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Rare Bird
​Reporting

Little Ringed Plover © Ian Fulton

Rare Breeding Birds

If you should be lucky enough to come across a rare breeding bird, please submit the record via our Local Recorder to the Rare Breeding Bird Panel (RBBP).  A founding objective of the Panel is to collect all information on rare breeding birds in the UK so that changes in status, both increases and decreases, can be monitored.

The data are maintained in a secure archive and are available for a range of conservation uses. For example, they are used by government as a component of Official Statistics related to state of environment reporting; in national reporting for multilateral environmental agreements as part of UK obligations under international treaties; and for assessment of the status of protected areas.

The resulting data provide critical information, not only about the changing status of the birds themselves, but also about their key sites, many of which have formal types of protected-area designation. The RBBP produce an annual report, the data from which is published in a series of journals such as Scottish Birds and British Birds.
It should be stressed that all birds are protected by law and rare breeding birds more so. This includes photography and licences from appropriate authorities such as NatureScot are required when operating near rare and vulnerable species. The Local Recording team and The SOC demand the highest ethic standards and compliance with the law at all times when birding.

Further information can be found at: 
​Protected species list - WCA schedules 1, 1A, A1, 2, 3 and 4 | NatureScot

Visit the Rare Breeding Bird Panel species list.

Finding and reporting rare birds


If you should be so lucky as to find a rare bird, please submit the record in the first instance using the appropriate downloadable file below (not recommended on a mobile phone) to our Local Recorder at [email protected]   BirdTrack users will be asked to fill in a form that is automatically generated and will be forwarded to the Local Recorder by the BTO.
​
​​There are three categories of rarities and are assessed by three different bodies.  The Clyde Bird Records Panel (CBRP) assesses records of slightly less rare Scottish species (listed below). The panel also reviews records of species in unusual circumstances, e.g. out of habitat or not within their usual date range. Scottish national rarities will be assessed by the Scottish Birds Records Committee (SBRC) and rare birds on a UK scale by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC). The SBRC and BBRC publish annual reports in both Scottish Birds and British Birds. Each of the three bodies have a series of species that they are responsible for and can be viewed below.

Due to circumstance, the CBRP had not met in many years; however, a meeting was convened in November 2023. To further enhance transparency, the minutes of each annual meeting will be posted for all to review, and these can be accessed at the bottom of this page.

The reason such panels exist is to review the authenticity of a sighting to ensure that the Clyde, Scottish and British natural history is correctly reflected. Each sighting is assessed with honesty and integrity before it can enter the history books, it is that important. The CBRP will review and conclude, either Accept or Not Proven. We will get back to you to thank you for your submission and explain our decision.

However, the Clyde panel are keen to encourage you and appreciate the reporting of a rare bird and the completing of a rarity form can be onerous and daunting. To promote this new outlook and encourage submissions, the panel will support you through the process should you require it. It should be stressed that you will not be coached what to say, but to ensure honesty and transparency of process, a panel member will ensure that all the requisite detail is included, appropriate contact details for any follow up information and remind you to include any pictures that were taken of the bird.

Being pragmatic, the panel realises that most rare birds are found then seen by many observers. Social media which includes the Clyde SOC WhatsApp Group, Clydebirds Facebook page, Clyde SOC Grapevine, Clyde Birding on X (formerly Twitter) and Birdline Scotland amongst other platforms ensure that word spreads quickly. This means that the completion of the form can be a formality on some occasions.
​
By way of supportive guidance, we would like to remind observers that the following points greatly enhance the quality and integrity of your submission. Your sighting could be of regional or national significance, so give your record every chance, after all, it could end up entering the history books and be written up in branch or national journals for all to enjoy:
​
  • Take a picture, even a shaky digiscoped image is better than none.
  • If possible, ask for the contact details of other observers, particularly if you don’t know them. Their account will support yours.
  • A simple sketch with descriptive notes if you’re not able to take a picture. Working from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail. 

The CBRP consists of the following suitably experienced members:         
  • John Simpson (Chair),  Val Wilson (non-voting secretary), John Sweeney, Iain English, Angus Murray, John Molloy, Andrew Russell
 
cbrpdoc.docx
File Size: 40 kb
File Type: docx
Download File


  • The Scottish Birds Records Committee assesses records of birds rare in a Scottish context, but not rare enough in Britain to be assessed by BBRC. These species are shown in bold type below.  
sbrcform2021.docx
File Size: 42 kb
File Type: docx
Download File


  • The British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) assesses British rarities (those appearing on the BBRC List).  
bbrc-rarity-submission-form-july-2024.docx
File Size: 247 kb
File Type: docx
Download File


Picture
Ring-necked Duck © Gary Williamson
Picture
Great White Egret © Davie Abraham
Picture
Green-winged Teal © Andrew Russell
CBRP and SBRC (in bold) species listed below will only be accepted if a satisfactory written description and/or photograph is submitted.  Under certain circumstances a written description may be required for a species not on this list, if requested by at least one member of the Panel.
  
Black Brant
Taiga Bean Goose (out of range)
Tundra Bean Goose
European White-fronted Goose
Bewick's Swan
Egyptian Goose
American Wigeon
Green-winged Teal
Red-crested Pochard
Ring-necked Duck
Surf Scoter
Nightjar
Alpine Swift
Turtle Dove
Crane
Black-necked Grebe
Stone-curlew
Black-winged Stilt
American Golden Plover
Black-tailed Godwit (Continental race)
Temminck's Stint
White-rumped Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Red-necked Phalarope
Grey Phalarope
Lesser Yellowlegs
Sabine's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Iceland Gull  - race L g kumlieni known as ‘Kumlien’s Gull’
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Roseate Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Pomarine Skua
Long-tailed Skua
​Black-throated Diver 
White-billed Diver
Wilson's Petrel
Storm Petrel
Leach's Petrel
Cory's Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Balearic Shearwater
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Spoonbill
Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Purple Heron
Great White Egret
Little Egret
Honey-buzzard
Goshawk (out with range)
Montagu's Harrier
Black Kite
Rough-legged Buzzard
Little Owl
Bee-eater
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Red-footed Falcon
Hobby
Woodchat Shrike
Golden Oriole
Chough
Marsh Tit
Willow Tit
Bearded Tit
Woodlark
Short-toed Lark
Red-rumped Swallow
Cetti's Warbler
Chiffchaff (except P c collybita)
​
Dusky Warbler
Radde's Warbler
Pallas's Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Arctic Warbler
Greenish Warbler
Blyth's Reed Warbler
Reed Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Barred Warbler
Dartford Warbler
Firecrest
Rose-coloured Starling
Bluethroat
Nightingale
Red-flanked Bluetail
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Yellow Wagtail (all forms except subspecies flavissima)
Citrine Wagtail
Richard's Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
Water Pipit
Rock Pipit (Scandinavian)
Hawfinch
Bullfinch (Northern race)
Common Rosefinch
Common Redpoll
Parrot Crossbill
Scottish Crossbill
Serin
Lapland Bunting
Corn Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Cirl Bunting
Little Bunting
updated November 2023

Clyde Bird Records Panel - meeting minutes

​November 2023
SOC is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation SC009859. Material on this website is fully protected by copyright law, and may not be used or reproduced in any form without prior written permission © SOC Clyde Branch 2022-2025
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