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447 species of birds have been recorded in the county. A full list (revised February 2023) is below.
447 species of birds have been recorded in the county. A full list (revised February 2023) is below.
All birds that are BOU Category A, B or C that have been recorded (and accepted by the relevant committee) are listed below. The county list (as at February 2023) stands at 447. The contact for this page is [email protected]. The last year of occurrence is given for some of the rarer species. The various letters and symbols accompanying the species names refer to their status on a county and national level as outlined below:
National Rarities as defined by BBRC are indicated by †
Cornwall description species:
BOU species categories (see their website for full details):
Order Species Description Category Last year
1 Black Grouse (F) BE* 1904
2 Red-legged Partridge (N) C1E*
3 Grey Partridge (P) AC2E*
4 Quail (P) AE*
5 Pheasant (N) C1E*
6 Brent Goose (N) AE
7 Canada Goose (N) AC2E*
8 Barnacle Goose (N) AC2E*
9 Greylag Goose (N) AC2C4E*
10 Taiga Bean Goose (F) AE* 2006
11 Pink-footed Goose (P) AE*
12 Tundra Bean Goose (F) AE 2021
13 White-fronted Goose (N) AE*
14 Mute Swan (N) AC2
15 Bewick’s Swan (P) AE 2016
16 Whooper Swan (N) AE*
17 Egyptian Goose (P) C1C5E*
18 Shelduck (N) A
19 Mandarin Duck (N) C1E*
20 Garganey (N) A
21 Blue-winged Teal † AE* 2021
22 Shoveler (N) A
23 Gadwall (N) AC2E*
24 Wigeon (N) AE*
25 American Wigeon (P) AE 2020
26 Mallard (N) AC2C4E*
27 Black Duck † A 2010
28 Pintail (N) AE
29 Teal (N) A
30 Green-winged Teal (P) A
31 Red-crested Pochard (P) AC2E* 2016
32 Canvasback † AE 2000
33 Pochard (N) AE*
34 Ferruginous Duck † AE
35 Ring-necked Duck (P) AE
36 Tufted Duck (N) A
37 Scaup (N) A
38 Lesser Scaup (F) A
39 King Eider † A 2015
40 Eider (N) A
41 Surf Scoter (F) A
42 Velvet Scoter (N) A
43 Common Scoter (N) A
44 Long-tailed Duck (N) A
45 Bufflehead † AE 2020
46 Goldeneye (N) AE*
47 Smew (P) A 2016
48 Goosander (N) A
49 Red-breasted Merganser (N) A
50 Ruddy Duck (P) C1E* 2010
51 Common Nighthawk † A 2008
52 Nightjar (N) A
53 Chimney Swift † A 1999
54 Alpine Swift (P) A
55 Swift (N) A
56 Pallid Swift † A 2018
57 Little Swift † A 2004
58 Great Bustard † BE* 1879
59 Little Bustard † A 1996
60 Great Spotted Cuckoo † A 2014
61 Yellow-billed Cuckoo † A 2020
62 Black-billed Cuckoo † A 1965
63 Cuckoo (N) A
64 Pallas’s Sandgrouse † B 1889
65 Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon (N) AC4E*
66 Stock Dove (N) A
67 Woodpigeon (N) A
68 Turtle Dove (N) A
69 Collared Dove (N) A
70 Water Rail (N) A
71 Corncrake (P) AE*
72 Spotted Crake (P) A
73 Moorhen (N) A
74 Coot (N) A
75 Baillon’s Crake † A 2017
76 Little Crake † A 2004
77 Crane (P) AE*
78 Little Grebe (N) A
79 Pied-billed Grebe † A 2001
80 Red-necked Grebe (N) A
81 Great Crested Grebe (N) A
82 Slavonian Grebe (N) A
83 Black-necked Grebe (N) A
84 Stone-curlew (P) A
