Stonechat Saxicola torquata A
268 Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe A
269 Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti*** P Nov 2011
270 Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva** A Oct 1996
271 Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca A
272 Dunnock Prunella modularis A
273 House Sparrow Passer domesticus A
274 Tree Sparrow Passer montanus A
275 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava A Apr-1977
276 Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola*** A Sep 2009
277 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A
278 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba A
279 Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi** A Oct 1983
280 Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris** A May 1989?, Apr 2008
281 Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis A Aug 1981
282 Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis A
283 Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus A
284 Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta** A Dec 2003
285 Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens*** A Oct 2010
286 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs A
287 Brambling Fringilla montifringilla A
288 Greenfinch Carduelis chloris A
289 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis A
290 Siskin Carduelis spinus A
291 Linnet Carduelis cannabina A
292 Twite Carduelis flavirostris A
293 Redpoll Carduelis flammea A
294 Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra A
295 Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus** A Oct 1992
296 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula A
297 Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes** A Nov 1898
298 Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis A
299 Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus A Dec 1975
300 Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella A

301 Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A
302 Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra** A
303 Northern Parula Parula americana*** A Oct 2003
304 Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia*** A Oct 1995
305 Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata*** A Oct 1993
Additional species not admitted to the main Co Waterford list:
 
Category D1:  Species that would otherwise appear in Categories A or B except that there is a reasonable doubt that they have ever occurred in a natural state.
  • Booted Eagle Aquila pennatus [P].

D2:  Species that have arrived through ship or other human assistance.

  • Indian House Crow Corvus splendens. (Note: 1974-1980, the first documented record for Europe; subsequent records from the Netherlands, again assumed to involve shipborne dispersal, are admitted to the "full" national list there as this is considered a normal method of dispersal for the species.)

D3: Species that have only ever been found dead on the tideline.

  • (no relevant species).

D4:  Species that would otherwise appear in Category C1 except that their feral populations may or may not be self-supporting.

  • (no relevant species, or possibly Red-legged Partridge, cf. category E).

E:  Species that have been recorded as introductions, transportees or (presumed) escapees from captivity include:

  • flamingo species Phoenicopterus sp.
  • Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus.
  • Black Swan Cygnus atratus.
  • Wood Duck Aix sponsa.
  • Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata (or category C2). 
  • Spotted (African) Eagle Owl Bubo africanus.
  • Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo.
  • Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa (or category D4).
  • parakeet species.
Additional distinct subspecies recorded/reported in Co Waterford:
  • Brent Goose  Branta bernicla bernicla ('Dark-bellied' Brent Goose).
  • Brent Goose Branta bernicla nigricans** ('Black Brant').
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus intermedius ('Scandinavian' L.B-b. Gull).
  • Herring Gull Larus argentatus argentatus ('Scandinavian' Herring Gull).
  • Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides kumlieni** ('Kumlien's Gull') (P).
  • Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba alba ('White Wagtail').
  • Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus littoralis**  ('Scandinavian' Rock Pipit).
  • Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita abietinus ('Scandinavian' Chiffchaff).
  • Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis*** ('Siberian'' Chiffchaff) (P).
  • Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus acredula ('Northern' Willow Warbler).
  • Redpoll Carduelis flammea flammea*** ('Mealy' Redpoll) (P).
  • Redpoll Carduelis flammea rostrata/islandica*** ('Greenland/Iceland' Redpoll) (P).

Note that at least seven species (Balearic Shearwater, Green-winged Teal , Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, American Herring Gull, Water Pipit, Carrion Crow), formerly considered conspecific with other species on the Waterford list (Manx Shearwater, Teal, Herring Gull, Rock Pipit, Hooded Crow), are now admitted as full species to the Waterford list.

 

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