Changes to Category C of the British List†

Abstract

In its maintenance of the British List, the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) is responsible for assigning species to categories to indicate their status on the List. In 1995, the British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) held a conference on naturalized and introduced birds in Britain (Holmes & Simons 1996). This led to a review of the process of establishment of such species and the terms that best describe their status (Holmes & Stroud 1995) as well as a major review of the categorization of species on the British List (Holmes et al. 1998). The BOURC continues to review the occurrence and establishment of birds of captive origin in Britain. This paper summarizes the status of naturalized and introduced birds in Britain and announces changes to the categorization of many on the British List or its associated appendices (Categories D and E):Mute Swan Cygnus olor Categories AC change to AC2Black Swan Cygnus atratus Category E* – no changeGreylag Goose Anser anser Categories ACE* change to AC2C4E*Snow Goose Anser caerulescens Categories AE* change to AC2E*Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis Categories ACE* change to C2E*Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis Categories AE* change to AC2E*Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus Categories CE* change to C1E*Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Categories BDE* – no changeMuscovy Duck Cairina moschata Category E* – alert JNCCWood Duck Aix sponsa Category E* – no changeMandarin Duck Aix galericulata Categories CE* change to C1E*Gadwall Anas strepera Category A change to AC2Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Categories AE* change to AC2C4E*Red‐crested Pochard Netta rufina Categories AE* change to AC2E*Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Categories CE* change to C1E*Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Categories AE – no changeWestern Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Categories BC change BC3Red‐legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Categories CE* change to C1E*Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Categories ACE change to AC2ECommon Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Categories CE* change to C1E*Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus Categories CE* change to C1E*Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae Categories CE* change to C6E*Black‐crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Categories AE* – no changeSacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Category E – no changeRed Kite Milvus milvus Categories AC change to AC3White‐tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Categories ACE change to AC3ENorthern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Categories AE* change to AC3E*Rock/Feral Pigeon Columbia livia Categories AE* change to AC4E*Rose‐ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri Categories CE* change to C1E*Barn Owl Tyto alba Categories AE* – no changeLittle Owl Athene noctua Category C change to C1