Argyll Bird Checklist

A link to a pdf of the Argyll Checklist (click below) – but please read the text first for an explanation of the species status categories and status codes

Argyll Bird Checklist 01.01.2023

As of Jan 2023 the list contains:
• 371 Category A, B & C species
• 20+ Category D & E species (i.e. introductions and escapes) have occurred in Argyll but form no part of the official list.
• In addition different sub-species (races) are listed some of which are assessed by the relevant rare bird records committee, however some sub-species are not considered for assessment, often when determination is difficult.

Species Categories

  • Category A: Species that have been recorded in an apparently natural state at least once since 1 January 1950.
  • Category B: Species that were recorded in an apparently natural state at least once between 1 January 1800 and 31 December 1949. but have not been recorded subsequently.
  • Category C: Species that, although introduced now derive from the resulting self-sustaining populations.
    • C1: Naturalised introduced species – species that have occurred only as a result of introduction.
    • C2: Naturalised established species – species with established populations resulting from introduction by man, but which also occur in an apparently natural state..
    • C3: Naturalised re-established species – species with populations successfully re-established by man in areas of former occurrence.
    • C4: Naturalised feral species – domesticated species with populations established in the wild.
    • C5: Vagrant naturalised species – species from established naturalised populations abroad.
    • C6: Former naturalised species – species formerly placed in C1 whose naturalised population is no longer self-sustaining or are considered extinct.
  • Category D: Species that would otherwise appear in Category A except that there is reasonable doubt that they have ever occurred in a natural state.
  • Category E: Species that have been recorded as introductions, human-assisted transportees, or escapes from captivity, and whose breeding populations (if any) are thought not to be self-sustaining. Species that have bred in the wild are designated as E*.

Status Codes

Abbreviated codes are provided for status of each subspecies on the list. We previously followed the codes used by BOU in The Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland 1971, which were also used in Checklist of Birds of Britain and Ireland 6th edition (BOU 1992), but BOU revised the status codes in the 7th edition (BOU 2006), which have now also been adopted for the Argyll List:

RB – Resident breeder
MB – Migrant breeder
CB – Casual breeder
NB – Naturalized breeder
HB – Hybrid breeder
FB – Former breeder
WM – Winter migrant
PM – Passage migrant
SM – Scarce migrant
V – Vagrant