85 Oystercatcher (N) A
86 Black-winged Stilt (F) A 2021
87 Avocet (N) AE
88 Lapwing (N) A
89 Sociable Plover † A 2021
90 Golden Plover (N) A
91 Pacific Golden Plover † A 2022
92 American Golden Plover (F) A
93 Grey Plover (N) A
94 Ringed Plover (N) A
95 Little Ringed Plover (N) A
96 Killdeer † A 2002
97 Kentish Plover † A 2021
98 Dotterel (P) A
99 Upland Sandpiper † A 2005
100 Whimbrel (N) A
101 Hudsonian Whimbrel † A 2016
102 Curlew (N) A
103 Bar-tailed Godwit (N) A
104 Black-tailed Godwit (N) A
105 Turnstone (N) A
106 Knot (N) A
107 Ruff (N) A
108 Broad-billed Sandpiper † A 1980
109 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper † A 2004
110 Curlew Sandpiper (N) A
111 Temminck’s Stint (P) A
112 Long-toed Stint † A 1970
113 Sanderling (N) A
114 Dunlin (N) A
115 Purple Sandpiper (N) A
116 Baird’s Sandpiper † A 2018
117 Little Stint (N) A
118 Least Sandpiper † A 2022
119 White-rumped Sandpiper (F) A
120 Buff-breasted Sandpiper (P) A
121 Pectoral Sandpiper (P) A
122 Semipalmated Sandpiper † A 2021
123 Long-billed Dowitcher † A 2022
124 Woodcock (N) A
125 Jack Snipe (N) A
126 Great Snipe † B 1868
127 Snipe (N) A
128 Terek Sandpiper † A 2014
129 Wilson’s Phalarope † A 2015
130 Red-necked Phalarope (F) A 2022
131 Grey Phalarope (N) A
132 Common Sandpiper (N) A
133 Spotted Sandpiper † A 2020
134 Green Sandpiper (N) A
135 Solitary Sandpiper † A 1980
136 Lesser Yellowlegs † A
137 Redshank (N) A
138 Marsh Sandpiper † A 2018
139 Wood Sandpiper (N) A
140 Spotted Redshank (N) A
141 Greenshank (N) A
142 Greater Yellowlegs † A 2011
143 Cream-coloured Courser † A 1980
144 Collared Pratincole † A 1986
145 Black-winged Pratincole † A 1993
146 Kittiwake (N) A
147 Ivory Gull † B 1907
148 Sabine’s Gull (P) A
149 Bonaparte’s Gull † A 2021
150 Black-headed Gull (N) A
151 Little Gull (N) A
152 Ross’s Gull † A 2020
153 Laughing Gull † A 2006
154 Franklin’s Gull † A 2016
155 Mediterranean Gull (N) A
156 Common Gull (N) A
157 Ring-billed Gull (P) A
158 Great Black-backed Gull (N) A
159 Glaucous Gull (N) A
160 Iceland Gull (N) A
161 Herring Gull (N) A
162 American Herring Gull † A 2007
163 Caspian Gull (F) A
164 Yellow-legged Gull (N) A
165 Lesser Black-backed Gull (N) A
166 Gull-billed Tern † A 2021
167 Caspian Tern † A 1997
168 Royal Tern † A
169 Sandwich Tern (N) A
170 Elegant Tern † A 2002
171 Little Tern (N) A
172 Bridled Tern † A 2014
173 Roseate Tern (F) A
174 Common Tern (N) A
175 Arctic Tern (N) A
176 Forster’s Tern † A 2002
177 Whiskered Tern † A 2016
178 White-winged Black Tern (F) A 1999
179 Black Tern (N) A
180 Great Skua (N) A
181 Pomarine Skua (N) A
182 Arctic Skua (N) A
183 Long-tailed Skua (F) A
184 Little Auk (N) A
185 Common Guillemot (N) A
186 Razorbill (N) A
187 Black Guillemot (P) A
188 Puffin (N) A
189 Red-billed Tropicbird † AE 2015
190 Red-throated Diver (N) A
191 Black-throated Diver (N) A
192 Pacific Diver † A
193 Great Northern Diver (N) A
194 White-billed Diver (F) A
195 Wilson’s Petrel (F) A
