British birds

About 550 species of birds have occurred in Great Britain. In general the avifauna is, of course, similar to that of Europe, though with fewer breeding species. Because of its position, Britain receives a number of vagrants from Asia and North America.

British birds include the following families:

Gaviiformes

• Gaviidae divers

Podicepiformes

• Podicepidae grebes

Procellariiformes

• Diomedeidae albatross very rare vagrant
• Procellariidae fulmars, shearwaters (gadfly and other petrels as rare vagrants)
• Hydrobatidae storm petrels

Pelecaniformes

• Sulidae gannets
• Phalacrocoracidae cormorants
• Fregatidae frigatebirds very rare vagrant
• Phaethontidae tropicbirds very rare vagrant- one record

Ciconiiformes (American taxonomists often include all the raptors in this family.)

• Ardeidae herons and bitterns
• Ciconiidae: storks (rare)
• Threskiomithidae ibises and spoonbills

Anseriformes

• Anatidae swans, geese and ducks

Accipitriformes ( Some classifications also include the Falconidae.)

• Pandionidae Osprey
• Accipitridae hawks, eagles, buzzards, harriers, kites and allies

Falconiformes Sometimes included in the Accipitriformes.)

• Falconidae falcons

Galliformes

• Tetraonidae grouse
• Phasianidae partridges, pheasants and quails

Gruiformes

• Gruidae cranes
• Rallidae rails and crakes
• Otidae bustards formerly bred, now rare vagrants

Charadriiformes

• Haematopodidae oystercatchers
• Charadriidae plovers
• Scolopacidae typical waders or shorebirds
• Burhinidae thick-knees one species
• Glareolidae coursers and pratincoles as rare vagrants
• Stercoraracidae skuas
• Laridae gulls
• Sternidae terns
• Alcidae auks

Pterocliformes

• Pteroclidae sandgrouse. One species as rare vagrant, has bred

Columbiformes (Worldwide; 300 species.)

• Columbidae pigeons and doves

Psittaciformes

• Psittacidae parrots one introduced species only

Cuculiformes

• Cuculidae cuckoos

Strigiformes

• Tytonidae barn owls
• Strigidae owls

Caprimulgiformes

• Caprimulgidae nightjars

Apodiformes

• Apodidae swifts

Coraciiformes

• Alcedinidae kingfishers
• Meropidae bee-eaters rarity, has bred
• Coraciidae rollers rarity
• Upupidae Hoopoe

Piciformes

• Picidae woodpeckers

Passeriformes perching birds

• Alaudidae larks
• Hirundinidae swallows and martins
• Motacillidae wagtails and pipits
• Bombycillidae waxwings
• Cinclidae dippers
• Troglodytidae wrens
• Prunellidae accentors
• Turdidae thrushes and chats
• Corvidae crows, ravens, and allies
• Sylviidae Old World warblers
• Regulidae kinglets
• Muscicapidae Old World flycatchers
• Aegithalidae long-tailed tits
• Remizidae penduline tits rarity, has bred
• Paridae titmice
• Tichodromadidae Wallcreeper very rare vagrant
• Sittidae nuthatches
• Certhiidae treecreepers
• Laniidae shrikes
• Corvidae crows and jays
• Emberizidae buntings and, as very rare vagrants, American sparrows
• Thraupidae tanagers very rare vagrant
• Vireonidae vireos very rare vagrant
• Parulidae New World warblers very rare vagrant
• Icteridae icterids very rare vagrant
• Fringillidae finches
• Ploceidae sparrows
• Sturnidae starlings
• Oriolidae orioles

The links above lead to family accounts and hence to individual species. Taxonomy is very fluid in the age of DNA analysis, so other arrangements may be found, as in Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy.

• The British Ornithologists' Union publishes a List of British birds (http://www.bou.org.uk/recbrlst.html). Also see Taxonomic Recommendations for European Birds (http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.0019-1019.2001.00026.x/pdf) and Taxonomic recommendations for British birds (http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1474-919x.2002.00110.x/pdf) (both in PDF format).

See also European birds