BIRD SPECIES RECORDED IN ASSYNT

The total number of bird species recorded in Assynt as at 24 November 2022 was 238

Brent Goose Branta bernicla – Increasing winter visitor

Canada Goose Branta canadensis – Rare visitor

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis – Increasing winter visitor

Snow Goose Anser caerulescens – Rare visitor

Greylag Goose Anser anser – Resident breeder; winter visitor

Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus – Passage migrant

Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris – Rare winter visitor

White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons – Rare winter visitor

Mute Swan Cygnus olor – Rare visitor

Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus – Vagrant

Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus – Regular winter visitor

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna – Uncommon breeder

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata – Vagrant

Garganey Spatula querquedula – Rare migrant; has bred

Shoveler Spatula clypeata – Rare migrant

Gadwall Mareca strepera – Rare passage migrant

Wigeon Mareca penelope – Uncommon breeder

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – Resident breeder; winter visitor

Pintail Anas acuta – Rare visitor

Teal Anas crecca – Scarce resident breeder; winter visitor

Pochard Aythya ferina – Rare winter visitor

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula – Scarce breeder; scarce winter visitor

Scaup Aythya marila – Rare winter visitor

King Eider Somateria spectabilis – Rare visitor

Eider Somateria mollissima – Common breeder; scarce in winter

Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata – Vagrant

Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca – Rare winter visitor

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra – Scarce winter visitor

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis – Scarce winter visitor

Goldeneye Bucephala clangula – Common winter visitor

Smew Mergellus albellus – Vagrant

Goosander Mergus merganser – Scarce resident; may breed

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator – Resident breeder

Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus – Common resident breeder

Ptarmigan Lagopus muta – Common resident breeder

Black Grouse Lyrurus tetrix – Scarce resident; may breed

Grey Partridge Perdix perdix – Rare visitor

Pheasant Phasianus colchicus – Scarce (introduced) resident

Quail Coturnix coturnix – Rare summer visitor

Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa – Rare (introduced) visitor

Swift Apus apus – Rare passage migrant

Cuckoo Cuculus canorus – Common summer breeder

Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon Columba livia – Common resident breeder

Stock Dove Columba oenas – Rare visitor

Woodpigeon Columba palumbus – Common resident breeder

Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur – Occasional vagrant

Collared Dove Steptopelia decaocto – Common resident breeder

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus – Scarce winter visitor and occasional breeder

Corncrake Crex crex – Occasional summer breeder

Spotted Crake Porzana porzana – Rare visitor

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus – Scarce resident breeder

Coot Fulica atra – Rare winter visitor/possible attempted breeding

Crane Grus grus – Rare vagrant

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis – Scarce resident breeder

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena – Rare visitor

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus – Rare visitor

Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus – Rare visitor

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis – Rare visitor

Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus – Common resident

Lapwing Vanellus vanellus – Scarce summer breeder

Golden Plover Pluviailis apricaria – Summer breeder; passage migrant

Grey Plover Pluviailis squatarola – Rare winter visitor

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula – Common resident breeder; winter visitor

Dotterel Charadrius morinellus – Rare summer breeder

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus – Regular passage migrant; occasional breeder

Curlew Numenius arquata – Common resident (breeder); winter visitor

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica – Scarce passage migrant; rare winter visitor

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa – Scarce passage migrant

Turnstone Arenaria interpres – Common winter visitor

Knot Calidris canutus – Rare winter visitor

Ruff Calidris pugnax – Rare passage migrant

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea – Rare passage migrant

Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii – Rare passage migrant

Sanderling Calidris alba – Passage migrant; winter visitor

Dunlin Calidris alpina – Regular winter visitor; scarce summer breeder

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima – Regular winter visitor

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Calidris subruficollis – Vagrant

Woodcock Scolopax rusticola – Common resident breeder; winter visitor

Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus – Scarce winter visitor

Snipe Gallinago gallinago – Common resident breeder

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus – Vagrant

Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius – Rare visitor

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos – Common summer breeder

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus – Rare visitor

Redshank Tringa totanus – Common resident breeder

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola – Rare visitor

Greenshank Tringa nebularia – Common summer breeder

Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla – Summer breeder; scarce offshore winter

Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea – Vagrant

Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini – Rare visitor late summer/autumn

Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus – Scarce, but increasing summer and winter visitor; possible occasional breeder

Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus – Scarce winter visitor

Franklin’s Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan – Vagrant

Common Gull Larus canus – Common resident breeder

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis – Vagrant

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus – Common resident breeder

Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus – Rare winter visitor

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides – Rare winter visitor

Herring Gull Larus argentatus – Common resident breeder

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus – Scarce summer breeder

Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis – Scarce passage migrant

Little Tern Sternula albifrons – Scarce passage migrant

Common Tern Sterna hirundo – Scarce summer breeder

Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea – Scarce summer breeder

Great Skua Stercorarius skua – Common offshore summer/passage; occasional breeder

Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus – Rare visitor

Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus – A few breeding pairs; seen offshore summer/passage

Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus – Passage migrant

Little Auk Alle alle – Vagrant

Common Guillemot Uria aalge – Scarce summer breeder

Razorbill Alca torda – Scarce summer breeder

Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle – Common resident

Puffin Fratercula arctica – Summer visitor offshore

Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata – Summer breeder; winter visitor offshore

Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica – Summer breeder; winter visitor offshore

Great Northern Diver Gavia immer – Winter visitor offshore

White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii – Rare winter visitor

Wilson’s Petrel Oceanites oceanicus – Rare autumn passage migrant

Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus – Passage migrant; seen offshore summer

Leach’s Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa – Rare autumn passage migrant

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis – Common resident breeder

Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris borealis – Rare autumn passage migrant

Sooty Shearwater Ardenna grisea – Rare autumn passage migrant

Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus – Passage migrant; seen offshore summer

Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus – Rare autumn passage migrant

White Stork Ciconia ciconia – Vagrant

Gannet Morus bassanus – Common offshore; non-breeder

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo – Common resident (breeder?)

