Listed below are all species that have occurred in Moray and Nairn in an apparently wild state. The list includes introduced or escaped species that have established viable populations in the wild in Britain.
A brief status comment is given, in which the codes used have the following meaning:
RB resident breeder
MB migrant breeder
IB introduced breeder
OB occasional breeder
FB former breeder
FMB former migrant breeder
WV winter visitor
FWV former winter visitor
PV passage visitor
RV regular visitor
SV scarce visitor
Where a date is given for a scarce visitor this indicates, where known, the date of the first record in Moray and Nairn.
Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | RB | |
Bewick’s Swan | Cygnus columbianus | SV | |
Whooper Swan | Cygnus cygnus | WV | |
Bean Goose | Anser fabalis | FWV, SV | |
Pink-footed Goose | Anser brachyrhynchus | WV, PV | |
White-fronted Goose | Anser albifrons | FWV, SV | |
Greylag Goose | Anser anser | RB,WV | |
Snow Goose | Anser caerulescens | SV | 1967 |
Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | PV | |
Barnacle Goose | Branta leucopsis | PV | |
Brent Goose | Branta bernicla | WV, PV | |
Red-breasted Goose | Branta ruficollis | SV | 2000 |
Ruddy Shelduck | Tadorna ferruginea | SV | 1892 |
Shelduck | Tadorna tadorna | MB | |
Mandarin Duck | Aix galericulata | SV | 1992 |
Wigeon | Anas penelope | RB, WV | |
American Wigeon | Anas americana | SV | 1986 |
Gadwall | Anas strepera | RV | |
Teal | Anas crecca | RB, WV | |
Green-winged Teal | Anas carolinensis | SV | 2000 |
Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | RB, WV | |
Pintail | Anas acuta | OB, WV | |
Garganey | Anas querquedula | PV | |
Shoveler | Anas clypeata | OB, PV | |
Red-crested Pochard | Netta rufina | SV | 1982 |
Pochard | Aythya ferina | WV | |
Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | SV | 1999 |
Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula | RB, WV | |
Scaup | Aythya marila | WV | |
Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | SV | 2006 |
Eider | Somateria mollissima | RB, WV | |
King Eider | Somateria spectabilis | SV | 1976 |
Steller’s Eider | Polysticta stelleri | SV | 2000 |
Long-tailed Duck | Clangula hyemalis | WV | |
Common Scoter | Melanitta nigra | WV | |
Black Scoter | Melanitta americana | SV | 1989 |
Surf Scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | SV | 1964 |
Velvet Scoter | Melanitta fusca | WV | |
Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | OB, WV, PV | |
Smew | Mergellus albellus | WV | |
Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator | RB, WV | |
Goosander | Mergus merganser | RB | |
Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | SV | 1982 |
Red Grouse | Lagopus lagopus | RB | |
Ptarmigan | Lagopus mutus | RB | |
Black Grouse | Tetrao tetrix | RB | |
Capercaillie | Tetrao urogallus | IB | |
Red-legged Partridge | Alectoris rufa | IB | |
Grey Partridge | Perdix perdix | RB | |
Quail | Coturnix coturnix | MB, PV | |
Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | IB | |
Red-throated Diver | Gavia stellata | MB, WV, PV | |
Black-throated Diver | Gavia arctica | OB, WV, PV | |
Great Northern Diver | Gavia immer | WV | |
White-billed Diver | Gavia adamsii | SV | 1955 |
Black-browed Albatross | Thalassarche melanophris | SV | 1990 |
Fulmar | Fulmarus glacialis | MB, PV | |
Cory’s Shearwater | Calonectris diomedea | SV | 2000 |
Great Shearwater | Puffinus gravis | SV | 2007 |
Sooty Shearwater | Puffinus griseus | PV | |
Manx Shearwater | Puffinus puffinus | PV | |
Balearic Shearwater | Puffinus mauretanicus | SV | 2000 |
Storm Petrel | Hydrobates pelagicus | PV | |
Leach’s Petrel | Oceanodroma leucorhoa | SV | 1897 |
Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis | RB, MB | |
Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena | WV | |
Great Crested Grebe | Podiceps cristatus | FB, SV | |
Slavonian Grebe | Podiceps auritus | MB, WV | |
Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | SV | 1833 |
Black Stork | Ciconia nigra | SV | 1977 |
White Stork | Ciconia ciconia | SV | 1964 |
Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | SV | 1902 |
Spoonbill | Platalea leucorodia | SV | 1964 |
Bittern | Botaurus stellaris | SV | 1839 |
Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea | RB | |
Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea | SV | 2011 |
Great White Egret | Ardea alba | SV | 2009 |
Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | SV | 1983 |
Gannet | Morus bassanus | PV | |
Shag | Phalacrocorax aristotelis | RB, WV | |
Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | OB, WV | |
Honey-buzzard | Pernis apivorus | MB | |
Black Kite | Milvus migrans | SV | 1974 |
Red Kite | Milvus milvus | FB, SV | |
White-tailed Eagle | Haliaeetus albicilla | SV | pre 1844 |
Marsh Harrier | Circus aeruginosus | OB, PV | |
Hen Harrier | Circus cyaneus | MB, WV, PV | |
Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | IB | |
Sparrowhawk | Accipiter nisus | RB | |
Buzzard | Buteo buteo | RB | |
Rough-legged Buzzard | Buteo lagopus | SV | 1832 |
Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | RB | |
Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | MB | |
Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | RB | |
Merlin | Falco columbarius | RB, WV | |
Hobby | Falco subbuteo | SV | 1863 |
Gyr Falcon | Falco rusticolus | SV | 1865 |
Peregrine | Falco peregrinus | RB, WV | |
Water Rail | Rallus aquaticus | RB | |
Spotted Crake | Porzana porzana | SV | 1843 |
Little Crake | Porzana parva | SV | 1852 |
Corncrake | Crex crex | FB, SV | |
Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | RB | |
Coot | Fulica atra | RB, WV | |
Crane | Grus grus | SV | 1978 |
Little Bustard | Tetrax tetrax | SV | 1861 |
Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus | RB, WV, PV | |
Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta | SV | 1969 |
Stone-curlew | Burhinus oedicnemus | SV | 1987 |
Little Ringed Plover | Charadrius dubius | MB | |
Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula | RB, PV | |
Kentish Plover | Charadrius alexandrinus | SV | 1975 |
Dotterel | Charadrius morinellus | MB | |
Golden Plover | Charadrius apricaria | RB, WV | |
Grey Plover | Chardarius squatarola | WV, PV | |
Lapwing | Vanellus vanellus | RB, MB | |
Knot | Calidris canutus | WV, PV | |
Sanderling | Calidris alba | WV, PV | |
Little Stint | Calidris minuta | PV | |
Temminck’s Stint | Calidris temminckii | SV | 1979 |
White-rumped Sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis | SV | 2011 |
Baird’s Sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | SV | 1982 |
Pectoral Sandpiper | Calidris melanotos | SV | 1967 |
Curlew Sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | PV | |
Purple Sandpiper | Calidris maritima | WV | |
Dunlin | Calidris alpina | MB, WV, PV | |
Broad-billed Sandpiper | Limicola falcinellus | SV | 1967 |
Buff-breasted Sandpiper | Tryngites subruficollis | SV | 1994 |
Ruff | Philomachus pugnax | PV | |
Jack Snipe | Lymnocryptes minimus | WV, PV | |
Snipe | Gallinago gallinago | RB, MB, WV | |
Great Snipe | Gallinago media | SV | 1898 |
Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | SV | 2011 |
Woodcock | Scolopax rusticola | RB, MB, WV, PV | |
Black-tailed Godwit | Limosa limosa | PV | |
Bar-tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica | WV, PV | |
Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | PV | |
Curlew | Numenius arquata | RB, WV, PV | |
Terek Sandpiper | Xenus cinereus | SV | 1998 |
Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | MB, PV | |
Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | SV | 1999 |
Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus | PV | |
Grey-tailed Tattler | Tringa brevipes | SV | 1994 |
Spotted Redshank | Tringa erythropus | PV | |
Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | PV | |
Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | SV | 1974 |
Marsh Sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis | SV | 1984 |
Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola | PV | |
Redshank | Tringa tetanus | MB, WV, PV | |
Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | WV | |
Wilson’s Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | SV | 1987 |
Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | SV | 1995 |
Grey Phalarope | Phalaropus fulicarius | SV | 1879 |
Pomarine Skua | Stercorarius pomarinus | PV | |
Arctic Skua | Stercorarius parasiticus | PV | |
Long-tailed Skua | Stercorarius longicaudus | SV | 1868 |
Great Skua | Stercorarius skua | PV | |
Ivory Gull | Pagophila eburnea | SV | 1934 |
Sabine’s Gull | Xema sabini | SV | 1994 |
Kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | MB, PV | |
Bonaparte’s Gull | Chroicocephalus philadelphia | SV | 2007 |
Black-headed Gull | Chroicocephalus ridibundus | RB, WV | |
Little Gull | Hydrocoloeus minutus | PV | |
Mediterranean Gull | Larus melanocephalus | SV | 1989 |
Common Gull | Larus canus | RB, WV | |
Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | SV | 1979 |
Lesser Black-backed Gull | Larus fuscus | MB | |
Herring Gull | Larus argentatus | RB, WV | |
Yellow-legged Gull | Larus michahellis | SV | 2004 |
Iceland Gull | Larus glaucoides | WV | |
Glaucous Gull | Larus hyperboreus | WV | |
Great Black-backed Gull | Larus marinus | RB, WV | |
Little Tern | Sternula albifrons | MB, PV | |
Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | SV | |
White-winged Black Tern | Chlidonias leucopterus | SV | 1970 |
Sandwich Tern | Sterna sandvicensis | OB, PV | |
Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | MB, PV | |
Roseate Tern | Sterna dougallii | OB, SV | 1867 |
Arctic Tern | Sterna paradisaea | MB, PV | |
Guillemot | Uria aalge | WV, PV | |
Razorbill | Alca torda | MB, WV, PV | |
Black Guillemot | Cepphus grille | RB | |
Little Auk | Alle alle | WV, PV | |
Puffin | Fratercula arctica | PV | |
Pallas’s Sandgrouse | Syrrhaptes paradoxus | OB, SV | 1863 |
Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon | Columba livia | RB | |
Stock Dove | Columba oenas | RB | |
Woodpigeon | Columba palumbus | RB, WV | |
Collared Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | RB | |
Turtle Dove | Streptopelia turtur | SV | 1844 |
Cuckoo | Cuculus canorus | MB | |
Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | SV | 1953 |
Barn Owl | Tyto alba | RB | |
Snowy Owl | Bubo scandiacus | SV | 1833 |
Tawny Owl | Strix aluco | RB | |
Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | RB | |
Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | MB, WV, PV | |
Nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus | FMB | |
Alpine Swift | Tachymarptis melba | SV | 1972 |
Swift | Apus apus | MB, PV | |
Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis | RB | |
Roller | Coracias garrulus | SV | 1831 |
Hoopoe | Upupa epops | SV | 1853 |
Wryneck | Jynx torquilla | SV | 2000 |
Green Woodpecker | Picus viridis | FB, SV | 1949 |
Great Spotted Woodpecker | Dendrocopos major | RB | |
Red-backed Shrike | Lanius collurio | PV | |
Great Grey Shrike | Lanius excubitor | WV, PV | |
Woodchat Shrike | Lanius senator | SV | 1967 |
Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus | SV | 2011 |
Chough | Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | SV | 1983 |
Magpie | Pica pica | RB | |
Jay | Garrulus glandarius | RB | |
Jackdaw | Corvus monedula | RB | |
Rook | Corvus frugilegus | RB | |
Carrion Crow | Corvus corone | RB | |
Hooded Crow | Corvus cornix | RB | |
Raven | Corvus corax | RB | |
Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulous | WV | |
Blue Tit | Cyanistes caeruleus | RB | |
Great Tit | Parus major | RB | |
Crested Tit | Lophophanes cristatus | RB | |
Coal Tit | Periparus ater | RB | |