196 Black-browed Albatross † A
197 Storm Petrel (N) A
198 Leach’s Petrel (P) A
199 Fulmar (N) A
200 Cory’s Shearwater (N) A
201 Sooty Shearwater (N) A
202 Great Shearwater (N) A
203 Manx Shearwater (N) A
204 Balearic Shearwater (N) A
205 Barolo Shearwater † A
206 Black Stork † AE 2021
207 White Stork (F) AE
208 Brown Booby † A
209 Gannet (N) A
210 Cormorant (N) A
211 Shag (N) A
212 Glossy Ibis (P) AE
213 Spoonbill (N) AE
214 Bittern (N) A
215 American Bittern † A 2010
216 Little Bittern † A 2012
217 Night-heron (F) AE*
218 Green Heron † A 2010
219 Squacco Heron † A 2015
220 Cattle Egret (P) AE
221 Grey Heron (N) A
222 Purple Heron (P) A
223 Great White Egret (P) A
224 Little Egret (N) A
225 Dalmatian Pelican † A 2016
226 Osprey (N) AE*
227 Honey-buzzard (F) A
228 Spotted Eagle † B 1861
229 Golden Eagle (F) BE 1810
230 Sparrowhawk (N) A
231 Goshawk (F) AC3E*
232 Marsh Harrier (N) A
233 Hen Harrier (N) A
234 Northern Harrier † A 2013
235 Pallid Harrier † A 2022
236 Montagu’s Harrier (F) A 2022
237 Red Kite (N) AC3E*
238 Black Kite (F) AE
239 White-tailed Eagle (F) AC3E* 1973
240 Rough-legged Buzzard (F) AE
241 Buzzard (N) AE*
242 Barn Owl (N) AE*
243 Scops Owl † A 2020
244 Snowy Owl † AE 2017
245 Tawny Owl (N) A
246 Hawk Owl † B 1830
247 Little Owl (P) C1E*
248 Long-eared Owl (P) A
249 Short-eared Owl (N) A
250 Hoopoe (N) AE
251 Roller † A 2022
252 Kingfisher (N) A
253 Belted Kingfisher † A 1980
254 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater † A 1989
255 Bee-eater (P) A
256 Wryneck (N) A
257 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (P) A
258 Great Spotted Woodpecker (N) A
259 Green Woodpecker (N) A
260 Lesser Kestrel † A 1968
261 Kestrel (N) A
262 American Kestrel † AE 1976
263 Red-footed Falcon (F) A
264 Amur Falcon † AE 2017
265 Eleonora’s Falcon † A 2012
266 Merlin (N) A
267 Hobby (N) A
268 Gyr Falcon † AE 2016
269 Peregrine (N) AE
270 Alder Flycatcher † A 2008
271 Brown Shrike † A 2021
272 Red-backed Shrike (N) A
273 Daurian Shrike † A 2013
274 Turkestan Shrike † A 2002
275 Lesser Grey Shrike † A 1983
276 Great Grey Shrike (P) A 2022
277 Woodchat Shrike (P) A
278 Yellow-throated Vireo † A 1989
279 Red-eyed Vireo † A
280 Golden Oriole (P) A
281 Jay (N) A
282 Magpie (N) A
283 Nutcracker † A 1968
284 Chough (N) AE*
285 Jackdaw (N) A
286 Rook (N) A
287 Carrion Crow (N) A
288 Hooded Crow (P) A
289 Raven (N) A
290 Waxwing (P) AE
291 Coal Tit (N) A
292 Marsh Tit (N) A
293 Willow Tit (N) A
294 Blue Tit (N) A
295 Great Tit (N) A
296 Penduline Tit (F) A 2004
297 Bearded Tit (P) A 2017
298 Woodlark (N) A
299 Skylark (N) A
300 Crested Lark † AE 1965
301 Shore Lark (P) A 2014
302 Short-toed Lark (P) A 2022
303 Sand Martin (N) A
304 Swallow (N) AE
305 Crag Martin † A 1988
306 House Martin (N) A
307 Red-rumped Swallow (P) A
308 Cetti’s Warbler (N) A
309 Long-tailed Tit (N) A
310 Wood Warbler (P) A
311 Western Bonelli’s Warbler † A 2021
312 Hume’s Warbler † A 2008
313 Yellow-browed Warbler (N) A