Shag Phalaocrocorax aristotelis – Common resident breeder

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea – Common resident breeder

Great White Egret Ardea alba – Vagrant

Little Egret Egretta garzetta – Vagrant

Osprey Pandion haliaetos – Common summer visitor (former breeder)

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos – Scarce resident breeder

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus – Common resident breeder

Goshawk Accipiter gentilis – Rare visitor

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus – Rare passage visitor

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus – Occasional visitor

Red Kite Milvus milvus – Rare visitor (increasing)

White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla – Rare visitor (increasing)

Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus – Rare winter visitor

Buzzard Buteo buteo – Common resident breeder

Barn Owl Tyto alba – Scarce resident breeder

Long-eared Owl Asio otus – Rare summer breeder

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus – Possible breeder; winter visitor

Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus – Rare winter visitor

Tawny Owl Strix aluco – Common resident breeder

Hoopoe Upupa epops – Rare visitor

Roller Coracias garrulus – Vagrant

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis – Rare visitor

Bee-eater Merops apiaster – Rare visitor

Wryneck Jynx torquilla – Rare visitor

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major – Scarce resident breeder

Kestrel Falco tinnunculas – Scarce resident breeder

Merlin Falco columbarius – Scarce summer breeder; increasing in winter

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus – Scarce resident breeder

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio – Vagrant

Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor – Vagrant

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor – Vagrant

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator – Vagrant

Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus – Vagrant

Jay Garrulus glandarius – Rare visitor

Magpie Pica pica – Rare but increasing visitor

Jackdaw Coloeus monedula – Locally resident breeder

Rook Corvus frugilegus – Rare visitor

Carrion Crow Corvus corone – Occasional visitor

Hooded Crow Corvus cornix – Common resident breeder

Raven Corvus corax – Common resident breeder

Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus – Occasional winter visitor

Coal Tit Periparus ater – Common resident breeder

Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus – Common resident breeder

Great Tit Parus major – Common resident breeder

Skylark Alauda arvensis – Common summer breeder

Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla – Vagrant

Sand Martin Riparia riparia – Scarce summer breeder (increasing)

Swallow Hirundo rustica – Common summer breeder

House Martin Delichon urbicum – Common summer breeder

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus – Common resident breeder

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix – Rare summer breeder

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus – Rare visitor

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus – Common summer breeder

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita – Scarce summer breeder

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus shoenobaenus – Scarce summer breeder

Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia – Scarce (increasing) summer breeder

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla – Scarce summer breeder; rare winter visitor

Garden Warbler Sylvia borin – Rare summer breeder

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca – Rare summer visitor

Whitethroat Sylvia communis – Rare summer breeder

Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla – Vagrant

Goldcrest Regulus regulus – Scarce resident breeder

Wren Troglodytes troglodytes – Common breeding resident

Treecreeper Certhia familiaris – Common breeding resident

Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus – Vagrant

Starling Sturnus vulgaris – Common breeding resident; winter visitor

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos – Common breeding resident; winter visitor

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus – Scarce breeding resident; winter visitor

Redwing Turdus iliacus – Winter visitor; scarce breeder

Blackbird Turdus merula – Common breeding resident; winter visitor

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris – Winter visitor

Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus – Scarce summer breeder

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata – Scarce summer breeder

Robin Erithacus rubecula – Common breeding resident; winter visitor

Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca – Rare visitor

Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis – Vagrant

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros – Rare passage migrant

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus – Occasional summer breeder

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra – Scarce summer breeder

Stonechat Saxicola rubicola – Common breeding resident

Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe – Common summer breeder

Dipper Cinclus cinclus – Common breeding resident

Tree Sparrow Passer montanus – Rare visitor

House Sparrow Passer domesticus – Locally common breeding resident

Dunnock Prunella modularis – Common breeding resident

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava – Rare summer visitor

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea – Scarce summer breeder

Pied/White Wagtail Motacilla alba – Common summer breeder/passage migrant

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis – Common breeding resident; very few over winter

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis – Scarce summer breeder

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus – Common breeding resident

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs – Common breeding resident

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla – Rare winter visitor

Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes – Rare summer visitor

Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula – Scarce breeding resident

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrina – Vagrant

Greenfinch Chloris chloris – Common breeding resident

Twite Linaria flavirostris – Summer breeder; winter visitor (resident)

Linnet Linaria cannabina – Scarce summer breeder

Lesser Redpoll Acanthis cabaret – Summer breeder; winter visitor

Arctic Redpoll Acanthis hornemanni – Rare winter visitor

Crossbill Loxia curvirostra – Rare passage (irruptive) migrant; possible breeder

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis – Locally common breeding resident

Siskin Spinus spinus – Scarce summer breeder; winter visitor

Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus – Rare visitor

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis – Rare summer breeder; winter visitor

Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella – Scarce breeding resident

Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla – Rare visitor

Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus – Scarce breeding resident

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis – Vagrant