Willow Tit | Poecile montana | FB | |
Bearded Tit | Panurus biarmicus | FB | |
Skylark | Alauda arvensis | RB, MB, PV | |
Shore Lark | Eremophila alpestris | SV | 1972 |
Sand Martin | Riparia riparia | MB, PV | |
Swallow | Hirundo rustica | MB, PV | |
House Martin | Delichon urbicum | MB, PV | |
Red-rumped Swallow | Cecropis daurica | SV | 1995 |
Long-tailed Tit | Aegithalos caudatus | RB | |
Yellow-browed Warbler | Phylloscopus inornatus | SV | 1998 |
Wood Warbler | Phylloscopus sibilatrix | MB | |
Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita | MB, PV | |
Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus | MB, PV | |
Sedge Warbler | Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | MB | |
Marsh Warbler | Acrocephalus palustris | SV | 1983 |
Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus scirpaceus | SV | 1998 |
Icterine Warbler | Hippolais icterina | SV | 2000 |
Grasshopper Warbler | Locustella naevia | MB | |
Blackcap | Sylvia atricapilla | MB, WV, PV | |
Garden Warbler | Sylvia borin | MB, PV | |
Lesser Whitethroat | Sylvia curruca | OB, SV | 1984 |
Whitethroat | Sylvia communis | MB, PV | |
Goldcrest | Regulus regulus | RB, PV | |
Firecrest | Regulus ignicapilla | SV | 1970 |
Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | RB | |
Nuthatch | Sitta europaea | SV | 2003 |
Treecreeper | Certhia familiaris | RB | |
Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | RB, WV | |
Rose-coloured Starling | Sturnus roseus | SV | 1851 |
Dipper | Cinclus cinclus | RB | |
Grey-cheeked Thrush | Catharus minimus | SV | 1965 |
Ring Ouzel | Turdus torquatus | MB, PV | |
Blackbird | Turdus merula | RB, WV, PV | |
Fieldfare | Turdus pilaris | OB, WV, PV | |
Song Thrush | Turdus philomelos | RB, MB, PV | |
Redwing | Turdus iliacus | OB, WV, PV | |
Mistle Thrush | Turdus viscivorus | RB, MB | |
Spotted Flycatcher | Muscicapa striata | MB | |
Robin | Erithacus rubecula | RB, MB | |
Nightingale | Luscinia megarhynchos | SV | 1988 |
Bluethroat | Luscinia svecica | SV | 1890 |
Pied Flycatcher | Ficedula hypoleuca | OB, PV | |
Black Redstart | Phoenicurus ochruros | PV | |
Redstart | Phoenicurus phoenicurus | MB, PV | |
Whinchat | Saxicola rubetra | MB, PV | |
Stonechat | Saxicola rubicola | RB, MB | |
Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | MB, PV | |
Dunnock | Prunella modularis | RB | |
House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | RB | |
Tree Sparrow | Passer montanus | RB | |
Yellow Wagtail | Motacilla flava | SV | 1835 |
Grey Wagtail | Motacilla cinerea | MB | |
Pied Wagtail | Motacilla alba | MB, PV | |
Richard’s Pipit | Anthus richardi | SV | 1972 |
Tawny Pipit | Anthus campestris | SV | 1988 |
Tree Pipit | Anthus trivialis | MB | |
Meadow Pipit | Anthus pratensis | MB, PV | |
Rock Pipit | Anthus petrosus | RB | |
Water Pipit | Anthus spinoletta | SV | 1995 |
Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs | RB | |
Brambling | Fringilla montifringilla | WV | |
Greenfinch | Carduelis chloris | RB | |
Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis | RB | |
Siskin | Carduelis spinus | RB, MB, WV | |
Linnet | Carduelis cannabina | RB | |
Twite | Carduelis flavirostris | RB, MB, WV | |
Lesser Redpoll | Carduelis cabaret | RB | |
Mealy Redpoll | Carduelis flammea | SV | 1975 |
Arctic Redpoll | Carduelis hornemanni | SV | 1995 |
Common Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | RB, MB, WV | |
Scottish Crossbill | Loxia scotica | RB | |
Parrot Crossbill | Loxia pytyopsittacus | RB | |
Common Rosefinch | Erythrina erythrina | SV | 1996 |
Bullfinch | Pyrrhula pyrrhula | RB | |
Hawfinch | Coccothraustes coccothraustes | SV | 1988 |
Snow Bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis | RB, WV, PV | |
Lapland Bunting | Calcarius lapponicus | SV | 1974 |
Yellowhammer | Emberiza citronella | RB | |
Reed Bunting | Emberiza schoeniclus | RB | |
Corn Bunting | Emberiza calandra | RB |