314 Pallas’s Warbler (F) A
315 Radde’s Warbler (F) A 2022
316 Dusky Warbler (F) A
317 Willow Warbler (N) A
318 Chiffchaff (N) A
319 Iberian Chiffchaff † A 2018
320 Green Warbler † A
321 Greenish Warbler (F) A
322 Arctic Warbler † A 2014
323 Great Reed Warbler † A 2020
324 Aquatic Warbler † A
325 Sedge Warbler (N) A
326 Paddyfield Warbler † A 2022
327 Blyth’s Reed Warbler (F) A
328 Reed Warbler (N) A
329 Marsh Warbler (F) A
330 Booted Warbler † A
331 Sykes’s Warbler † A 2018
332 Melodious Warbler (P) A
333 Icterine Warbler (F) A 2022
334 Savi’s Warbler † A 2015
335 Grasshopper Warbler (N) A
336 Blackcap (N) A
337 Garden Warbler (N) A
338 Barred Warbler (P) A
339 Lesser Whitethroat (N) A
340 Sardinian Warbler † A 2020
341 Eastern Subalpine Warbler † A 2021
342 Western Subalpine Warbler † A
343 Whitethroat (N) A
344 Dartford Warbler (N) A
345 Firecrest (N) A
346 Goldcrest (N) A
347 Wren (N) A
348 Nuthatch (N) A
349 Treecreeper (N) A
350 Grey Catbird † A 2018
351 Rose-coloured Starling (P) AE
352 Starling (N) A
353 White’s Thrush † A 2021
354 Varied Thrush † A 1982
355 Veery † A 1999
356 Grey-cheeked Thrush † A 1998
357 Swainson’s Thrush † A 1987
358 Hermit Thrush † A 2013
359 Ring Ouzel (N) A
360 Blackbird (N) A
361 Black-throated Thrush † A 2002
362 Dusky Thrush † A 1983
363 Fieldfare (N) A
364 Redwing (N) A
365 Song Thrush (N) A
366 Mistle Thrush (N) A
367 American Robin † AE 2003
368 Rufous Scrub-tailed Robin † A 2021
369 Spotted Flycatcher (N) A
370 Robin (N) A
371 Bluethroat (F) A 2021
372 Nightingale (P) A
373 Red-flanked Bluetail (F) AE 2007
374 Red-breasted Flycatcher (P) A
375 Pied Flycatcher (N) A
376 Black Redstart (N) A
377 Redstart (N) A
378 Rock Thrush † A 1963
379 Blue Rock Thrush † A 2000
380 Whinchat (N) A
381 Stonechat (N) A
382 Siberian Stonechat † A 2022
383 Wheatear (N) A
384 Isabelline Wheatear † A 2023
385 Desert Wheatear † A 2022
386 Black-eared Wheatear † A 2002
387 Pied Wheatear † A 2018
388 Dipper (N) A
389 House Sparrow (N) A
390 Spanish Sparrow † A 2000
391 Tree Sparrow (P) A
392 Alpine Accentor † A 1990
393 Dunnock (N) A
394 Yellow Wagtail (N) A
395 Eastern Yellow Wagtail † A 2016
396 Citrine Wagtail (F) A 2022
397 Grey Wagtail (N) A
398 Pied Wagtail (N) A
399 Richard’s Pipit (N) A
400 Blyth’s Pipit † A 2007
401 Tawny Pipit † A
402 Meadow Pipit (N) A
403 Tree Pipit (N) A
404 Olive-backed Pipit (F) A
405 Pechora Pipit † A 1996
406 Red-throated Pipit † A 2017
407 Buff-bellied Pipit † A
408 Water Pipit (N) A
409 Rock Pipit (N) A
410 Chaffinch (N) AE
411 Brambling (N) A
412 Hawfinch (P) A 2022
413 Bullfinch (N) A
414 Common Rosefinch (P) A 2018
415 Greenfinch (N) AE
416 Twite (F) A 1988
417 Linnet (N) A
418 Common Redpoll (F) A 2008
419 Lesser Redpoll (N) A
420 Arctic Redpoll † A 2020
421 Crossbill (N) A
422 Goldfinch (N) A
423 Serin (P) A
424 Siskin (N) A
425 Lapland Bunting (N) A
426 Snow Bunting (N) A
427 Corn Bunting (N) A
428 Yellowhammer (N) A
429 Pine Bunting † A 2009
