Passerine British birds

The list of British birds comprises all those bird species which have occurred in a wild state in Great Britain. In general the avifauna of Britain is, of course, similar to that of Europe, although with fewer breeding species. Because of its position, Britain receives a number of vagrants from Asia and North America. There are about 550 species of birds on the British list.

This page lists the British bird species in the passerine families, which are listed in accordance with the 2003 reordering of the British list, and follows the families used in that list. See also non-passerine British birds.

British birds

Passeriformes

• Tyrannidae, Tyrant flycatchers
  • Eastern Phoebe, Sayornis phoebe

• Alaudidae, larks
  • Calandra Lark, Melanocorypha calandra, very rare
  • Bimaculated Lark, Melanocorypha bimaculata, very rare
  • White-winged Lark, Melanocorypha leucoptera, very rare
  • Black Lark, Melanocorypha yeltoniensis, very rare
  • Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
  • Lesser Short-toed Lark, Calandrella rufescens, very rare
  • Crested Lark, Galerida cristata
  • Wood Lark, Lullula arborea
  • Skylark, Alauda arvensis
  • Shore Lark, Eremophila alpestris

• Hirundinidae, swallows and martins
  • Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, very rare
  • Sand Martin, Riparia riparia
  • Crag Martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris, very rare
  • Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
  • Red-rumped Swallow, Hirundo daurica, rare
  • Cliff Swallow, Hirundo pyrrhonota, very rare
  • House Martin, Delichon urbicum

• Motacillidae, wagtails and pipits
  • Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla citreola, rare
  • White Wagtail, Motacilla alba. Two races
    • Motacilla alba alba
    • Motacilla alba yarrelli, Pied Wagtail.
  • Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
  • Blue-headed Wagtail, Motacilla flava
    • Yellow Wagtail M. f. flavissima is the breeding form
  • Richard's Pipit, Anthus richardi
  • Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris, rare
  • Blyth's Pipit, Anthus godlewskii, very rare
  • Tree Pipit, Anthus trivialis
  • Olive-backed Pipit, Anthus hodgsoni , rare
  • Pechora Pipit, Anthus gustavi, rare
  • Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis
  • Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus, rare
  • Water Pipit, Anthus spinoletta
  • Rock Pipit, Anthus petrosus
  • Buff-bellied Pipit, Anthus rubescens, very rare

• Bombycillidae, waxwings
  • Bohemian Waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus
  • Cedar Waxwing, B. cedrorum, very rare

• Cinclidae, dippers
  • European Dipper, Cinclus cinclus

• Troglodytidae, wrens
  • Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes

• Mimidae, mockingbirds
  • Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, very rare
  • Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum, one record

• Prunellidae, accentors
  • Dunnock, Prunella modularis
  • Alpine Accentor, Prunella collaris, rare

• Turdidae thrusheses and chatss
  • Blackbird, Turdus merula
  • Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus
  • Eyebrowed Thrush, Turdus obscurus, rare
  • Dark-throated Thrush, Turdus atrogularis , rare
    • Black-throated Thrush, T. a. atrogularis, rare
    • Red-throated Thrush, T.a. ruficollis, very rare
  • Dusky Thrush, Turdus naumanni
    • Naumann's Thrush, T. n. naumanni, very rare
    • Dusky Thrush, T. n. eunomus, rare
  • Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris
  • Redwing, Turdus iliacus
  • Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos
  • Mistle Thrush, Turdus viscivorus
  • American Robin, Turdus migratorius, very rare
  • Siberian Thrush, Zoothera sibirica, very rare
  • White's Thrush or Scaly Thrush, Zoothera dauma, rare
  • Varied Thrush, Zoothera naevia, one record
  • Veery, Catharus fuscescens, very rare
  • Gray-cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus, rare
  • Swainson's Thrush, Catharus ustulatus, very rare
  • Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus, very rare
  • Wood Thrush, Hylocichla mustelina, very rare
  • Rock Thrush, Monticola saxatilis, rare
  • Blue Rock-Thrush, Monticola solitarius, very rare
  • Rufous Bush Robin, Cercotrichas galactotes, very rare
  • Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica
  • Siberian Rubythroat, Luscinia calliope, very rare
  • Thrush Nightingale, Luscinia luscinia, rare
  • Nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
  • Siberian Blue Robin, Luscinia cyanea, very rare
  • Red-flanked Bluetail, Tarsiger cyanurus, very rare
  • European Robin, Erithacus rubecula
  • White-throated Robin, Irania gutturalis, very rare
  • Stonechat, Saxicola torquatus
    • Siberian Stonechat, S. (torquatus) maura may be a separate species, rare
  • Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra.
  • Northern Wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe
  • Isabelline Wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina, rare
  • Desert Wheatear, Oenanthe deserti, rare
  • Black-eared Wheatear, Oenanthe hispanica, rare
  • Pied Wheatear, Oenanthe pleschanka, rare
  • White-crowned Wheatear, Oenanthe leucopyga, very rare
  • Black Redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros
  • Common Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus

• Corvidae crows, ravens, and allies
  • Carrion Crow, Corvus corone
  • Common Raven, Corvus corax
  • Hooded Crow, Corvus cornix
  • Jackdaw, Corvus monedula
  • Rook, Corvus frugilegus
  • Eurasian Jay, Garrulus glandarius
  • Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
  • European Magpie, Pica pica
  • Nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes, very rare

• Sylviidae Old World warblers
  • Cetti's Warbler, Cettia cetti
  • Lanceolated Warbler, Locustella lanceolata, rare
  • Grasshopper Warbler, Locustella naevia
  • Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Locustella certhiola, rare
  • River Warbler, Locustella fluviatilis, rare
  • Savi's Warbler, Locustella luscinioides, rare breeder
  • Moustached Warbler, Acrocephalus melanopogon, very rare, has bred
  • Aquatic Warbler, Acrocephalus paludicola, rare
  • Sedge Warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
  • Paddyfield Warbler, Acrocephalus agricola, rare
  • Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
  • Blyth's Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus dumetorum, rare
  • Marsh Warbler, Acrocephalus palustris
  • Great Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, rare
  • Thick-billed Warbler, Acrocephalus aedon, very rare
  • Booted Warbler, Hippolais caligata, rare
  • Sykes' Warbler, Hippolais rama,very rare
  • Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Hippolais pallida, very rare
  • Western Olivaceous Warbler, Hippolais opaca, very rare
  • Melodious Warbler, Hippolais polyglotta
  • Icterine Warbler, Hippolais icterina
  • Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
  • Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
  • Iberian Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus brehmii, very rare
  • Western Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli, rare
  • Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis, rare
  • Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
  • Dusky Warbler, Phylloscopus fuscatus, rare
  • Radde's Warbler, Phylloscopus schwarzi, rare
  • Pallas's Warbler, Phylloscopus proregulus, rare
  • Yellow-browed Warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus
  • Hume's Warbler, Phylloscopus humei, rare
  • Arctic Warbler, Phylloscopus borealis, rare
  • Greenish Warbler, Phylloscopus trochiloides, rare
  • Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
  • Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
  • Whitethroat, Sylvia communis
  • Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca
  • Asian Desert Warbler, Sylvia nana
  • Barred Warbler, Sylvia nisoria
  • Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis, very rare
  • Rüppell's Warbler, Sylvia rueppelli
  • Subalpine Warbler, Sylvia cantillans, rare
  • Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala, rare
  • Spectacled Warbler, Sylvia conspicillata, very rare
  • Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata
  • Marmora's Warbler Sylvia sarda, very rare
  • Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis, very rare

• Regulidae kinglets
  • Goldcrest, Regulus regulus
  • Firecrest, Regulus ignicapillus

• Muscicapidae Old World flycatchers
  • Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
  • Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
  • Collared Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis, rare
  • Red-breasted Flycatcher, Ficedula parva

• Aegithalidae long-tailed tits
  • Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos longicaudus

• Remizidae penduline tits
  • Penduline Tit, Remiz pendulinus, rarity, has bred

• Paridae titmice
  • Marsh Tit, Parus palustris
  • Willow Tit, Parus montana
  • Coal Tit, Parus ater
  • Crested Tit, Parus cristatus
  • Great Tit, Parus major
  • Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus

• Tichodromadidae Wallcreeper
  • Wallcreeper, Tichodroma muraria, very rare

• Sittidae nuthatches
  • Eurasian Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis

• Certhiidae treecreepers
  • Common Treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
  • Short-toed Treecreeper, Certhia brachydactyla, rare

• Laniidae shrikes
  • Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor
  • Southern Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis, rare
  • Lesser Grey Shrike, Lanius minor, rare
  • Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio
  • Isabelline Shrike, Lanius isabellinus, rare
  • Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator, rare
  • Long-tailed Shrike, Lanius schach, very rare
  • Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus, very rare

• Emberizidae buntingss and, as very rare vagrants, American sparrows
  • Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella
  • Pine Bunting, Emberiza leucocephalos, rare
  • Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus
  • Ortolan Bunting, Emberiza hortulana
  • Cretzschmar's Bunting, Emberiza caesia, very rare
  • Little Bunting, Emberiza pusilla, rare
  • Yellow-browed Bunting, Emberiza chrysophrys, very rare
  • Rustic Bunting, Emberiza rustica, rare
  • Yellow-breasted Bunting, Emberiza aureola
  • Black-faced Bunting, Emberiza spodocephala, very rare
  • Pallas' Reed Bunting, Emberiza pallasi, very rare
  • Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus
  • Corn Bunting, Miliaria calandra
  • Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis
  • Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus
  • Rufous-sided Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus, very rare
  • Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus, very rare
  • Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia, very rare
  • White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys, very rare
  • White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis, very rare
  • Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis, very rare
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus, very rare
  • Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, very rare
  • Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis, very rare

• Thraupidae tanagers very rare vagrant
  • Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea, very rare
  • Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, one record

• Vireonidae vireos very rare vagrant
  • Yellow-throated Vireo, Vireo flavifrons, very rare
  • Philadelphia Vireo, Vireo philadelphicus, very rare
  • Red-eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus, rare

• Parulidae New World warblers very rare vagrants
  • Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera, very rare
  • Tennessee Warbler, Vermivora peregrina, very rare
  • Northern Parula, Parula americana, very rare
  • Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia, very rare
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler, Dendroica pensylvanica, very rare
  • Magnolia Warbler, Dendroica magnolia, very rare
  • Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina, very rare
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata, rare
  • Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca, very rare
  • Bay-breasted Warbler, Dendroica castanea, very rare
  • Blackpoll Warbler, Dendroica striata, rare
  • Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia, very rare
  • American Redstart, Setophaga ruticilla, very rare
  • Northern Waterthrush, Seiurus noveboracensis, very rare
  • Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas, very rare
  • Hooded Warbler, Wilsonia citrina, very rare
  • Wilson's Warbler, Wilsonia pusilla, very rare

• Icteridae icterids very rare vagrant
  • Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus, very rare vagrant
  • Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, very rare vagrant

• Fringillidae finches
  • Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
  • Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla
  • Pine Grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator, very rare
  • Common Rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus
  • Parrot Crossbill, Loxia pytyopsittacus, rare
  • Scottish Crossbill, Loxia scotica
  • Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
  • Two-barred Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, rare
  • European Greenfinch, Carduelis chloris
  • Common Redpoll, Carduelis flammea
  • Lesser Redpoll, Carduelis cabaret
  • Arctic Redpoll, Carduelis hornemanni
  • Eurasian Siskin, Carduelis spinus
  • European Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
  • Twite, Carduelis flavirostris
  • Eurasian Linnet, Carduelis cannabina
  • European Serin, Serinus serinus
  • Eurasian Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula
  • Hawfinch, Coccothraustes coccothraustes
  • Evening Grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus, very rare
  • Trumpeter Finch, Rhodopechys githaginea, very rare

• Ploceidae sparrows
  • House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
  • Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis, very rare vagrant
  • Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus
  • Rock Sparrow, Petronia petronia, very rare vagrant

• Sturnidae starlings
  • Rosy Starling, Sturnus roseus, rare but increasing
  • Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris

• Oriolidae orioles
  • Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus

The links above lead to family accounts and individual species. Taxonomy is very fluid in the age of DNA analysis, so other arrangements may be found, as in Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy.

• The British Ornithologists' Union publishes a List of British birds. Also see Taxonomic Recommendations for European Birds and Taxonomic recommendations for British birds (both in PDF format).

See also Non-passerine British birds, European birds