List of British birds: passerines

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The list of British birds comprises all those bird species which have occurred in a wild state in Great Britain. In general the avifauna of Britain is, of course, similar to that of Europe, although with fewer breeding species. Because of its position, Britain receives a number of vagrants from Asia and North America. There are 573 accepted species of birds on the British list according to the British Ornithologists' Union.

This page lists the British bird species in the passerine families, which are listed in accordance with the 2003 reordering of the British list, and follows the families used in that list. The other bird species are listed in List of British birds: non-passerines.

[edit] British birds

[edit] Passeriformes

• Tyrannidae, Tyrant flycatchers
  • Eastern Phoebe, Sayornis phoebe, very rare US vagrant

• Alaudidae, larks
  • Calandra Lark, Melanocorypha calandra, very rare vagrant
  • Bimaculated Lark, Melanocorypha bimaculata, very rare vagrant
  • White-winged Lark, Melanocorypha leucoptera, very rare vagrant
  • Black Lark, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis, very rare vagrant
  • Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla vagrant
  • Lesser Short-toed Lark, Calandrella rufescens, very rare vagrant
  • Crested Lark, Galerida cristata vagrant
  • Wood Lark, Lullula arborea
  • Skylark, Alauda arvensis
  • Shore Lark, Eremophila alpestris

• Hirundinidae, swallows and martins
  • Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, very rare vagrant
  • Sand Martin, Riparia riparia
  • Crag Martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris, very rare vagrant
  • Purple Martin, Progne subis, very rare vagrant
  • Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
  • Red-rumped Swallow, Hirundo daurica, rare vagrant
  • Cliff Swallow, Hirundo pyrrhonota, very rare vagrant
  • House Martin, Delichon urbicum

• Motacillidae, wagtails and pipits
  • Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla citreola, rare
  • White Wagtail, Motacilla alba. Two races
    • M. a. alba (nominate subspecies occurring as a migrant)
    • M. a. yarrelli, Pied Wagtail (subspecies breeding in Britain)
  • Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
  • Blue-headed Wagtail, Motacilla flava
    • Blue-headed Wagtail M. f. flava (nominate subspecies occurring as a migrant)
    • Yellow Wagtail M. f. flavissima (subspecies breeding in Britain)
  • Richard's Pipit, Anthus richardi, vagrant
  • Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris, rare vagrant
  • Blyth's Pipit, Anthus godlewskii, very rare vagrant
  • Tree Pipit, Anthus trivialis
  • Olive-backed Pipit, Anthus hodgsoni, rare vagrant
  • Pechora Pipit, Anthus gustavi, rare vagrant
  • Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis
  • Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus, rare vagrant
  • Water Pipit, Anthus spinoletta
  • Rock Pipit, Anthus petrosus
  • Buff-bellied Pipit, Anthus rubescens, very rare vagrant

• Bombycillidae, waxwings
  • Bohemian Waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus
  • Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum, very rare vagrant

• Cinclidae, dippers
  • European Dipper, Cinclus cinclus

• Troglodytidae, wrens
  • Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes

• Mimidae, mockingbirds
  • Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, very rare vagrant
  • Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum, one record
  • Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis, one record

• Prunellidae, accentors
  • Dunnock, Prunella modularis
  • Alpine Accentor, Prunella collaris, rare vagrant

• Turdidae thrushes and chats
  • Blackbird, Turdus merula
  • Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus
  • Eyebrowed Thrush, Turdus obscurus, rare vagrant
  • Dark-throated Thrush, Turdus atrogularis
    • Black-throated Thrush, T. a. atrogularis, rare vagrant (nominate subspecies)
    • Red-throated Thrush, T.a. ruficollis, very rare vagrant (subspecies)
  • Dusky Thrush, Turdus naumanni
    • Naumann's Thrush, T. n. naumanni, very rare vagrant (nominate subspecies)
    • Dusky Thrush, T. n. eunomus, rare vagrant (subspecies)
  • Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris
  • Redwing, Turdus iliacus
  • Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos
  • Mistle Thrush, Turdus viscivorus
  • American Robin, Turdus migratorius, very rare vagrant
  • Siberian Thrush, Zoothera sibirica, very rare vagrant
  • White's Thrush or Scaly Thrush, Zoothera dauma, rare vagrant
  • Varied Thrush, Zoothera naevia, one record
  • Veery, Catharus fuscescens, very rare vagrant
  • Gray-cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus, rare vagrant
  • Swainson's Thrush, Catharus ustulatus, very rare vagrant
  • Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus, very rare vagrant
  • Wood Thrush, Hylocichla mustelina, very rare vagrant
  • Rock Thrush, Monticola saxatilis, rare vagrant
  • Blue Rock-Thrush, Monticola solitarius, very rare vagrant
  • Rufous Bush Robin, Cercotrichas galactotes, very rare vagrant
  • Bluethroat, Luscinia svecicavagrant, few resident in Norfolk
  • Siberian Rubythroat, Luscinia calliope, very rare vagrant
  • Rufous-tailed Robin, Luscinia sibilans, very rare vagrant
  • Thrush Nightingale, Luscinia luscinia, rare vagrant
  • Nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
  • Siberian Blue Robin, Luscinia cyanea, very rare vagrant
  • Red-flanked Bluetail, Tarsiger cyanurus, very rare vagrant
  • European Robin, Erithacus rubecula
  • White-throated Robin, Irania gutturalis, very rare vagrant
  • European Stonechat, Saxicola rubicola
  • Siberian Stonechat, Saxicola maura, rare vagrant
  • Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
  • Northern Wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe
  • Isabelline Wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina, rare vagrant
  • Desert Wheatear, Oenanthe deserti, rare vagrant
  • Black-eared Wheatear, Oenanthe hispanica, rare vagrant
  • Pied Wheatear, Oenanthe pleschanka, rare vagrant
  • White-crowned Wheatear, Oenanthe leucopyga, very rare vagrant
  • Black Redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros
  • Common Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
  • Moussier's Redstart, Phoenicurus moussieri, very rare vagrant

