Species and taxa
This list contains all the species & taxa that are currently assessed by BBRC.
Updated: May 2020
Understanding the status column
If the BBRC Status column starts with the 4 letters ‘BBRC’ then we want to know about any sighting.
The other terms are for taxa where records are not required, being either ex BBRC, NLA (No Longer Accepted) or Nominate. See below for a full explanation of these terms.
Note: The term “Web” means there is more detail on this website under the tab Species Information. “Web” advice is mainly about sub-species, either for those known to occur or for those thought likely to occur but have not yet been formally proved to do so.
This is an important resource for birders, as it helps to show the problems there may be in getting a claim accepted. It could show that things like biometrics, or maybe even DNA evidence, may be required before it is likely a claim will be accepted.
Statuses where BBRC require a submission
BBRC-Cat A, BBRC-Cat B, and BBRC-Cat C: The species and sub-species that are assessed by BBRC. Strictly BOURC only assign a Category to a species. However here we are also assigning a Category to sub-species where they are rare, but the full species is not. An example is Yellow Wagtail which not ‘a BBRC species’ but the subspecies M. f. feldegg, Black-headed Wagtail, is.
Furthermore there are 3 ‘groups’ of species where BOURC say one of the group has occurred, but as it was not identified to species level it cannot be part of the British List and so is not given a Category. These are White/Black-bellied Storm Petrel, Band-rumped Storm Petrel complex and Southern Skuas. As any records of these taxa are of great interest to BBRC we have assigned these groups an ‘honorary’ Category A.
Note that ‘BBRC-Cat B’ records will be for a species that has not occurred since the end of 1949. Any claim would have to meet the criteria for a ‘First for Britain’ (see BBRC Constitution) and if accepted will be sent on to BOURC for possible ‘promotion’ to Category A.
BBRC-Cat D: Although these species are known to have occurred, they have not been accepted to Category A of the British List by BOURC, due to the uncertain origin of British claims. However records are still assessed by BBRC and accepted ones then forwarded to BOURC who undertake periodic reviews to determine if the species Category can be resolved to A or E.
BBRC-Request: These are species that BBRC believe/ know are occurring here, but at present they are not accepted by BOURC onto the British List, even as Cat D. We would like to see records submitted to us, so as to build up a picture of dates and places of arrival. If these show a favourable pattern for acceptance as the birds being of wild origin then we will send them to BOURC, to see if the species should be categorised as A or maybe D.
BBRC-in circ: These are species where a submission has been received for a taxa which is known to be a valid potential addition to the British List. We are happy to receive further such submissions. All accepted records will be put forward to BOURC to make the case for acceptance as Category A.
Statuses where BBRC do not require a submission
Ex BBRC-2003, 2006 etc: A taxon that was assessed by BBRC but has become more common and no longer reaches our definition of a ‘rarity’. See Constitution. The year given shows when it was removed as a BBRC species. Note that if a sighting occurred before the year given then that record should still be sent in to be assessed by BBRC.
NLA (No longer accepted): For species which at one time were on the British List but which are no longer accepted. Normally a review of all records will have been called for and looked at by both BBRC & BOURC.
Nominate: This species is NOT assessed by BBRC but one of its sub-species is (or has been). It is required in this list to provide the full scientific name of the sub-species e.g. Dark-breasted Barn Owl is given as T. a. guttata so the nominate Barn Owl Tyto alba is shown to provide the full scientific name.
References
8th CL: The British List: A Checklist of Birds of Britain (8th edition). Ibis 155, 635 – 676
35th R, 38th R etc.: BOURC 35th Report etc., published in Ibis
BB 101: 676 etc. British Birds Vol 101, pages etc
3rd TSC, 9th TSC etc.: BOURC Taxonomic Sub Committee reports, published in Ibis.