As the summer breeding season starts to fade away and birds begin to move on from their nesting areas, the Irish Rare Breeding Birds Panel would like to appeal for records of rare, scarce and non-native bird species in Ireland this summer. It is critically important to conservation and monitoring efforts to make sure these species are documented appropriately. The Irish Rare Breeding Birds Panel is composed of members of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, BirdWatch Ireland, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Northern Ireland, and birdwatchers from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The list of Rare Breeding Birds in Ireland can be found here, and includes species such as Whooper Swan, Shoveler, Great Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Bearded Tit, Ring Ouzel and Twite amongst others.
The list of Scarce Breeding Birds that the panel is also interested in documenting can be found here, and includes Eider, Grey Partridge, Hen Harrier, Lapwing, Woodcock, Little Tern, Peregrine and Chough, and many more.
Part of the role of the IRBBP is also to keep tabs on non-native species that nest in Ireland, so reports of birds such as Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mandarin Duck, Rose-ringed Parakeet and others are also very useful so their spread can be monitored. We also welcome records of potential colonist species that are not included on the existing lists.
Please include dates, locations and details of the birds activity or breeding evidence with any records. Breeding activity can range from an individual of a species being in suitable breeding habitat at the right time of year, to a pair seen together in the summer, to nests or chicks being spotted.
Records of any Rare, Scarce or Non-Native bird species that may have been breeding in Ireland this summer can be submitted to the IRBBP Secretary Tony Murray (NPWS) at irbbp@npws.gov.ie