• Corvidae crows, ravens, and allies
  • Carrion Crow, Corvus corone
  • Common Raven, Corvus corax
  • Hooded Crow, Corvus cornix
  • Jackdaw, Corvus monedula
  • Rook, Corvus frugilegus
  • Eurasian Jay, Garrulus glandarius
  • Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
  • European Magpie, Pica pica
  • Spotted Nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes, very rare vagrant

• Sylviidae Old World warblers
  • Cetti's Warbler, Cettia cetti
  • Lanceolated Warbler, Locustella lanceolata, rare vagrant
  • Grasshopper Warbler, Locustella naevia
  • Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Locustella certhiola, rare vagrant
  • River Warbler, Locustella fluviatilis, rare vagrant
  • Savi's Warbler, Locustella luscinioides, rare breeder
  • Aquatic Warbler, Acrocephalus paludicola, rare vagrant
  • Sedge Warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
  • Paddyfield Warbler, Acrocephalus agricola, rare vagrant
  • Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
  • Blyth's Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus dumetorum, rare vagrant
  • Marsh Warbler, Acrocephalus palustris, rare breeder
  • Great Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, rare vagrant
  • Thick-billed Warbler, Acrocephalus aedon, very rare vagrant
  • Booted Warbler, Hippolais caligata, rare vagrant
  • Sykes' Warbler, Hippolais rama,very rare vagrant
  • Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Hippolais pallida, very rare vagrant
  • Western Olivaceous Warbler, Hippolais opaca, very rare vagrant
  • Melodious Warbler, Hippolais polyglotta vagrant
  • Icterine Warbler, Hippolais icterina vagrant
  • Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
  • Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
  • Iberian Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus brehmii, very rare vagrant
  • Western Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli, rare vagrant
  • Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis, rare vagrant
  • Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
  • Dusky Warbler, Phylloscopus fuscatus, rare vagrant
  • Radde's Warbler, Phylloscopus schwarzi, rare vagrant
  • Pallas's Warbler, Phylloscopus proregulus, rare vagrant
  • Yellow-browed Warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus rare vagrant
  • Hume's Warbler, Phylloscopus humei, rare vagrant
  • Arctic Warbler, Phylloscopus borealis, rare vagrant
  • Greenish Warbler, Phylloscopus trochiloides, rare vagrant
  • Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
  • Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
  • Whitethroat, Sylvia communis
  • Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca
  • Asian Desert Warbler, Sylvia nana rare vagrant
  • Barred Warbler, Sylvia nisoria rare vagrant
  • Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis, very rare vagrant
  • Rueppell's Warbler, Sylvia rueppelli rare vagrant
  • Subalpine Warbler, Sylvia cantillans, rare vagrant
  • Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala, rare vagrant
  • Spectacled Warbler, Sylvia conspicillata, very rare vagrant
  • Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata
  • Marmora's Warbler Sylvia sarda, very rare vagrant
  • Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis, very rare vagrant

• Regulidae kinglets
  • Goldcrest, Regulus regulus
  • Firecrest, Regulus ignicapillus

• Muscicapidae Old World flycatchers
  • Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
  • Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
  • Collared Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis, rare vagrant
  • Red-breasted Flycatcher, Ficedula parva rare vagrant
  • Taiga Flycatcher, Ficedula albicilla, very rare vagrant

• Paradoxornithidae: parrotbills
  • Bearded Tit, Panurus biarmicus

• Aegithalidae long-tailed tits
  • Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos longicaudus

• Remizidae penduline tits
  • Penduline Tit, Remiz pendulinus, rarity, has bred

• Paridae titmice
  • Marsh Tit, Parus palustris
  • Willow Tit, Parus montana
  • Coal Tit, Parus ater
  • Crested Tit, Parus cristatus
  • Great Tit, Parus major
  • Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus

• Tichodromadidae Wallcreeper
  • Wallcreeper, Tichodroma muraria, very rare vagrant

• Sittidae nuthatches
  • Eurasian Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis very rare vagrant

