The birds of Ardnamurchan

This is a checklist of the birds of Ardnamurchan generated from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) most recent census data.

Species are listed taxonomically. The common and scientific names are provided, with the latter linked to the BTO BirdFacts page for that species. This includes a wealth of data including identification tips, population size and trends, breeding survival and biometrics.

The winter and breeding distribution on Ardnamurchan are represented with icons 1. Each of the individual squares on the 3×2 gridded icon represents one of the six 10 km squares (NM46, NM47, NM56, NM66, NM66, NM67) shown in the map below.

Ardnamurchan 10 km map squares

Ardnamurchan 10 km map squares

Overwintering presence is indicated by an open circle (black on white). Breeding probability – possible, probable, confirmed – is indicated by increasing diameter red symbols on the summer icon.

Each of the icons is linked to the relevant BTO Bird Atlas Mapstore of the species covering the UK. Further details of how the list was generated are posted on The Sunart Diary blog.

Common name Scientific name Winter Summer Notes
Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata
Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica
Great Northern Diver Gavia immer
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Gannet Morus bassanus
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus
White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
Greylag Goose Anser anser
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
Brent Goose Branta bernicla
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
Wigeon Mareca penelope
Gadwall Mareca strepera
Teal Anas crecca
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Pochard Aythya ferina
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
Scaup Aythya marila
Eider Somateria mollissima
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra
Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Goosander Mergus merganser
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Buzzard Buteo buteo
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Merlin Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falco peregrinus
Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
Corncrake Crex crex
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Coot Fulica atra
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Sanderling Calidris alba
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Woodcock Scolopax rusticola
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Curlew Numenius arquata
Redshank Tringa totanus
Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Great Skua Stercorarius skua
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Common Gull Larus canus
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Guillemot Uria aalge
Razorbill Alca torda
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle
Puffin Fratercula arctica
Rock Dove Columba livia
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Tawny Owl Strix aluco
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
Skylark Alauda arvensis
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Swallow Hirundo rustica
House Martin Delichon urbicum
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Pied/White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Dipper Cinclus cinclus
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
Dunnock Prunella modularis
Robin Erithacus rubecula
Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
Stonechat Saxicola rubicola
Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Blackbird Turdus merula
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
Redwing Turdus iliacus
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Whitethroat Sylvia communis
Garden Warbler Sylvia borin
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Goldcrest Regulus regulus
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
Coal Tit Periparus ater
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit Parus major
Treecreeper Certhia familiaris
Jay Garrulus glandarius
Carrion Crow Corvus corone
Raven Corvus corax
Starling Sturnus vulgaris
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla
Greenfinch Chloris chloris
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Siskin Spinus spinus
Linnet Linaria cannabina
Twite Linaria flavirostris
Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus
Hooded Crow Corvus cornix
Lesser Redpoll Acanthis cabaret
Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

A PDF of the list is available to download.


  1. You will need to use the light coloured theme to view the icons - you can switch between light and dark themes using the linked symbol in the bottom right hand corner of this screen. ↩︎