About Bird Recording

Birds of Conservation Concern

The population status of birds regularly found in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man is reviewed every five years to provide an up-to-date assessment of conservation priorities. A total of 247 species have been assessed and placed onto one of three lists – red, amber or green. Forty species are red-listed, 121 are amber-listed and 86 are green-listed.

Seven quantitative criteria are used to assess the population status of each species and to place it on the red, amber or green list. These were global conservation status, recent decline, historical decline, European conservation status, rare breeders, localised species and international importance.

Most of the data for these assessments are based on bird surveys undertaken by volunteers. In future we expect that data from BirdTrack will also contribute to these assessments. In particular there are a number of scarce species that are not well covered by annual monitoring schemes such as the Breeding Bird Survey but that are not so rare that they are monitored in detail by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel or professional surveys. For further information on recording these priority species click here.

For further details about the Conservation Status of Birds in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man click here.

BirdWatch Ireland and RSPB Northern Ireland have agreed a list priority species for conservation action in Ireland. These lists will be will be reviewed and updated periodically.

For further details of the Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland review see:

Newton, S., Donaghy, A., Allen, D. & D. Gibbons. 1999. Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland. Irish Birds 6(3) 333-344.

Copies are available from BirdWatch Ireland.