• Certhiidae treecreepers
  • Common Treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
  • Short-toed Treecreeper, Certhia brachydactyla, rare vagrant

• Laniidae shrikes
  • Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor
  • Southern Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis, rare vagrant
  • Lesser Grey Shrike, Lanius minor, rare vagrant
  • Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio
  • Isabelline Shrike, Lanius isabellinus, rare vagrant
  • Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator, rare vagrant
  • Masked Shrike, Lanius nubicus, very rare vagrant (one record)
  • Long-tailed Shrike, Lanius schach, very rare vagrant
  • Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus, very rare vagrant

• Emberizidae buntings and, as very rare vagrants, American sparrows
  • Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella
  • Pine Bunting, Emberiza leucocephalos, rare vagrant
  • Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus
  • Rock Bunting, Emberiza cia, very rare vagrant
  • Ortolan Bunting, Emberiza hortulana
  • Cretzschmar's Bunting, Emberiza caesia, very rare vagrant
  • Chestnut-eared Bunting, Emberiza fucata, very rare vagrant
  • Little Bunting, Emberiza pusilla, rare vagrant
  • Yellow-browed Bunting, Emberiza chrysophrys, very rare vagrant
  • Rustic Bunting, Emberiza rustica, rare vagrant
  • Yellow-breasted Bunting, Emberiza aureola rare vagrant
  • Black-faced Bunting, Emberiza spodocephala, very rare vagrant
  • Black-headed Bunting, Emberiza melanocephala, rare vagrant
  • Pallas' Reed Bunting, Emberiza pallasi, very rare vagrant
  • Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus
  • Corn Bunting, Miliaria calandra
  • Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis
  • Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus rare breeder
  • Rufous-sided Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus, very rare vagrant
  • Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus, very rare vagrant
  • Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia, very rare vagrant
  • White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys, very rare vagrant
  • White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis, very rare vagrant
  • Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis, very rare vagrant
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus, very rare vagrant
  • Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, very rare vagrant
  • Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis, very rare vagrant

• Thraupidae tanagers very rare vagrant
  • Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea, very rare vagrant
  • Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, one record

• Vireonidae vireos very rare vagrant
  • Yellow-throated Vireo, Vireo flavifrons, very rare vagrant
  • Philadelphia Vireo, Vireo philadelphicus, very rare vagrant
  • Red-eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus, rare vagrant

• Parulidae New World warblers very rare vagrants
  • Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera, very rare vagrant
  • Tennessee Warbler, Vermivora peregrina, very rare vagrant
  • Northern Parula, Parula americana, very rare vagrant
  • Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia, very rare vagrant
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler, Dendroica pensylvanica, very rare vagrant
  • Magnolia Warbler, Dendroica magnolia, very rare vagrant
  • Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina, very rare vagrant
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata, rare vagrant
  • Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca, very rare vagrant
  • Bay-breasted Warbler, Dendroica castanea, very rare vagrant
  • Blackpoll Warbler, Dendroica striata, rare vagrant
  • Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia, very rare vagrant
  • American Redstart, Setophaga ruticilla, very rare vagrant
  • Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapillus, very rare vagrant
  • Northern Waterthrush, Seiurus noveboracensis, very rare vagrant
  • Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas, very rare vagrant
  • Hooded Warbler, Wilsonia citrina, very rare vagrant
  • Wilson's Warbler, Wilsonia pusilla, very rare vagrant

• Icteridae icterids very rare vagrant
  • Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus, very rare vagrant
  • Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, very rare vagrant
  • Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, very rare vagrant

• Fringillidae finches
  • Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
  • Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla
  • Pine Grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator, very rare vagrant
  • Common Rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus rare vagrant
  • Parrot Crossbill, Loxia pytyopsittacus, rare vagrant
  • Scottish Crossbill, Loxia scotica
  • Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
  • Two-barred Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, rare vagrant
  • European Greenfinch, Carduelis chloris
  • Common Redpoll, Carduelis flammea vagrant
  • Lesser Redpoll, Carduelis cabaret
  • Arctic Redpoll, Carduelis hornemanni vagrant
  • Eurasian Siskin, Carduelis spinus
  • European Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
  • Twite, Carduelis flavirostris
  • Eurasian Linnet, Carduelis cannabina
  • European Serin, Serinus serinus vagrant
  • Eurasian Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula
  • Hawfinch, Coccothraustes coccothraustes
  • Evening Grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus, very rare vagrant
  • Trumpeter Finch, Rhodopechys githaginea, very rare vagrant

• Ploceidae sparrows
  • House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
  • Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis, very rare vagrant
  • Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus
  • Rock Sparrow, Petronia petronia, very rare vagrant

• Sturnidae starlings
  • Rosy Starling, Sturnus roseus, rare vagrant but increasing
  • Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris

• Oriolidae orioles
  • Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus, rare breeder

The links above lead to family accounts and 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. Also see Taxonomic Recommendations for European Birds and Taxonomic recommendations for British birds (both in PDF format).

See also List of British birds: non-passerines, European birds