1997 in birding and ornithology

Years in birding and ornithology:	1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Centuries:	19th century · 20th century · 21st century
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
Years:	1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

See also 1996 in birding and ornithology, main events of 1997 and 1998 in birding and ornithology

Worldwide

New species

See also Bird species new to science described in the 1990s

To be completed

Taxonomic developments

To be completed

Europe

Britain

Breeding birds

• Only 11 booming Bitterns are heard, half as many as the previous year.
• Thousands of young Black-legged Kittiwakes and other seabirds die in North-east England during storms.
• A pair of Red-backed Shrikes breed in Northern Scotland.

Migrant and wintering birds

To be completed

Rare birds

• A Spectacled Warbler at Landguard Point, Suffolk is the second British record
• A Semipalmated Plover at Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve in June is the second British record
• A male Siberian Rubythroat in Dorset in October is the second British record
• A Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Shetland in June and July is Britain's eighth, but only the second to be seen by large numbers of observers.
• A Western Sandpiper in Lothian in July is also Britain's eighth, but only the first to be seen by large numbers of observers.
• A record influx of 16 Desert Wheatears occurs between October and December

Other Events

• The British Birdwatching Fair has Ecuador as its theme for the year.

Scandinavia

To be completed

North America

To be completed

Asia

To be completed