Wetland Survey 5 Species & codes

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) monitors all waterbird preferred recording level in normal type, and the less species, as defined by Wetlands International. In the preferred option in faint type; we appreciate however UK, this includes divers, grebes, cormorants, herons, that it may not always be possible to identify to this swans, geese, ducks, rails, waders, gulls and terns, level during the course of a WeBS count - in which although counting of the last two groups is optional. case the generic species code should be used. In addition, WeBS records numbers of Kingfisher. Different populations of certain species are also Vagrants, introductions and free-flying escapes of all assigned separate codes. These are determined by species in the families listed by Wetlands WeBS staff on the basis of geographical distribution. International are included, e.g. flamingos. Counters may assist this process by flagging counts WeBS has adopted the two-letter coding system of known naturalised by writing ‘(naturalised)’ initially developed by BTO for the Common Birds after the appropriate species name on the recording Census. A list of relevant species and codes is form. produced below. The list, whilst not exhaustive, Counters may also encounter hybrids and includes most species recorded during WeBS surveys ‘domestic’ birds (e.g. farmyard Mallard or Greylag to date; a code will be allocated for additional species varieties). Codes for these are also listed below. from the families below as and when they occur. It is There are occasions when it may be impossible to important that both the species name and the two- identify birds to species level. At such times, please letter code are recorded on the form. use one of the ‘unidentified’ categories listed below - For some species, particular races are assigned if you can’t be accurate, be honest! Such information codes where these are identifiable by field is still useful in assessing total waterbird numbers characteristics (e.g. sub-species of Bean Goose and using a site. Brent Goose). In these cases, we have flagged the

WeBS species list

Divers Pelicans Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata RH White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus YP Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica BV Herons Great Northern Diver Gavia immer ND Bittern Botaurus stellaris BI White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii WV American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus AM

Grebes Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus LL Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps PJ Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax NT Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis LG Green Heron Butorides virescens HR Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus GG Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides QH Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena RX Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis EC Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus SZ Little Egret Egretta garzetta ET Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis BN Snowy Egret Egretta thula NY Great White Egret Ardea alba HW Grey Heron Ardea cinerea H. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea UR

Storks White Stork Ciconia ciconia OR Black-necked Grebe Ibises and Spoonbills Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus IB Cormorants Sacred Ibis Threskiornis IS Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo CA aethiopicus Shag Phalacrocorax SA Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia NB aristotelis

The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is the monitoring scheme for non-breeding waterbirds in the UK which aims to provide the principal data for the conservation of their populations and wetland habitats. WeBS is a joint scheme of the British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, in association with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. Wetland Bird Survey Species & codes

Goose Flamingos Light-bellied Brent Branta b. hrota PB Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus FM Goose chilensis Black Brant Branta b. nigricans BB Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber FL Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis EB Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor FK Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca EG

Wildfowl Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea UD Fulvous Whistling Dendrocygna bicolor YV Cape Shelduck Tadorna cana UE Duck Paradise Shelduck Tadorna variegata UB Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica YU Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides UA White-faced Whistling Dendrocygna viduata YX Shelduck Tadorna tadorna SU Duck Magellan Goose Chloephaga picta QF Coscoroba Swan Coscoroba coscoroba OW Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata MY Mute Swan Cygnus olor MS Wood Duck Aix sponsa DC Black Swan Cygnus atratus AS Mandarin Aix galericulata MN Black-necked Swan Cygnus melanocorypha AT Crested Duck Lophonetta QD Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator TJ specularioides Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus BS Wigeon Anas penelope WN Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus WS American Wigeon Anas americana AW Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata MJ Chiloe Wigeon Anas sibilatrix HL Swan Goose Anser cygnoides HN Falcated Duck Anas falcata FT Bean Goose Anser fabalis BE Gadwall Anas strepera GA Taiga Bean Goose Anser f. fabalis XF Bean Goose Anser f. rossicus XR Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus PG White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons WG European W-front. Anser a. albifrons EW Goose Greenland W-front. Anser a. flavirostris NW Goose Gadwall Lesser White-fronted Anser erythropus LC Goose Baikal Teal Anas formosa IK Greylag Goose Anser anser GJ Teal Anas crecca T. Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus HD Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis TA Snow Goose Anser caerulescens SJ Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris KQ Ross’s Goose Anser rossii RJ Cape Teal Anas capensis QC Emperor Goose Anser canagicus EM Silver Teal Anas versicolor AG Hawaiian Goose Branta sandvicensis NE Chestnut Teal Anas castanea QB Goose Branta canadensis CG Mallard Anas platyrhynchos MA Lesser Canada Goose Branta hutchinsii LQ Black Duck Anas rubripes BD Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis BY Pintail Anas acuta PT Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica YL Bahama Pintail Anas bahamensis PN Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha YR Garganey Anas querquedula GY Blue-winged Teal Anas discors TB Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera QA Barnacle Goose Red Shoveler Anas platalea VE Brent Goose Branta bernicla BG Australian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis VA Dark-bellied Brent Branta b. bernicla DB Shoveler Anas clypeata SV Ringed Teal Callonetta leucophrys IE October 2010

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Wetland Bird Survey Species & codes

Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata MQ Coot Fulica atra CO Marbled Duck Marmaronetta MB American Coot Fulica americana AO angustirostris Cranes Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina RQ Crane Grus grus AN Rosybill Netta peposaca QR

Pochard Aythya ferina PO Oystercatchers Redhead Aythya americana AZ Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus OC

Canvasback Aythya valisineria VB Stilts and Avocets Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris NG Black-winged Stilt Himantopus IT Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca FD himantopus Scaup Aythya NZ Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta AV novaeseelandiae Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula TU Thick-knees Scaup Aythya marila SP Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus TN

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis AY Pratincoles Eider Somateria mollissima E. Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum GM King Eider Somateria spectabilis KE Black-winged Glareola nordmanni KW Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri ES Pratincole Harlequin Duck Histrionicus HQ histrionicus Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis LN Little Ringed Charadrius dubius LP Common Scoter Melanitta nigra CX Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula RP Black Scoter Melanitta americana DX Semipalmated Plover Charadrius TV semipalmatus Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata FS Killdeer Charadrius vociferus KL Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca VS Kentish Plover Charadrius KP Bucephala albeola Bufflehead VH alexandrinus Goldeneye Bucephala clangula GN Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus DQ Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus HO Greater Sand Plover Charadrius DP Smew Mergellus albellus SY leschenaultii Red-breasted Mergus serrator RM Dotterel Charadrius morinellus DO Merganser American Golden dominica ID Goosander Mergus merganser GD Plover Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis RY Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva IF White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala WQ Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria GP Argentine Blue-bill Oxyura vittata OI Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola GV

Rails Sociable Plover Vanellus gregarius IP Water Rail Rallus aquaticus WA Lapwing Vanellus vanellus L. Blacksmith Plover Hoplopterus armatus KS Spur-winged Plover Hoplopterus spinosus UW

Sandpipers and allies Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris KO Knot Calidris canutus KN Sanderling Calidris alba SS Water Rail Semipalmated Calidris pusilla PZ Sandpiper Spotted Crake Porzana porzana AK Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri ER Little Crake Porzana parva JC Little Stint Calidris minuta LX Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla VC Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii TK Corncrake Crex crex CE Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla EP Moorhen Gallinula chloropus MH White-rumped Calidris fuscicollis WU October 2010

3 Wetland Bird Survey Species & codes

Sandpiper Gulls and Terns Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii BP Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus MU Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos PP Laughing Gull Larus atricilla LF Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata VV Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan FG Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea CV Little Gull Larus minutus LU Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus MI Sabine’s Gull Larus sabini AB Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima PS Bonaparte’s Gull Larus philadelphia ON Dunlin Calidris alpina DN Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus BH Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus OA Buff-breasted Tryngites subruficollis BQ Sandpiper Ruff Philomachus pugnax RU Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus JS Snipe Gallinago gallinago SN Gallinago media Great Snipe DS Black-headed Gull Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus LD scolopaceus Slender-billed Gull Larus genei EI Woodcock Scolopax rusticola WK Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis IN Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa BW Common Gull Larus canus CM Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica HU Lesser Black-backed Larus fuscus LB Gull Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica BA Herring Gull Larus argentatus HG Yellow-legged Gull Larus a. cachinnans/ YG michahellis Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans YC Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis YG Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides IG Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus GZ Great Black-backed Larus marinus GB Bar-tailed Godwit Gull

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus WM Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea QG Curlew Numenius arquata CU Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla KI Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda UP Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea IV Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus DR Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica TG Redshank Tringa totanus RK Caspian Tern Sterna caspia CJ Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis MD Royal Tern Sterna maxima QT Greenshank Tringa nebularia GK Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis TF Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca LZ Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis TE Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes LY Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii RS Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria I. Common Tern Sterna hirundo CN Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus GE Tern Sterna paradisaea AE Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola OD Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri FO Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus TR Little Tern Sterna albifrons AF Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos CS Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida WD Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia PQ Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes YT Turnstone Arenaria interpres TT Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor WF Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus NK Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius PL Black Tern Black Tern Chlidonias niger BJ October 2010

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Wetland Bird Survey Species & codes

White-winged Black Chlidonias leucopterus WJ Unidentified birds Tern unidentified diver Gavia sp. UL

Kingfishers unidentified grebe Podicipedidae UV Kingfisher Alcedo atthis KF unidentified cormorant Phalacrocorax sp. XU unidentified flamingo FU unidentified yellow- Cygnus UF billed swan cygnus/columbianus unidentified goose Anser/Branta sp. UO unidentified duck UM Kingfisher unidentified scoter sp. Melanitta sp. UX unidentified wader U.

Hybrids i unidentified gull Larus sp. UU hybrid swan ZS unidentified tern Sterna sp. UT hybrid goose ZL unidentified Common/ Sterna hirundo/ UI hybrid shelduck ZT Arctic Tern (‘Commic’ paradisaea hybrid Anas ZR Tern) hybrid Aythya ZD Feral/domestic birds hybrid gull ZU Feral/domestic Mallard ZF Feral/domestic goose ZL

Line drawings by Mark Hulme, Peter Scott, Joe Blossom and Graham Giddens. i codes for hybrids of presumed ‘wild’ birds (e.g. Teal x Gadwall) rather than feral/domestic/farmyard types for which there are separate codes

October 2010

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October 2010