Systematic List of Escaped Bird Species

LANDGUARD ESCAPED BIRD LIST

 

This is a list of records of escaped birds recorded at Landguard. Several other species could be included as “closed ringed” aviculturists birds have been trapped (mostly finches & a Yellowhammer). Records of escapees prior to the formation of the bird observatory in 1983 are difficult to trace (particularly records of Budgerigar, Cockatiel & Canary) and, as such, other records may exist. Hybrid geese & hybrid raptors are not included.

 

RED-BREASTED GOOSE Branta ruficollis

The 2016 records are probably the same bird seen with flocks of Barnacle Geese.

2012    26th June

2016    23rd February

            14th March

BAR-HEADED GOOSE Anser indicus

1998    7th June

2000    23rd March

SNOW GOOSE Anser caerulescens

The 2001 records are probably the same bird that was seen with a “hybrid goose”.

1991    9th October

2001    18th & 26th May

2010    south then in 18th May

BLACK SWAN Cygnus atratus

The 1989 birds flew into Minsmere later the same day.

1989    two north 26th September

1992    1st August

1995    14th May

2007    three 13th April

            two 21st July

2008    two juveniles 5th April

2010    three north 8th August

            four 22nd September

2014    8th May

            11th May (presumed same as above)

2020    17th April

RUDDY SHELDUCK Tadorna ferruginea

The first bird may have been a genuine vagrant.

1990    south 23rd October

2002    male 1st April

2020    west 3rd September

AUSTRALIAN SHELDUCK Tadorna tadornoides

2012    27th October

MUSCOVY DUCK Cairina moschata

1987    23rd January

1991    31st March

2019    25th May

WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL Anas bahamensis

One record of a bird found in a bramble bush following a gale.

1982    30th September

GREATER FLAMINGO Phoenicopterus roseus

This bird was seen in the days prior to this date at Breydon Water & Minsmere.

1990    south 8th October

CHILEAN FLAMINGO Phoenicopterus chilensis

1984    12th December

2010    north 16th June

FLAMINGO Sp. Phoenicopterus sp.

1989    south 15th July

JAPANESE QUAIL Coturnix japonica

This bird was trapped and its feet were in very poor condition suggesting it had not been well looked after.

1992    adult 25th August

BARBARY DOVE Streptopelia risoria

One record of an “apricot morph” individual.

2004    13th October

LAUGHING DOVE Spilopelia senegalensis

2001    26th May

DIAMOND DOVE Geopelia cuneata

1989    29th to 30th May

2017    28th July

HARRIS'S HAWK Parabuteo unicinctus

Several records of presumably the same bird

2008    14th March

            25th April

            23rd August

            13th, 15th & 29th September

            13th October

2009    15th January

            13th, 24th & 25th September

AMERICAN KESTREL Falco sparverius

A juvenile that had escaped from Stonham Barns the previous week.

2010    3rd November

SAKER Falco cherrug

2004    28th October

2007    10th September

COCKATIEL Nymphicus hollandicus

Another caught in the cottage in the early 1980’s lived to a ripe old age.

1986    13th August

1989    15th May

            11th June

            2nd August

1990    7th October

1991    3rd May

            9th November

1992    27th to 28th June

            1st to 2nd October

1994    24th & 30th May

            21st to 22nd September

1995    17th to 18th July

            26th August

1996    6th to 7th September

1998    27th May

1999    1st September

2005    18th July

2006    26th September

2008    17th June

2009    22nd May

2011    22nd August

2013    17th July

2015    23rd April

SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO Cacatua galerita

1993    22nd November

GREY PARROT Psittacus erithacus

2004    9th August

2014    7th August

SCARLET MACAW Ara macao

2004    26th October

BLUE-CROWNED PARAKEET Thectocercus acuticaudatus

2007    13th June

SUPERB PARROT Polytelis swainsonii

1997    22nd March

PARROT Sp.

1996    18th March

LORD DERBY’S PARAKEET Psittacula derbiana

2006    male 14th December

RING-NECKED PARAKEET Psittacula krameri

The following are assumed to be escapes and not part of the naturalised British population.

1987    2nd August

            20th November

1999    2nd & 4th September

2001    two south 13th August

2018    26th September

2021    18th May

            22nd, 24th September & October 1st

2023    16th & 17th May

            10th & 11th June (probably same as above)

PARAKEET Sp. Psittacula sp.