430 Ortolan Bunting (P) AE 2022
431 Cirl Bunting (N) A
432 Little Bunting (P) A
433 Rustic Bunting † A 2009
434 Black-headed Bunting † AE 2000
435 Reed Bunting (N) A
436 White-throated Sparrow † AE 2010
437 Dark-eyed Junco † AE 2008
438 Bobolink † A 2008
439 Baltimore Oriole † A 1968
440 Black-and-white Warbler † A 1983
441 Common Yellowthroat † A 2006
442 American Redstart † A 1983
443 Northern Parula † A 1988
444 Bay-breasted Warbler † A 1995
445 Blackpoll Warbler † A 1995
446 Wilson’s Warbler † A 1985
447 Scarlet Tanager † A 2011
In addition to these full species, there are a number of subspecies that have been recorded in Cornwall. A list summarising some of these records is below, but this remains a work in progress and is far from an exhaustive list due to taxonomic complexities with races and subspecies.
Subspecies Last year Latin subspecies name
Dark-bellied Brent Goose bernicla
Pale-bellied Brent Goose hrota
Black Brant 1981 nigricans
European White-fronted Goose albifrons
Greenland White-fronted Goose flavirostris
Kumlien’s Gull 2023 kumlieni
Azorean Yellow-legged Gull 2008 atlantis
Continental Cormorant sinensis
Steppe Grey Shrike 1992 pallidirostris
Balearic Woodchat Shrike 2010 badius
Siberian Chiffchaff tristis
Eastern Lesser Whitethroat blythi
Eastern Black Redstart 2017 phoenicuroides / rufiventris / xerophilus
Blue-headed Wagtail flava
Ashy-headed Wagtail 1990 cinereocapilla
Grey-headed Wagtail 2016 thunbergi
Black-headed Wagtail 2019 feldegg
White Wagtail alba
Scandanavian Rock Pipit littoralis
Finally, there are a number of species close to entering the county list, but do not appear in the list. Such reasons include: (i) awaiting BBRC acceptance, (ii) not being accepted to species level or (iii) being accepted to have occurred but there is doubt if the origins were wild. These records are summarised below.
Records Pending BBRC Acceptance Year Last Recorded Comments
Taiga Flycatcher 2009 Re-submitted in 2022
Trindade Petrel 2018
Black-faced Bunting 2022
Records Pending Status Review
Ruddy Shelduck BBRC conducting a review of species status in Britain
Ring-necked Parakeet Records believed to have most likely orignated from the Plymouth population being considered as valid entries onto the County List
Snow Goose Review of records of possible wild origin being carried out by County Recorder
Red-breasted Goose Review of records of possible wild origin being carried out by County Recorder, possibly to send to BBRC
Records in BOURC Category D
Booted Eagle 1999
Paddyfield Pipit 2019
Records Accepted to Family Group Only
Fea’s-type Petrel Fea’s Petrel or Zino’s Petrel or Deserta’s Petrel
Frigatebird sp. 1995 Ascension Frigatebird or Magnificent Frigatebird
Orphean Warbler sp. Western Orphean Warbler or Eastern Orphean Warbler
Band-rumped Petrel sp. Madeiran Storm Petrel or Monteiro’s Storm Petrel or Cape Verde Storm Petrel
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