1985    9th & 11th September

1987    8th October

1988    18th June

1996    25th May

EASTERN ROSELLA Platycercus eximius

1992    26th June

BOURKES PARROT Neopsephotus bourkii

2022    14th May

BUDGERIGAR Melopsittacus undulatus

1981    5th September

1983    28th August

1984    21st to 23rd June

            25th August

            12th September

1986    16th to 20th May

            19th July

1989    1st October

            31st October

1990    4th August

1991    2nd July

1992    25th & 27th August

            5th September

            4th October

1993    5th September

1994    one dead riverbank 27th June

            14th July

1995    30th May

            21st July

1997    25th May

1998    2nd August

1999    28th April

2003    23rd January

2004    26th April

            14th to 15th June

            15th September

2006    19th July

            8th, 12th, 15th & 18th August

2011    18th September

            1st October

2016    15th to 19th June

2017    6th August

            11th August

2018    26th July

2023    27th July (plucked remains)

ROSY-FACED LOVEBIRD Agapornis roseicollis

1998    22nd June

SOOTY-HEADED BULBUL Pycnonotus aurigaster

Trapped and found to be in very good condition.

1989    3rd to 4th September

RED-BILLED LEIOTHRIX Leiothrix lutea

Three of these four individuals were trapped and varied in condition from very good to one with worn feathers and damaged feet.

1994    12th June

1998    6th to 16th June

2000    15th to 16th June

2001    18th May

COMMON HILL MYNA Gracula religiosa

2004    25th April

COMMON MYNA Acridotheres tristis

2014    16th May

2021    13th July

PURPLE STARLING Lamprotornis purpureus

This bird was also seen in Coronation Drive, Felixstowe on intervening dates.

1990    12th & 19th August

VERDITER FLYCATCHER Eumyias thalassinus

This bird had a worn tail that appeared diamond-shaped in the field.

1994    12th May

TACAZZE SUNBIRD Nectarinia tacazze

This bird was in immaculate condition when trapped on the last date.

2003    female 11th, 26th & 28th May

PURPLE/PALESTINE SUNBIRD Cinnyris asiaticus/osea

1987    26th to 27th May

SUDAN GOLDEN SPARROW Passer luteus

Several of those below have been trapped with the conditions varying from immaculate to worn.

1992    male 5th May

1996    female 4th August

            male 13th to 14th August

1998    male 11th to 14th June

male 21st June

male 11th August

2004    male 20th to 21st June

VITELLINE MASKED WEAVER Ploceus vitellinus

1992    14th October

VILLAGE WEAVER Ploceus cucullatus

The bird on 6th October 1990 was seen migrating south with other finches.

1983    male 17th to 18th November

1988    male 1st to 11th June

male 23rd August

1990    male 9th August

male 6th October

1991    male 17th to 19th August

male 19th August

male 29th August

1992    male 22nd August

1997    one 14th August

WEAVER Sp. Ploceus sp.

1985    12th October

RED-HEADED QUELEA Quelea erythrops

This bird was in immaculate condition when trapped in the heligoland.

2002    8th June

RED-BILLED QUELEA Quelea quelea

1980    28th September

1983    12th August

YELLOW-CROWNED BISHOP Euplectes afer

2008    27th September

NORTHERN RED BISHOP Euplectes franciscanus

2010    3rd September

COMMON WAXBILL Estrilda astrild

2000    27th August

BLACK-RUMPED WAXBILL Estrilda troglodytes

1988    two 17th September

WAXBILL Sp. Estrilda sp.

1989    25th September

PIN-TAILED WHYDAH Vidua macroura

1988    female or immature 7th to 9th July

CHINESE GROSBEAK Eophona migratoria

1998    18th June

GREY-HEADED BULLFINCH Pyrrhula erythaca

2000    male 15th to 16th May

DESERT FINCH Rhodospiza obsoleta

1994    female/immature 4th November

YELLOW-FRONTED CANARY Crithagra mozambica

The pair in 1990 were seen nest building in the Holm Oaks in early September.

1990    male & female 4th August to at least 14th September

1997    9th September

RED-FRONTED SERIN Serinus pusillus

Singing briefly on site this bird may have been a wild bird as it occurred at the same time as a run of vagrants in the area.

1992    male 6th June

ATLANTIC CANARY Serinus canaria

The 1998 birds plumage was identical to a wild bird with the others varying in their plumage tones.

1981    3rd May

1982    10th to 16th October

1983    11th May

1988    16th to 18th February

            6th September

1994    5th to 19th May

            12th June

            19th June

1998    12th April

2001    7th October

2003    9th May

4th June

2006    27th May

2007    26th April

2009    25th November

2010    10th May

2012    14th June

 

Compiled by Nigel Odin, Landguard Bird Observatory, View Point Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 3TW

E.mail: landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk

January 2024